2021 UO Day at the Capitol, held virtually on May 25, was unlike any of the previous in-person advocacy days of years past and turned out to be a great success. Over 100 faculty, staff, students, trustees and alumni participated to advocate for funding and policy priorities of UO.

The event started off the evening before with a virtual orientation session with remarks by UO leaders and Governor Kate Brown before advocates broke into groups to plan for their legislative visits.

Participants and lawmakers attended a virtual coffee social event the morning of May 25 and a mid-day legislative briefing on student basic needs with panelists AVP and Dean of Students Kris Winter, AVP and Director of Student Aid Jim Brooks, ASUO State Affairs Secretary Maya Ward, and Chloe Eberhardt with Partners for a Hunger Free Oregon.

Throughout the day, 16 groups met with 32 legislators and shared personal stories about how the UO has made a difference their lives. They also advocated for:

• Supporting at least $900 million investment in the Public University Support Fund (PUSF);
• Increasing funding for the Oregon Opportunity Grant;
• Supporting legislative efforts to address basic needs of students by funding a benefits navigator position on each college campus; and
• Supporting UO’s 2021 capital construction request, the Heritage Renovation Project.