National
A Little Supervision Is a Good Thing
by Matthew Hartley and Alan Ruby, for The Chronicle of Higher Education, March 29, 2011
A colleague in Central Asia who is steering the creation of a university that hopes to become a world-class research institution recently asked us why any college president would want to share power with a board of trustees. Why would he or she give up the freedom of action enjoyed under a distant ministry of education, which, in some cases, offers presidents or rectors broad authority?
APLU Regional Meetings Final Report
November, 2010 Final report by APLU president Peter McPherson
State Outlook: Fiscal and State Policy Issues Affecting Postsecondary Education
July, 2010- Compiled by AASCU State Relations and Policy Analysis Team.
The rising price of inequality – how inadequate grant aid limits college access and persistence
June, 2010– Report to congress and the secretary of education by the Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance, Washington D.C.
The National Report Card on Higher Education
2008—Published by the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education.
The Evolving Relationship: Public Institutions and Their States
July 2007—Results of the public flagship institutions survey by the National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO).
National Center for Higher Education Management Systems Information Center
The Information Center is a comprehensive “one-stop-shop” for state-level higher education data and information, and a leader in coordinating the collection of missing data and information that are crucial for higher education policy analysis.
Future of Public Universities
Essays and commentary on the future of public universities published by the the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU).
Oregon
Governor John Kitzhaber’s letter to the Oregon Education Investment Board
On December 1, 2011, Governor John Kitzhaber sent a letter to the Oregon Education Investment Board, outlining his charge and explaining his view toward implementation.
President Lariviere’s November 28, 2011 Statement to OUS Board
On November 28, 2011, President Richard Lariviere provided remarks to the OUS Board about his vision of the future of higher ed governance before the board voted to terminate his employment effective December 28, 2011.
Academic governance
Correspondence between American Association of University Professors and Oregon State Board of Higher Education.
November 29 letter from AAUP to Oregon State Board of Higher Education
Statement of Government of College and Universities
Faculty Participation in the Selection, Evaluation, and Retention of Administrators
HB 3683
Bill introduced late in the 2011 legislative session establishing the University of Oregon as an independent public university governed by a UO board of directors. Introduced for the sole purpose of adding clarifying legislative language, in anticipation of future action.
SB 909
Oregon Education Investment Board. SB 909 was the Governor’s priority education reform bill of the 2011 Legislative Session. SB 909 passed the Oregon Senate on June 20, the Oregon House on June 21, and was signed into law on June 28.
Establishes Oregon Education Investment Board for purpose of ensuring that all public school students in Oregon reach education outcomes established for Oregon. Directs board to appoint Chief Education Officer.
Establishes Oregon Education Investment Fund. Continuously appropriates moneys in fund to board for purpose of funding duties of board.
Establishes Early Learning Council. Directs council to prepare and submit information to board related to plans to merge, redesign or improve coordination of early childhood services, to align early childhood services with child-centered outcomes and to implement specified early childhood services.
Directs board to submit report related to proposed changes in public education to legislative committees on education by December 15, 2011.
SB 242
SB 242 was signed into law by Governor John Kitzhaber on June 30. It passed the Oregon Senate June 17 and the Oregon House of Representatives on June 27.
Creates Higher Education Coordinating Commission. Grants commission authority to coordinate higher education policy with Oregon University System and community colleges. Abolishes Office of Degree Authorization within Oregon Student Assistance Commission and transfers functions to Higher Education
Coordinating Commission. Renames Office of Degree Authorization Account to Degree Authorization Account. Renames Oregon Student Assistance Commission to Oregon Student Access Commission.
Redefines Oregon University System as public university system with more authority and independence to manage affairs, operations and obligations. Creates process for State Board of Higher Education to enter into performance compact with state in conjunction with biennial funding request. Eliminates requirement to seek expenditure limitation to spend other available moneys, including enrollment fees collected from students. Revises current process for setting enrollment fees by requiring student and student government participation, subject to limits set by Higher Education Coordinating Commission. Exempts Oregon University System from certain laws relating to state agencies.
Grants State Board of Higher Education power of eminent domain. Grants board authority to purchase insurance, after reporting to Legislative Assembly. Authorizes board to offer fee remissions to students. Increases membership of board. Authorizes board to purchase property and construct facilities without seeking legislative approval if purchase or construction is to be completed without appropriating General Fund moneys or using general obligation bonds. Credits all interest earned in Oregon University System Fund to Oregon University System.
UO President Richard Lariviere’s letter to Gov. John Kitzhaber
On March 29, 2011, UO President Richard Lariviere responded to a letter from Gov. John Kitzhaber, stating that he was pleased that the UO is aligned with the governor’s education policy agenda, and thanking the governor for his commitment to pursuing comprehensive higher education reform.
Read President Lariviere’s letter
Gov. John Kitzhaber’s letter to Richard Lariviere
March 29, 2011
Gov. John Kitzhaber wrote to UO President Richard Lariviere, expressing his commitment to take action on local governing boards, and to full consideration in 2012 of public endowment partnerships and other ideas for stabilizing tuition and higher education funding.
UO President Richard Lariviere’s testimony to Senate Education and Workforce Development Committee
On March 1st, 2011, the Oregon Senate Education and Workforce Development Committee held a hearing on The New Partnership proposal, SB 559 and SJR 20. President Richard Lariviere testified to the committee that
“We achieve three things under the New Partnership:
1. We free our universities from a centralized state bureaucracy and provide greater autonomy for our management and operations;
2. We strengthen public accountability and involvement by establishing a dedicated governing board for the University of Oregon and other universities that want them; and
3. We prevent further budget cuts and the tuition increases they create by establishing public-private endowment authority for any university wishing to pursue it. ”
City of Springfield endorses New Partnerhsip
City of Springfield Mayor, Christine Lundberg, announced the city’s support for UO’s proposal to give public universities more autonomy:
” There is broad agreement among business community leaders, education professionals, and many elected leaders alike: the status quo in Oregon is not acceptable. Nearly all agree that the pattern of reduced state support for education must end, that a stable source of funding must be found and that Oregon Universities must modernize their governance to provide increased accountability, flexibility, and responsiveness.”
UO Senate Academic Council report on implications of New Partnership proposal
January 24, 2011 report issued to University of Oregon Senate
SJR 20
Proposes amendment to Oregon Constitution to allow state to loan credit and incur specified amount of indebtedness to provide moneys to partially fund endowments at public universities.
Sponsored by Senator EDWARDS; Senators BATES, BEYER, DEVLIN, Representatives BARNHART, BEYER, HARKER, HOLVEY, HOYLE, NATHANSON (at the request of University of Oregon Foundation)
(Presession filed.)
SB 559
Establishes University of Oregon as independent public university, governed by University of Oregon Board of Directors.
Sponsored by Senator EDWARDS; Senators BATES, BEYER, DEVLIN, KRUSE, Representatives BARNHART, BEYER, HARKER, HOLVEY, HOYLE, NATHANSON (at the request of University of Oregon Foundation)
New Partnership case statements highlight issues and solutions
“What’s at stake is Oregon universities’ ability to provide a higher quality education to the next generation of students.”
Editorial, Register-Guard, “Universities: Cut us loose” June 4, 2010
The University of Oregon Foundation has published two new documents that make the case for legislative action to address the state funding crises and skyrocketing tuiton that are blocking Oregon families’ access to higher education.
Read and download case statements
View the case statement slide show
OUS Proposal for higher education reform FAQ
Questions and answers about the Oregon University System’s proposal for higher education reform
Preliminary Report on the Proposed “New Partnership”
The University Senate budget committee recommends endorsement of the New Partnership in their November 9, 2010 analysis of the white paper, “Preserving Our Public Mission Through a New Partnership with the State.”
Considerations for Change
OUS governance proposal and considerations for change
Letter to Higher Ed Work Group from OUS presidents and chancellor
August 2010
Final Report – Governor’s Reset Cabinet
June 2010
Restructuring the OUS: A faculty perspective
by Rosemary Powers and Dalton Miller-Jones, June 23, 2010.