Oregon Public Broadcasting

Oregon's public universities will use some of their reserve money to bolster their academic programs. The Oregon Legislature's Emergency Board approved the request unanimously Tuesday.

Schools like the University of Oregon and Oregon State took in more tuition money than expected this year. That's thanks to a surge in enrollment.

Typically, that unexpected revenue would go into reserves. But higher ed officials asked to spend some of the money to help offset expected cuts to state funding.

Democratic state Senator Ron Monroe says that's a prudent idea.

Rod Monroe: "More students showing up at our institutions—both our universities and our community colleges — is a positive thing. Perhaps it's the only positive thing to come out of this tragic recession that we're fighting our way through."

Groups of lawmakers spent the day meeting behind closed doors with legislative fiscal staff. They discussed the recent list of proposed cuts submitted by state agencies to deal with a half-billion dollar budget shortfall.