[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 90 (Wednesday, June 6, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1224]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      HONORING DANIEL O. BERNSTINE

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. DAVID WU

                               of oregon

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 6, 2007

  Mr. WU. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to one of Oregon's 
great higher education leaders. Daniel O. Bernstine, president of 
Portland State University, which is located in my district, will soon 
leave Oregon to become the President and Chief Executive Officer of the 
Law School Admissions Council.
  During his ten years as president of Oregon's largest and most 
diverse university, Portland State University has achieved many 
milestones. While many refer to Dan as a builder, a fundraiser, and an 
inspiring leader, I know Dan to be a student-oriented university 
president and someone who has always worked to provide greater 
opportunities for people through access to higher education.
  As a president who walks his talk, Dan has opened the doors of higher 
education to literally thousands of students. Over the past ten years, 
enrollment at PSU grew from 14,000 students to over 24,000 students.
  Another of President Bernstine's legacies at Portland State will be 
the growth in faculty research. During his tenure, the University has 
established several national research centers, including the Center for 
Electron Microscopy and Nanofabrication, the Oregon Transportation 
Research and Education Center, and the Center for Lakes and Reservoirs. 
As a result of Dan's dedication to enhancing the research programs that 
relate directly to the economic needs of the Portland metropolitan 
region, Portland State's faculty research funding has grown from $17 
million in 1997 to over $40 million this year. I think it is safe to 
say that Dan Bernstine has helped generate one of the largest business 
enterprises, through university research, in the Portland area.
  Finally, I want to speak to the partnerships that President Bernstine 
has fostered. Chief among them is his work to connect Portland State 
University to the area's community colleges. He has been so successful 
in building connections with the community colleges that I modeled 
legislation (HR. 596) after the work that was done to provide students 
with co-enrollment in Portland State and their local community college. 
Again, this is another example of the incredible commitment Dan 
Bernstine has to ensuring student success in higher education.
  Daniel O. Bernstine came to Portland, Oregon in 1997 having served as 
Dean of the Law School at the University of Wisconsin. I first met Dan 
informally--before he had formally started at Portland State. I was 
having dinner in Portland and overheard a conversation--Dan was 
excitedly describing the various wonders and attributes of Portland 
State and the region to his dinner guest. I later found out that he was 
convincing, successfully, one of his staff from the University of 
Wisconsin to join him at Portland State. Even before he had started his 
first day, he was already a tireless advocate for Portland State and 
the region. Since that time he has been a visionary leader for Portland 
State and an active member of the community. One of his most 
significant volunteer efforts involved chairing the Urban League where 
he stabilized the organization and brought fiscal accountability to the 
operations.
  Dan Bernstine will be missed--for his work at Portland State, for his 
enduring leadership in the community, and for his passion for opening 
the doors of higher education to the community. I hope our friendship 
and our yearly banters over the Stanford/Berkeley games will continue 
when he moves to Pennsylvania.
  Madam Speaker, please join me in honoring Dan Bernstine for his 
contributions and in wishing him well in his new leadership 
opportunity.

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