Oregon Public Broadcasting

A foundation responsible for helping thousands of students from Philomath attend college is making major changes to its scholarship program. As Rob Manning reports, Oregon’s public colleges could suffer as a result.

The Clemens Foundation has helped Philomath High School graduates attend college since the timber family created a scholarship program in 1950s.

At the time, it had few restrictions. But the foundation’s current board members have greatly reduced the list of schools eligible to receive funds for next school year.

The approved list includes mostly private, religious institutions. Three of the biggest losers as a result are Oregon State University, Linn-Benton Community College, and the University of Oregon.

According to Clemens Foundation tax filings, those schools received a combined half million dollars from Clemens scholarships, last school year.

For Linn-Benton, the loss equates to more than one-and-a-half percent of its income from tuition and fees.

Students currently on scholarship won't be affected, only future students.