On April 25, 2022, the Joint Task Force On Student Success for Underrepresented Students in Higher Education will be visiting University of Oregon and Lane Community College to hear from students and alumni from historically underrepresented backgrounds in public higher education. 

The task force will be holding a public hearing from 5:30 - 7:00 pm in Eugene on the UO campus. During the public hearing, students, alumni, and other stakeholders will have the opportunity to engage in three different ways: 

1. Testify live before the legislative task force: Testifying before a legislative committee is the most impactful way to make your voice heard and advocate for policies that support students from historically underrepresented backgrounds. Testimony is limited to three minutes in length.

You can register to testify in advance on April 25 here. We recommend registering in advance to ensure that you are able to speak. 

2. Submit video testimony: The task force is also accepting video testimony. We recommend that the video be less than three minutes if possible for the greatest impact. If you would like to submit video testimony, please upload your video here or email it to UO Associate Director of Advocacy, Kimberly Koops, at [email protected]. She will submit the video to the task force on your behalf. 

3. Written testimony: Written testimony is also a great way to advocate for policies and investments to support students because it becomes part of the written legislative record. You can submit written testimony to the committee by emailing your comments to [email protected]. We recommend attaching the testimony as a word document or PDF. 

Not sure what to include in your testimony? We've got you covered! Check out our testimony template for inspiration, or contact Kimberly Koops, Associate Director of Advocacy, if you have any questions or would like assistance drafting or submitting your comments.

If you'd like to hear what other students and alumni have shared you can watch or listen to the recent public hearing that took place at Portland State University here.

Can't make it on April 25? The task force has other meetings, including one on April 21st at 9:00 am. You can see the schedule of meetings here.