On May 30, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) and UO Interim President Bob Berdahl led a roundtable discussion with University of Oregon students on student debt and financial aid. They were joined by Laura Hinman, ASUO president, and Nick McCain, ASUO vice president. The meeting was held in Knight Library’s Paulson Reading Room and also featured Jim Brooks, director of the UO Office of Student Financial Aid and Scholarships. During the event, fifteen students shared their stories and offered thoughts on how to improve financial aid for students. Several students highlighted their experiences with the PathwayOregon program, which ensures that academically qualified, lower-income Oregonians will have their University of Oregon tuition and fees paid for with a combination of federal, state, and university funds. Students also spoke about UO programs aimed at increasing financial literacy, including Live like a Duck, which provides tools and tips to help students and their families make sound financial decisions while attending the University of Oregon. Senator Wyden highlighted his efforts to provide information on the value of college degrees through his Student’s Right to Know Before You Go Act.

Wyden is a 1974 graduate of the University of Oregon School of Law. Earlier in the day, he visited the Duck Store, where he congratulated general manager Jim Williams on his retirement.