Quantifying Liberal Bias at the University of Oregon

By Vincent Artman and CJ Ciaramella
Editors, Oregon Commentator
“An independent journal of opinion” at the University of Oregon

According to the Huffington Post’s nifty little campaign donation tracker, people who identified themselves as employees of the University of Oregon have so far donated $24,962 to political campaigns in the ’08 election cycle. It doesn’t look like the first quarter reports have been added yet, so the real number is most likely much higher by now. How does it break down?

Of that $24,962, only two contributions went to Republicans, totaling $956. Actually, we should say Republican, because both of those went to Ron Paul. The majority of the Democrat donations went to Obama, with only one to Hillary Clinton.

Hardly surprising. Interesting, though, that we have been told repeatedly that monocultures are unstable and unhealthy and that being exposed to a diverse range of cultures and ideas is key to a well-rounded education. And yet here we are, with the very institutions who have been among the loudest promoting the “diversity” agenda nationwide failing to live up to their own loudly proclaimed ideals.

If education is the function of the University (a cynic might wonder if business interests haven’t supplanted that function to some extent), and diversity is held to be an important “” if not crucial “” element of a proper education, then isn’t a disservice being done to students when the educators themselves, by a ratio of nearly 5:1, come in one form or another from one end of the political spectrum?

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Dr. Matt Manweller will offer his insider’s take on why university faculties are overwhelmingly liberal this Wednesday at the Portland Airport Shilo Inn, 6-8 p.m. Free admission; dinner $20.

Click here for details. All are welcome!

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Cascade Policy Institute is Oregon’s free market think tank.