This is the second in my two-part series about the OSU-Cascades proposed campus.

Discussed in the first part were campus sizes and types, quotations proving Oregon State University administrators are pushing for an urban campus and the basic problem of incompatible visualizations (mental images of a campus).

I will herein present additional information about the four example campuses used by OSU administrators to try to convince Central Oregonians to buy the idea of a small urban campus. Last, I will pinpoint the only logical solution to what is now a major stalemate.

On the location page of the OSU-Cascades campus website, Seattle University, the University of Washington Tacoma, Pacific University and Willamette University are shown as campus examples.

Using downtown Seattle and downtown Tacoma campuses as examples for the proposed campus is absurd. This leaves just two examples to even consider: Pacific University (listed on the location page as 3,607 students on a 55-acre campus) and Willamette University (listed as 2,725 students on a 60-acre campus).

Pacific actually has four campuses. The location page shows the total enrollment of all four campuses but only names the Forest Grove campus, thereby giving the false impression that there are 3,607 students utilizing a 55-acre campus in Forest Grove.

I recently called the registrar’s office at Pacific and was told there are approximately 2,000 students on the Forest Grove campus. According to the Pacific marketing/communications office, the 55 acres does not include the athletic complex built by the university. So the size of the Pacific campus at Forest Grove is actually about 70 acres. Wikipedia shows the Willamette University campus as 80 acres, not 60 as listed on the location page.

Why are these differences important? Because they mislead readers into thinking there are more students and smaller campuses, therefore making the tiny proposed campus appear to be normal and not unusual.

The only logical solution to the proposed campus stalemate is to quickly restart the campus project. The 10 acres purchased for the first phase of the proposed campus is a desirable and salable property, so it is possible to restart the project and not be locked in by the already consummated purchase.

In restarting, all concerned parties must be ready and willing to communicate. However, to facilitate the communications, I must tell the OSU administrators who are pushing for an urban campus to be realistic and forget the urban dream. The campus is to be built in Central Oregon, not downtown Seattle or downtown Tacoma or downtown Portland.

The search for an appropriate campus site in Central Oregon should not begin until the visualizations of all interested parties, including OSU administrators, are compatible. On the location page, OSU administrators presented an opinion regarding sprawl that states, “which is exactly what would occur if the new campus were located on the outskirts of the city.”

In my opinion, this is ridiculous and should not be a factor when the new search begins. Dictionary.com defines urban sprawl as “the uncontrolled spread of urban development into neighboring regions.” The establishment of new university districts in rapidly growing communities does not cause sprawl. However, sprawl could happen due to a lack of adequate planning and enforcement, which is not the case in Central Oregon.

Over 40 years ago, a wise decision provided for the St. Charles Medical Center campus to be built along Neff Road rather than on Hospital Hill.

In another 40 years, will the type, size and location of the OSU-Cascades campus be regarded as having been wisely guided, or will the campus be known as a boondoggle?

— Alan Jones is a professional forester and was a full-time faculty member for Central Oregon Community College for 18 years. He lives in Bend.