1994-1996

1994

OSU Foundation ranked first in Oregon and 219th in the U.S. in terms of donations: $27.1 million during the 1992-93 fiscal year.

In April, OSU ranked as the only university in Oregon and one of two in the Pacific Northwest as a Research I higher education institution by the Carnegie Foundation.

OSU Portland Center opened at new location – Third and Yamhill Streets, near Pioneer Place in downtown Portland.

In June, OSU mathematicians joined with colleagues in The Netherlands to set two world records for factoring very large numbers.

Three firefighters with OSU connections, all members of the elite Hot Shots, died while battling a blaze on Storm King Mountain in Colorado. John R. Kelso and Robert A. Johnson were 1991 OSU graduates, and Terri A. Hagen was a senior when she last attended OSU in 1993. Two other Oregon Staters survived the fire, 1994 graduate Brian J. Lee and student Tommie L. Rambo.

OSU welcomed eight Russian students to campus as part of a new international education program funded by Russian President Boris Yeltsin.

OSU campus ranked as safest among the Pac-10 Conference schools, according to a University of Southern California study in September.

OSU received the first place Innovative Management Achievement Award from the National Association of College and University Business Officers in recognition of its Total Quality Management (TQM) efforts.

Jane Lubchenco, distinguished professor of zoology, named Oregon Scientist of the Year.

Proficiency in second language added to OSU's admissions requirements effective fall term 1997.

Linus Pauling, OSU's most distinguished alumnus, died August 19.

Ballot Measure 8, which required Oregon's public employees to pay part of their salary toward their pension and reduced those pensions, approved by voters in November.

On December 10, senior Debra Walt was selected as one of 32 Americans, and the only Oregonian, to win a Rhodes Scholarship for 1995.

1995

Ethnic Studies Department created.

On May 30, President Byrne announced his retirement, to be effective December 31.

Horner Museum closed.

New Honors College, approved on September 24, 1994, opened fall term.

New Property Control Warehouse opened in August and renovated Memorial Union Commons opened in September.

The Wayne and Gladys Valley Foundation pledged $10 million over seven years toward the University's library expansion campaign.

On November 2, the State Board of Higher Education chose Dr. Paul G. Risser to be OSU's 13th president.

1996

Paul Gillan Risser, B.A., M.S., Ph.D., D.Sc. (Jan. 1, 1996-November 2002), became the thirteenth president of OSU following the retirement of John V. Byrne on December 31, 1995. Risser came to OSU from Miami University of Ohio, where he had been president since 1992. Risser, a botanist, had previously held administrative positions at the University of New Mexico (1986-1992), headed the Illinois Natural History Survey (1981-1986), and served on the University of Oklahoma faculty from 1967-1981.

Heavy February rains and snow melt resulted in significant flooding in Corvallis. Several OSU buildings suffered damage due to the flooding. In November, record rainfall for a 24-hour period resulted in flooding in ten OSU buildings and power outages and loss of heat in several others.

On March 13, the All OSU Boycott drew 1,500 students and community members in a march through campus and 2,000 in the Memorial Union Quad to hear students of color speak about their experiences enduring racism.

On March 16 ground was broken for the new CH2M Hill Alumni Center.

On May 24 ground was broken for the $40 million expansion of the library. The library was renamed the Valley Library in honor of Wayne and Gladys Valley, whose family foundation had donated $10 million to the expansion project. Because of the importance of the Kerr name to OSU, the Administrative Services Building was renamed the Kerr Administration Building.

A new addition to the Industrial Building was begun in January and completed early in the summer. The addition, which replaced a portion of the building destroyed by fire in July 1992, was occupied by OSU's Printing and Mailing Services and Security Services/University Police. The building's name was changed to Cascade Hall.

The Hispanic Cultural Center was renamed the Centro Cultural Cesar Chavez on May 30.

The Linus Pauling Institute of Science and Medicine relocated from Palo Alto, California, to OSU. Noted for its research in aging, immunology, nutrition, genetics, and cancer, the institute was founded in 1973 by OAC alumnus and two-time Nobel Prize winner Linus Pauling ('22).

First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton spoke at a campaign rally on the OSU campus on November 3.

OSU alumnus and CIA official Harold J. Nicholson was arrested for selling intelligence information to Russia. Nicholson graduated from Oregon State in 1973 with a B.S. in geography.

OSU was ranked number one in the nation for its athletes' graduation rate (95%).