Truth in Site: 2/3 in online survey oppose Westside campus

A group challenging OSU-Cascades’ selection of a Westside location for its four-year campus released results of an online survey Thursday that it said showed two-thirds of respondents don’t favor the location and want other possible sites explored.

Truth in Site, which is awaiting an Oregon Court of Appeals ruling on its continued legal challenge, said it “conducted a widely publicized survey giving everyone with a smartphone or Internet access a chance to participate.”

“We wanted to give people a chance to voice their opinions about their agreement or lack thereof, on the OSU-Cascades proposed site,” said Marie Matthews, TiS co-founder.

TiS said it “utilized an independent third-party security expert to act as administrator for its survey to ensure data integrity.”

“This online community survey is a measure of public opinion, rather than a predictor of public opinion,” the group said.

In the group’s words, “OSU-Cascades is proposing the development of a public university on 10 acres with 300 parking spots for 1,890 students near one of the most congested thoroughfares in Bend. This site is immediately adjacent to a 25-acre smoldering landfill and a 60 +/- ft. deep pumice mine.”

Of the over 1,000 respondents to the survey, it said., 66 percent indicated they believe that the current location is not the best placement for a regional university that will grow to accommodate at least 5,000 students.

“When asked if OSU-Cascades should cease development of the Westside campus and work with the community to select a location that is best for Central Oregonians and the university, 64 percent of respondents said, yes,” the group said.

TiS launched an online petition to stop Development of OSU-Cascades’ Westside
Bend Campus on July 17, where almost 500 left public comments, also giving voice to those who want a more thorough investigation of other possible sites.

Earlier this year, Now For Bend sponsored a survey conducted by a reputation
management firm the Truth in Site announcement said.

“The NFB survey received criticism for misleading, vague questions, which were not made available to the public, and its small sample size,” the opposing group claimed.

But Truth in Site’s survey also has been criticized as flawed, as The Bulletin said in an editorial that the questions were not put in a neutral fashion, nor did it involve random selection of adults, as Now for Bend’s did.

Truth in Site said its “survey results and questions will be released simultaneously to the public so people can decide for themselves as to how the respondents’ opinions might apply (to) them individually and to the community as a whole.”

A link to a five-page PDF of the results can be found at the group’s Website at http://www.truthinsite.com.

OSU-Cascades has proceed with construction on the Westside site after winning each round of appeals so far at the city and state levels.