Eastern Oregon University
PROVOST’S OFFICE
TO: JONATHAN JACOBS, OUS--OUS PORTFOLIO SUBCOMMITTEE OF OSBHE’S SIC
FROM: PRESIDENT’S CABINET
SUBJECT: ENVIRONMENTAL SCAN
DATE: 16 OCTOBER 2007
________________________________________________________________________
1) Please identify educational services and training needed for your
specific region.
Need areas specifically identified by the Educational Training and Development Consortium in La Grande, OR
are for Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) and Office Administration specialists. See Q. 9.
EOU is in conversation with Education staff at Eastern Oregon Correctional Institute (EOCI) and will shortly
conduct a survey to discern interest for four-year degrees among employees of the correctional facilities in
eastern Oregon, and to discern interest in the inmate population for general education and baccalaureate degree
courses offered on-site. The survey is expected to be completed by mid-November.
2) Please identify any regional partnerships you maintain
(educational, businesses, organizations).
Academic Partners
EOU maintains long standing partnerships (agreements date back to the ‘70s) with TVCC and BMCC, based on
baccalaureate degree completion options for students who begin their post-secondary education at these
community colleges. Current agreements cover several curriculum-specific completion options, and also include
agreements specific to necessary educational support services, e.g., dual enrollment processes, financial aid
distribution, etc.
EOU PARTNERS
Headstart
Oregon State University Agriculture Program at EOU
Oregon Health & Science University Nursing Program at EOU
Oregon Dental Services/Oregon Institute of Technology School of Dental Hygiene
Nine Community College partnerships across Oregon
Blue Mountain Community College
Treasure Valley Community College
Chemeketa Community College
Southwestern Oregon Community College
Portland Community College
Mt. Hood Community College
Central Oregon Community College
Umpqua Community College
Clackamas Community College
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation
OUTREACH/REGIONAL PARTNERSHIPS
Rural Oregon Institute – U.S. Department of Commerce/Economic Development Administration
Eastern Oregon Rural Alliance
Small Business Development Center
Sage Library System
Community School of the Arts
Union County Economic Development Corporation
Union County Law Library
La Grande-Union County Chamber of Commerce
La Grande Downtown Development Association
Union County Tourism
Grande Ronde Model Watershed
ArtsEast – Eastern Oregon Regional Arts Council
Pacific Northwest Research Station
Oregon National Guard GOLD (Guard Officer Leadership Detachment) Program
Mine Safety
EOU FUNDRAISING PARTNERS
Eastern Oregon University Foundation
Eastern Oregon University Alumni Association
EOU Mountaineer Booster Club
Oregon Agriculture Foundation
INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS
Montpellier Graduate School of Management, France
Universidad Autonoma del Sur, Chile
University of Lodz, Poland
Kainan University, Taoyuan County, Taiwan
3) Who do you compete with for undergraduate students? (Mike Daugherty)
Competitor schools for Campus based programs are:
Oregon State U.
U of Oregon
Boise State U
U of Idaho
Washington State U
WSU-Tri-Cities
BMCC
TVCC
Western Oregon U
Portland State U
Oregon Institute of Tech.
Major competitors for our distance programs include OSU, WSU, BSU, and
U of Idaho
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4) Who do you compete with for graduate students?
Eastern Oregon University offers three graduate degree programs: the Master of Business Administration degree
(MBA) the Master of Teacher Education Degree (MTE) and the Master of Science in Education degree (MS).
We have no comprehensive information that would drive a data-driven response to this question, but we do have
anecdotal information from students and knowledge of programs in our region that compete with EOU.
MBA: Generally, there is no competition for the MBA in eastern Oregon. Students have few alternatives besides
online MBA programs and weekend MBA programs available in Seattle, Portland, Boise, and Tri-Cities. Because
EOU offers a hybrid-distance model of the MBA to Ontario, John Day, The Dalles, Hermiston and La Grande at
a price that is approximately one-half that of other programs, there is virtually no competition. There is
increasing evidence by the number of students we are attracting in Hermiston from Tri-cities, that the WSU and
City University programs cannot suit all students in the east Columbia basin. Our current MBA cohort is 24, a
20% increase over the previous year. We see the MBA as an essential and necessary component of EOU's
curriculum as it fulfills a need particular to rural Oregonians.
MTE: For regional graduates interested in becoming a teacher, there is little viable competition for the MTE
program. Students within a 300 mile radius can access this program using distance technology and periodic
weekend colleges to complete the required course work. Practica and internships are held in almost every city
and town in eastern Oregon with the largest concentration along the I-84 corridor from Nampa, ID to Gresham.
There are no other graduate programs for Oregon licensure available to students in our region nor are there any
distance programs that other universities offer.
MS: The Master of Science in Education program is a self-support service program that is available completely
online to teachers in Oregon. Although there are several competitors for this market, the resources that EOU
contributes to this program are not supported by E & G budgets. We currently have about 50 active students
pursuing the MS degree. Because this program is custom-designed to fit the needs of rural teachers, it is essential
to our region.
5) What can your competitors offer that you can't?
• Lower tuition and fees
• More incentives to attend, in addition to waiving out of state tuition – such as scholarships, free computers
laptops
• Better coordination, more team players at the statewide / system level, for example, Idaho’s online university
programs
• Semester terms instead of quarters systemwide
• Differential between Admissions criteria / standards between the OUS regional and research universities
6) Which graduate programs do you feel meet your regional needs?
Eastern Oregon University’s existing graduate programs continue to meet regional needs:
Master in Business Administration (MBA)
Master in Teacher Education (MTE)
Master of Science in Education (MS)
7) Which graduate programs would you add to meet regional needs?
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Oregon economic forecasts predict continuing growth in the health care services, professional and business
services, and government jobs for eastern Oregon. These growth areas warrant consideration of graduate
programs offered through Eastern Oregon University in the following areas:
Master in Public Administration (MPA)
Master in (Rural) Health Care Management
Master of Science in Criminal Justice Administration
See Northeast Oregon Economic Development District’s Strategic Plan 2007-2012:
http://www.neoedd.org/documents/0712_CEDS_Final.pdf and Appendix A
In addition, EOU’s presence in Hermiston and the Tri-Cities area, strong faculty research interests with the
American Chemical Society and Pacific Northwest Labs (PNL), a new state-of-the-arts science facility combined
with faculty strengths in Biochemistry, Chemistry, Biology, and MBA suggest potential in the following areas:
Master of Science in Clean Chemical Technology and Management
Master of Science in Biotechnology
8) Do you meet regional needs with any other programs or services?
Eastern Oregon University currently meets regional needs in partnership with OHSU and OIT/ODS in the
following health care areas:
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Associate in Dental Hygiene
In partnership with OSU, regional needs are met in the following degree areas:
Agricultural Business Management
Environmental Economics, Politics and Management
Crop and Soil Science
Natural Resources
Rangeland Ecology and Management
EOU maintains active partnerships with the following agencies and businesses that include student internship and
service learning opportunities:
24 Hour Relay
American Red Cross-Eastern Oregon Chapter
ASPIRE
Blue Mountain Trading Company
Boy Scouts of America
Bureau of Land Management, Baker
Business/Organization
CASA--Court Appointed Special Advocates
CCR&R--Childcare Resource and Referral
Center for Human Development
City of La Grande Air Quality Commission
City of La Grande Parks and Recreation
City of La Grande Parks and Recreation
Community Connection of Northeast Oregon, Inc.
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Community Resource Services
Community School of the Arts
Cove Community School
Eastern Oregon Mediation Center
Eastern Oregon Regional Arts Council
Elgin Food Bank
EOU Learning Center
Friendly Visitor Program, a Union County Library District Project
Girl Scouts of Silver Sage Council
Grande Ronde Model Watershed Program
Grande Ronde Model Watershed Program
Grande Ronde Retirement Residence
Great American Harvest
Habitat for Humanity
Haven from Hunger
Hells Canyon Preservation Council
Homeless Youth/In Transition
La Grande Arts Commission
La Grande Community Garden
La Grande Farmers' Market
La Grande Public Library-"Friends of the Library"
La Grande School District
LHS Career Center Coordinator
Lifespan Respite of Union County Community Connections
Meals-on-Wheels
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration--NOAA Fisheries, Eastern Oregon
Branch
Native American Adolescent Mentorship Program
Neighbor to Neighbor Ministries
Neighbor's First
Office of Multi-Cultural Affairs
Oregon Department of Forestry
Oregon Rural Action
OSU Extension Office
OSU Master Gardeners/OSU Extension Office
RARE Program
Road's End Properties, LLC
Salvation Army of Union County
School of Education--Internships
Shelter from the Storm
Special Olympics Volunteer Local Program Coordinator Union County
Stepping Stone Foundation/Third Street Station
Stepping Stone Foundation/Third Street Station
Tamastslikt Cultural Institute
The Nature Conservancy--Zumwalt Prairie
Think Link Discovery Center
Training and Employment Consortium
Union County Commission on Children and Families
Union County Fair
Union County Historical Society
Union County Museum
Union County Victims Assistance Program
Union County, Oregon History Project
Union Soil and Conservation District
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Union/Baker Alternative Education
United States Forest Service
United Way
Wallowa Whitman National Forest Service
Women's Research & Resource Center
1012 Adams Antiques
Aflac Insurance Agent
Alumni Coordinator/Advisor to the Navigator Club
Aramark, Executive Chef
ASPIRE Mentor
Assistant to Dean Levine
Assistant to the President
Bearco Business Park/Solar Car Owner
Blue Mountain Academy for the Healing Arts, LLC
Blue Mountain Embroidery and Screenprinting
Bushwhack Graphics and Marketing Communications
Career Search Coordinator
Center Director/Advisor EOU Baker Center
Change Management Resources
Children’s Diabetes Seminars and Support Network
City of La Grande
Community Organizer
Director Center for Community Action and Service-Learning, Gonzaga
University
Experienced Treasure Hunter
Food Innovation Center
Friendly Visitor Program
Gary's Rock Shop, Custom Cutting and Tumbling
Girls Scouts of Silver Sage Council
Grande Ronde Retirement Residence
Hanford Project
Holy Family Pottery
Information Technology Department
Insurance Agent
International Admissions Counselor
Job Location and Development
La Grande Farmers' Market Board Member
La Grande Observer
La Grande United Methodist Church
Mount Emily Safe Center
Nature Conservancy--Zumwalt Prairie
Northwest Service Academy
Office of Admissions/Ambassador Advisor
Oregon Community Service Commission
Oregon Food Bank
Oregon Rural Action Board Member
Professor Emeritus, Agricultural Economics; University of Missouri
PSU Oregon Consensus Program
PSU Oregon Consensus Program
Shelter from the Storm
Stark Raving Folds
Student Health Center
Union County Commission on Children and Families
Victim Assistance Program
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Service Learning Examples
Chemistry Club
Environmental Club
SIFE Club
Service Learning Ops, Career support services
CASA, NAACP
International/Intercultural Experience
Service Learning
PCSW, Chemistry Club
Women's Center
Phi Kappa Academic Fraternity (?)
First Year Experience
supportive of service learning
First Year Experience
Oregon Campus Compact President of Board of Directors
Union County Fit Kids
Food Donations! Many opportunities
International/Intercultural Experience
Hunger Relief
International/Intercultural Experience
History Club
Growiser!
Accounting--Internship-Practicum
Native American Studies, archeologist, Nutrition
Mayor La Grande, PPE Majors
PPE Majors, interest in social issues
Science majors, sociology alumni--great contact, First Year
Experience
Honors Program
Hen Project
Oregon Writing Project
Education
Photography/multi-media
Service Learning in Louisiana/Local Internship knowledge
Urban Forestry Program, Noxious Weed Expert
African Drumming Ensemble
Diversity Committee
Much International Travel
Service Learning Classes
Gay/Straight Alliance Advisor
Service Learning Classes
Student Parents, Women's Issues
International Travel/Computer Science
Service Learning Classes
Community Film Series Coordinator
Service Learning Classes
Ars Poetica
9) What regional needs (educational services or training) are
unmet by you or your regional competitors?
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Professional development-oriented two-year programs in the following areas are currently unmet by regional
competitors:
Certified Nurse’s Assistant program (CNA)
Office Administration
Bachelors degree in Criminal Justice
10) Do you provide services or maintain partnerships in other regions
of the state? If so, please describe.
Extended Residential Cohorts
Eastern Oregon University has been responsive to the educational needs of rural Oregonians. Invited by several
community colleges to partner, Eastern has successfully forged 2+2 extended residential cohort groups in
business and education at Coos Bay, Gresham, and Chemeketa as well as those ongoing programs at Pendleton
and Ontario.
Coos Bay: EOU has a long-term partnership with Southwest Oregon Community College to operate an
undergraduate teacher education program in Coos Bay. Students complete 100 hours of lower division program
requirements through the community college and then complete the upper division requirements on-site.
Students have no residential requirement in La Grande and are not required to take online courses. Over 90% of
the 100 or so graduates of the program over the last six years have found positions in the south coast region or
other rural areas of the state.
Gresham: EOU was invited by Mount Hood Community College to form a residential cohort for east county
students that were place-, or economically-bound to the Troutdale and west Gorge locales. Students complete
100 hours of lower division program requirements through the community college and then complete the upper
division requirements on-site. Students have no residential requirement in La Grande and are not required to take
online courses. Over 80% of the 75 or so graduates of the program over the last four years have found positions
in rural areas of the state. EOU also operates a Business Administration program for the same region.
Specializing in alternative time formats for working adults, the program graduates approximately 30 students per
year. Students in this program complete the lower division requirements at the community college and then take
both residential and online courses to complete their program with maximum flexibility afforded to time and
modality.
Chemeketa: EOU offers a completion program for business administration at Chemeketa Community College.
Designed for working adults in the rural and east most portions of Marion County, the program blends alternative
schedule course work on-site with distance modalities. This is the second year of the program.
Pendleton and Ontario: EOU has a long-term partnership with Blue Mountain and Treasure Valley Community
Colleges to operate an undergraduate teacher education. Students complete 100 hours of lower division program
requirements through the community college and then complete the upper division requirements on-site.
Students have no residential requirement in La Grande and are not required to take online courses. Over 85% of
the 160 or so graduates of the program over the last 11 years have found positions in Morrow, Umatilla, Malheur,
Gilliam, Sherman, Deschutes, Lake, and Grant counties. Many of these areas are termed "frontier" populations.
Attracting and retaining qualified teachers in these regions is a high priority. Our regional residential programs
help assure opportunities for residents of these counties to serve as teachers.
EOU Division of Distance Education Regional Center Offices in:
Ontario – see response to Q2.
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Baker City – we maintain a cooperative arrangement with BMCC in serving students in the Baker County region,
with the same opportunities for students as are described in Q2.
Pendleton – see response to Q2.
Hermiston – from our center co-located with BMCC in their regional center in Hermiston, we maintain a
cooperative arrangement with BMCC in serving students in the West Umatilla County, Morrow, Wheeler and
Gilliam counties, with the same opportunities for students as are described in Q2.
Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation - from our center located on the CTUIR in Mission,
and in cooperation with BMCC, we serve the students from the Native American population of the region.
Enterprise – from our center located in Enterprise, we maintain a cooperative arrangement with BMCC in
serving students in the Wallowa County region, with the same opportunities for students as are described in Q2.
John Day – from our center located in the Grant County Educational Service District office, we maintain a
cooperative arrangement with BMCC in serving students in the Grant County region, with the same opportunities
for students as are described in Q2.
Burns – from our center located at Burns High School, and shared with TVCC staff, we maintain a cooperative
arrangement with TVCC in serving students in the Harney County region, with the same opportunities for
students as are described in Q2.
Bend – from our center located at Central Oregon Community College we maintain a cooperative arrangement
with COCC in serving students in the Deschutes County region, with the same opportunities for students as are
described in Q2. From this same center, we also maintain cooperative arrangements with Klamath Community
College in Klamath Falls, and Colombia Gorge Community College in The Dalles, each providing the same
opportunities for students as described in Q2. Oregon counties served from this center include Deschutes,
Jefferson, Crook, Klamath, Lake, Jackson, Hood River, Wasco, and Sherman.
Portland – from our center located at Portland Community College – Cascades Campus we maintain a
cooperative arrangement with PCC – Cascades in serving students in the North Portland region; from our center
located in the OIT Metro Center, we maintain a cooperative arrangement with Clackamas Community College in
serving students in the Portland metro region, with the same opportunities for students as are described in Q2.
Salem – from our center located at Chemeketa Community College, we maintain cooperative arrangements with
Chemeketa, Linn-Benton, Clatsop, Tillamook Bay, and Oregon Coast Community Colleges serving students in
the Marion, Linn, Polk, Benton, Lincoln, Tillamook, Yamhill, Washington, Clatsop, and Columbia county
regions, with the same opportunities for students as are described in Q2.
Roseburg – from our center located at Umpqua Community College, we maintain a cooperative arrangement
with UCC, serving students in the Douglas, Josephine and Lane county regions, with the same opportunities for
students as are described in Q2.
Coos Bay – from our center located at Southwestern Oregon Community College, we maintain a cooperative
arrangement with SWOCC, serving students in the Coos and Curry county regions, with the same opportunities
for students as are described in Q2.
Responses can be sent directly to Jonathan Jacobs,
Jonathan_Jacobs@ous.edu, (541) 346-5827.
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