The Gov. Tom McCall Memorial Lecture in Public Affairs this year will be a conversation between U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden and retired Associated Press journalist Terrence Petty.
Petty will interview Wyden about his recent book, “It Takes Chutzpah: How to Fight Fearlessly for Progressive Change.” Petty was the Oregon news editor for the AP for 18 years, after working as an AP foreign correspondent based in Germany.
The event is at 6 p.m. Wednesday, May 28, in The LaSells Stewart Center; it is free and open to all but registration is required. When registering, attendees will also have the option to submit questions for a Q&A period at the end of Wyden’s lecture.
“In his current book, Sen. Wyden provides great lessons for students and citizens on how to work boldly and effectively to create a better world for everyone, and we’re eager to hear more about his thoughts regarding having ‘chutzpah’ in the face of challenges to higher education,” said Katie Bolzendahl, director of OSU’s School of Public Policy and sociology professor.
Wyden previously gave the McCall Lecture in 1996, the year he was first elected to represent Oregon in the U.S. Senate. He discussed the importance of defining public education in Oregon. Given the current political backdrop, that challenge feels more pressing than ever, Bolzendahl said.
“Right now, with the current administration, public education is under unprecedented attack. Many Oregon students have benefited from Pell grants and subsidized loans, for example, to make their dreams of college education real, and these programs are on the chopping block,” she said. “We look forward to hearing Sen. Wyden’s thoughts about how chutzpah informs his approach to working on issues important to Oregonians, like public education, and what lessons we can all learn from his experience on how to be effective in the political arena to get things done.”
In March, Wyden co-authored a letter with Sen. Bernie Sanders demanding to know why income-driven repayment plans for student loans were abruptly frozen by the U.S. Department of Education. During a recent visit to Medford, Ore., Wyden celebrated the preservation of federal funding for early education program Head Start, but emphasized the need to keep fighting to protect it and other social services under threat of federal budget cuts.
Preceding the public event, the School of Public Policy will host a dinner with students who have read Wyden’s book so they can ask him about it directly, Bolzendahl said.
“Every day, students and faculty do the hard work of fighting fearlessly simply by engaging with each other and asking tough questions in a community of learners,” Bolzendahl said. “This is where we find hope and energy — connecting with each other and lifting each other up.”
The McCall Lecture was established in 1982 in honor of former Oregon Gov. Tom McCall, who came to OSU after his second term ended as the inaugural occupant of the Tom McCall Chair in Public Affairs, teaching political science and journalism for one term. The annual lecture aims to bring in speakers who reflect the values of public service, journalism and environmental protection that McCall espoused.
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