Pacific Index

University celebrates an influential alumni with a building dedication

After 18 years as a U.S. Congressman, Les AuCion left office in 1993—a full decade before most current Pacific University students were even born; so, you are excused if the name isn’t more familiar than a building where one of your classrooms is. 

But AuCoin, a Pacific University alumni, in the later decades of the 20^th century was a political force to be reckoned with; he left his mark around the state and the country—and, yes, now, his name on a building. On Friday, September 27, Pacific University will officially dedicate AuCoin Hall to the former Pacific University alumni, honoring his influential political career and commitment to the people of Oregon.

But although the official ceremony will be hosted then, the process of renaming the academic hall started nearly two years ago, in late December 2022, after the Pacific University Board of Trustees voted to remove the name of another Pacific alumni, Harvey W. Scott, from the two-story academic and administrative building that sits near the center of campus. That alumni, Scott, also had left a mark on Oregon politics and culture—but a far, far, far less positive one. One of the first publishers of The Oregonian, Scott left a large, muddy footprint of racism and sexism in late 19^th and early 20^th century, and when some of those articles were dredged back up in 2022, Pacific University quickly disavowed their association with him.

With Scott’s name scrubbed from the building came the action of renaming the building—and, specifically, Pacific University wanted to choose someone who honored the values and principles of the university. 

So, who exactly is Les AuCoin, and what did he do you might ask?

Les AuCoin’s early life wasn’t easy, but amidst his family’s struggles he found an aptitude for journalism, which led to his enrollment at Pacific University in 1960. Shortly after enrolling, he transferred to Portland State University before enlisting in the Army where he served as a public information specialist. 

After his army service, AuCoin returned to Pacific University to complete his Bachelor of Journalism while also working as the university’s Director of Media Relations. 

There is a well-worn path from journalism and media to politics, and AuCoin started first in state politics, elected to the State of Oregon House of Representatives in 1971, before winning a U.S. Congress seat, becoming the first Democrat to win the seat as representative of Oregon’s First District. 

During the subsequent nine terms in congressional office, AuCoin was a prominent player in environmental protection, abortion rights, women and Native American rights, and national security. He was a key figure in stopping the Space Defense Initiative and securing federal funding for Portland’s light rail project. 

Years after his political endeavors, his interest in journalism led him to become an author and professor. Starting at Southern Oregon University, he taught as a visiting professor of political science and business ethics and was appointed to the inaugural board of trustees in 2014. Even later, he wrote a memoir about his life called Catch & Release. In AuCoin’s own words, it’s a series “recounting a memory from a life that took me from picking potatoes as a fatherless boy in Redmond, Oregon, to one of the top tiers of national politics.”

On Friday, September 27, Pacific University will dedicate AuCoin Hall to the Pacific University alumni, honoring his influential political career and commitment to the people of Oregon. The ceremony will initiate a yearlong series of events celebrating Pacific University’s 175th anniversary as it continues to grow an era of “inspiring students who think, care, create, and pursue justice in the world.”

To open the ceremony, members of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde will perform a traditional drum circle, followed by various speeches, including AuCoin himself. Displayed around the reception will be storytelling pieces of AuCoin’s legacy in Congress for attendees to read. And to close the celebration, student groups such as the McCall Center for Civic Engagement, the Center of Gender Equity, and the Indigenous Student Alliance, will share about their groups’ current impact.