Alliance Programs & Partners
Student Programs
E3 Savings - Earn, Educate, Empower
E3 – Earn, Educate, Empower is an innovative, need-based financial aid program that pairs resources with eligible students pursuing a college education at one of Oregon’s leading private colleges and universities. E3 makes college more affordable by matching student savings at an 6:1 ratio, giving students a total of $3,500 to use for tuition or approved educational expenses per enrollment year!
E3 allows income-eligible students to enroll in college and graduate with, if not lower loan debt, lower financial stress and more time to focus on academics. By doing so, E3 increases access for Oregon’s fastest growing group of students, allowing them to acquire a lifetime asset and change the course of not only their future but their families’ future.
Finally, E3’s first tenet – Earn – foregrounds the importance of financial habit building, so that the program can also Educate and Empower Oregon’s next generation of successful scholars, businesspersons, creators, innovators and leaders.
E3 is a program of The Alliance, administered in partnership with CASA of Oregon.
Learn More
“E3 Savings reduced the stress associated with funding, which means I paid less in loans and did not have to stress as much about work hours so I could focus more on studies.”
– Warner Pacific Student
“Because of E3, I have had more time to focus on my education. The reduced financial burden has allowed me to dabble in theater, ASB, and clubs and maintain a 4.0 GPA. Without E3, I would not be able to take advantage of all that college has to offer.”
– Corban Student
Oregon Scholars Program
The Oregon Scholars Program is a partnership opportunity between the Oregon Savings Network (Oregon College Savings Plan, MFS 529 College Savings Plan, Oregon ABLE Savings Plan) and colleges/universities in Oregon. Through the partnership, colleges/universities develop a system specific to their school to provide a tuition match for students who save through one or more of the Oregon Savings Network savings plans. By simply saving in an Oregon College Savings Plan account, students are rewarded with additional cost savings when enrolled at a partner college/university.
Cross-campus Course Registration
Undergraduate students who are enrolled full-time at any Alliance institution may take a maximum of one undergraduate course per semester at another Alliance campus. No additional tuition will be charged for the cross-registered course by either institution, except that if the home institution has an “overload” tuition policy, or the host campus charges special course fees (e.g. laboratory fees) that apply to all students enrolled in the course.
Interested students should consult with their academic advisor and dean before cross-registering, then consult with the registrar to initiate the appropriate paperwork. The Undergraduate Cross-Registration Form is available for download here.
Contact the registrar’s office at an Alliance college or university to learn more.
Campus Staff Programs
Campus Learning Communities
The Alliance maintains contact lists and coordinates learning community meetings for various positions across Alliance member campuses. These meetings are held as needed to address changes in legislation, training needs, to tackle common issues felt across Alliance members, and discuss other topics specific to Oregon.
- Admissions & Enrollment Directors
- Alumni Relations Directors
- Campus Safety Directors
- Career Services Directors
- Chief Academic Officers
- Chief Advancement Officers
- Chief Diversity Officers
- Chief Financial Officers
- Chief Information Officers
- Chief Student Affairs Officers
- Disability & Access Services Directors
- Educator Preparation Program (EPP) Deans/Directors
- Financial Aid Directors
- Health Center Directors
- Human Resource Directors
- Institutional Research Directors
- Marketing/Communications Directors
- Registrars
- Title IX Coordinators
For more information, please contact Meg Ridenour at meg@oaicu.org.
The Coalition for College Cost Savings
The Coalition for College Cost Savings leverages the collective buying power of private colleges to reduce operating costs, improve the efficiency of internal procedures and ultimately lower the cost of delivering education. The Oregon Alliance of Independent Colleges & Universities’ membership in the Coalition for College Cost Savings means all of our members have access to any of the cost-saving programs they offer.
To learn more about the Coalition and the contract programs available to you,
visit www.thecoalition.us or contact Brent Wilder at brent@oaicu.org.
visit www.thecoalition.us or contact Brent Wilder at brent@oaicu.org.
Handshake - for Students
Handshake is an online portal where students find job and internship opportunities and employers find talent. Over 700 college and university career centers use and trust Handshake to assist students and young alumni connect with employers through a single integrated network.
According to Handshake, over 250,000 employers – including approximately 3,000 Oregon employers and all of the Fortune 500 Companies – are active on Handshake. As a result, most colleges and universities see the relevant job opportunities double or triple within the first six months of switching to Handshake.
Benefits include:
- User-friendly with 24-hour support
- Requires only one account for employers to post openings at all institutions
- Compares student skills and experience to employers’ needs
- Sign up for campus career fairs and on-campus interviews
- Free for employers and students
Visit Handshake’s Career Services Help Center for access to short videos, tutorials and materials that will help campus staff learn more about the program.
“Students are now able to clearly access a wide variety of internship, job and volunteer opportunities (nationally and internationally)! We have quadrupled our employer database since launching Handshake in May and are consistently posting double the amount of jobs and internships than we previously had on our old system. We have already had increased employer engagement requests from new employers who previously have not recruited on campus and we are scheduling them to come on the bluff this fall. Students have remarked that the user interface is intuitive, easy to navigate, and they like the customization of opportunities that match their skill set and experience background. Applying for jobs/internships is definitely less scary for our students with the adoption of Handshake!”
– University of Portland Career Services
California Casualty Insurance
As an employee or staff member of an Alliance member institution, California Casualty is one of your employee benefits. Providing Alliance members with an exceptional Auto and Home/Renters Insurance program. Offering discounted rates, unique coverages for the life you lead along with unapparelled service that you deserve.
Customized benefits include:
$0 Deductible – We will waive your deductible if your vehicle is hit or vandalized while parked on campus or at a campus administrative office.
Pet Injury Protection – If your cat or dog is along for the ride with you in your car, we’ll cover up to $1,000 in vet bills if injured in a covered loss with a zero deductible.
Identity Theft Resolution – Our insurance policies include free identity theft resolution with a personal fraud specialist to help restore your good name.
Summer/Holiday Skip and Payroll Deduction – We can help with your monthly budget when you take advantage of our summer or holiday skip payment options. Where available.
$3,000 Personal Property Coverage – Take advantage of homeowners/renters insurance that covers your laptop and other personal property used as education supplies with no deductible. Coverage, rates, discounts, benefits and availability may vary by state or area and are subject to underwriting approval.
With 99% customer service satisfaction, you’ll find that we deliver on our promise to protect you and your loved ones with exclusive benefits and personalized service.
Did you know that each Alliance Campus Institution has a dedicated California Casualty Liaison? Contact DeeDee Templeton to find out how they can assist you with providing California Casualty program information for your campus. DeeDee’s email address is: dtempleton@calcas.com.
Moving and Storage
Alliance-member campuses can access moving and storage services for its employees at a considerable discount – for some services, more than 60 percent off the regular price – thanks to a partnership with Suddath Moving & Storage (United Van Lines). Discounted services include interstate moving, storage during transitions, and more.
Business Partnerships
Alliance Partners
Blitz-Weinhard Fund of the Oregon Community Foundation
BNSF Foundation
Bon Appetit
CASA of Oregon
Costco Wholesale
Jay & Diane Zidell Charitable Foundation
Juan Young Fund I of the Oregon Community Foundation
Katherine Bisbee II Fund of the Oregon Community Foundation
Lonza Bend Inc.
Mason Charitable Trust
Mr. & Mrs. L.L. Stewart Fund (Subfund I & II) of the
Oregon Community Foundation
NW Natural
OCF Joseph E. Weston Public Foundation
PCC Structurals
PGE Foundation
Rose Tucker Charitable Trust
The Carpenter Foundation
The Wollenberg Foundation
United Parcel Service
Wells Fargo
Alliance Grants Fund Research
Alliance Grants Fund Research Enhancing Conservation Efforts
Since 2014, The Alliance and the Oregon Community Foundation have partnered to fund projects in Oregon that actively engage Alliance institution faculty and undergraduate students and an industry partner in research focused on conservation. These opportunities have been made available through a grant to The Alliance from the Katherine Bisbee II Fund of the Oregon Community Foundation. Up to two $10,000 grants are awarded each year.
Handshake - for Employers
Handshake is a modern career center management platform that supports the colleges and universities, their students and alumni, and employers. This platform provides a single portal where employers can seamlessly recruit talent from participating Alliance institutions, resulting in more opportunities and a better employer and student experience.
Benefits include:
User-friendly with 24-hour support
Requires only one sign-in to post openings at all institutions
Compares student skills and experience to employers’ needs
Sign up for campus career fairs and on-campus interviews
Free for employers
“Handshake has been extremely helpful for our Recruiting Process. It allows me to post my job openings easily to multiple schools which is really time efficient. Also its easy to manage and track Career Fair Registrations.”
– Jenna Rutherdale, Campus Point