Founded in 1975, OSA is a coalition of student governments dedicated to the representation, service, and protection of the collective interests of over 100,000 students in postsecondary education.
Below are links to featured OSA victories from 2003 and before. For victories from 2004 to the present, visit our Recent Accomplishments page.
• 2001, 2003, 2005: Defeated legislation that would have limited students’ ability to vote by pushing back the registration deadline, not allowing unofficial ballot boxes on-campus, and prohibiting effective voter registration drives on campuses
• 2002: Registered 12,226 students in an off-election
• 2001: Worked in coalition to provide multilingual ballots to make voting accessible to all Oregonians
• 2000: Registered 27,296 students and gave hundreds of ballot measure presentations so students could make educated decisions on Election Day
• Registered 12,000 voters in 1998; 19,500 in 1996; 16,000 in 1994; and 15,000 in 1992
• 2003: After the Student Child Care Program was eliminated because of budget cuts and hundreds of families had been kicked off the Program, OSA was able restore $1 million to the program to serve 230 families
• 2001: Secured $1 million of state funding for the Student Child Care Block Grant, previously only funded through federal dollars (now the Student Child Care Program)
• 1989: Helped pass legislation that funded Student Parent Child Care Grant’s pilot project
• Helped save millions (even billions in 1995) of federal financial aid dollars from cuts and have worked hard with our congressional delegation to create initiatives that benefit students
• 1997: Participated in a national coalition to force an increase in the Pell Grant, raising the maximum award and increasing access to more students. Total increase: $400 million
• Saved the State Student Incentive Grant (SSIG) from elimination in 1995 and 1996 and increased the Grant in 1996. In 1997, Oregon students led a national effort to save the SSIG from elimination once again, saving students $25 million
• 2003: Increased funding of the Oregon Opportunity Grant by $12 million to serve more low-income students
2001: Increased funding for the Oregon Opportunity Grant by $5 million to expand the program
• 1997, 1999: Increased funding for the Oregon Need Grant (now the Oregon Opportunity Grant) by $4 million
• 1995: Secured adoption of OSA formula for the Need Grant from the legislature
• 2003, 2004: Delayed and minimized implementation of the removal of the tuition plateau, saving students hundreds of dollars
• 1997-2001: Won a tuition freeze and saved every OUS in-state student $600
• 1997, 1999: Supported and assisted in the creation of a Pre-Paid Tuition program for Oregon
• 1993: Defeated a 15 percent tuition increase which was reduced to a 7 percent tuition increase
• 1992, 1994: Compelled OUS to adopt a low tuition (one third of cost) policy
• 1991: Secured additional $10 million to reduce a $600 per student tuition surcharge to $501
• 2003: Worked with Associated Students of Lane Community College to lobby the LCC Board of Directors to decrease the proposed tuition increases
• Garnered support for Oregon University System (OUS) funding in 1991, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2001, and 2003. In 1999, we saw a +20 percent increase and in 2001 we restored over $50 million in cuts
• 1997-00: Founded, maintained, and led Access to Quality Coalition, a coalition of faculty, administrations, and businesses focused on adequate faculty compensation and low tuition that secured over $70 million for OUS
• Convinced legislature to fund regional access initiatives for regional schools (SOU, EOU, OIT) in 1997 and 1999. Convinced Governor to support regional school access in 2001 budget
• 1993: Secured $20 million for OUS budget beyond Governor’s initial recommendation
Oregon Student Association
635 NE Dekum St.
Portland, OR 97211
Phone: 503-286-0477
Fax: 503-286-0924
Email: