This content was published: October 23, 2008. Phone numbers, email addresses, and other information may have changed.
It was a well-rounded evening of unexpected consequences
Photos and story by Dana Haynes
Twelve days to go.
Filing this one under Lessons Learned: Our friends at Rock Creek threw a bond forum last night that featured plenty of food, water and coffee, a bevy of posters, tons of fliers and assorted PowerPoints. All that was lacking was visitors.
We drew zilch.
That is, until a class of about 26 students in a Latino/Hispanic Studies program came in. First, as students are wont to do, they raided the food. Good, it would have gone to waste anyway. Second, they asked questions.
Good questions. Lots of questions.
We had David Rule, president of the Rock Creek Campus, there, along with Randy McEwen, district vice president. And to their credit, they didn’t treat these students any different than they would have treated members of the surrounding community, had they shown up.
What was supposed to be an informational forum about the bond became Civics 101. They explained how bonds work, how academic programs are created, what role students play in the shaping of campus.
The goal was to get more information out regarding PCC and the bond. Did it accomplish that goal? Not so much. But it was good academia.
I left early to go to the Washington County Democrats meeting: again, to pitch info on the bond. After waiting about 45 minutes, the chairwoman introduced me, then hesitated and said, “Before Dana talks, how many people here have already voted.”
From what I could tell, every freaking hand in the joint went up. Yup, I was there to spread information about the bond measure and I wound up with the only 200 Oregonians in the entire state who no longer have ballots!
Oh, well. I gave them my PCC elevator pitch all the same. I hung out with a few lawmakers. I made some new contacts. In all, it was a good event to attend.
Filing that one under What The Heck.
Send your feedback to dana.haynes@pcc.edu. And thanks in advance.
About Dana Haynes
Dana Haynes, joined PCC in 2007 as the manager of the Office of Public Affairs, directing the college's media and government relations. Haynes spent the previous 20 years as a reporter, columnist and editor for Oregon newspapers, including ... more »