Eastern Oregon University has seen tremendous progress and successes despite some media reports about our financial situation. While recent portrayals of our budget situation has sparked some concerns, we want to assure you that EOU is thriving, expanding and committed to serving students and our region.

EOU is in a period of growth, despite challenges in higher education across the state and nation. Over the past year, we have seen increases in both enrollment and retention — a clear indicator that more students are choosing EOU for their college experience. This is a direct reflection of the exceptional quality of our programs and the dedication of our faculty and staff.

We are proud of our strategic investments in new programs and facilities, like our Master of Clinical Mental Health program, the Agriculture Entrepreneurship degree, our upcoming Master of Social Work, and renovation of Inlow Hall. These initiatives are designed to enhance the student experience, be responsive to the needs of the region, provide much needed skills to Eastern Oregon, and prepare our graduates for successful careers.

We are also very proud to share that the EOU Foundation just awarded over $1 million in private scholarships for fall 2024, testament to the investment that donors want to invest in this university and help students graduate with less debt.

We recently completed a budget realignment process to ensure the university’s expenses were in line with our resources. We did this so that we can remain focused on student success. It is important to note that this was a proactive and collaborative effort to drive financial stability now, and into the future. We know that we are doing the work to make the right financial decisions in order to continue our positive momentum.

While we still have a lot of hard work ahead of us, it is important to acknowledge that the financial challenges we face are part of a larger, systemic issue affecting higher education nationwide. Rising operational costs and insufficient state funding are common hurdles facing many regional state universities. In fact, in Oregon, the lack of substantial state investment in higher education adds to these pressures. In 2024, Oregon ranked 44th in the nation in per-student funding for public universities. Despite this, EOU is proactively managing our resources to ensure sustainability, and we are constantly looking for efficiencies to help us do more with what we have and support students.

Our community’s trust and support are vital to our continued growth. We value our students, faculty, staff, alumni and the broader community’s contributions and remain dedicated to transparency and accountability.

Eastern Oregon University is on an upward trajectory. We are growing, thriving and making significant strides in enhancing our educational offerings. The financial challenges we face are real but manageable, and they do not overshadow the remarkable achievements and positive trends at EOU.