2015 Oregon Revised Statutes
Volume : 09 - Education and Culture
Chapter 352 - Public Universities
Section 352.089 - Mission statements; process for approval of change to academic program; biennial funding requests; request for issuance of state bonds; responding to legislative request for data; rules.

(1) A university with a governing board shall adopt a mission statement for the university, and shall forward the statement to an office designated by the Higher Education Coordinating Commission as being responsible for university coordination.

(2) A university with a governing board shall submit any significant change in the university’s academic programs to an office designated by the Higher Education Coordinating Commission as being responsible for university coordination. The office shall establish a process for reviewing the program change and submitting it to the Higher Education Coordinating Commission for approval. The commission shall establish, by rule, what constitutes a significant change to a university’s academic program. The commission shall further ensure that approved programs:

(a) Are consistent with the mission statement of the university;

(b) Do not unnecessarily duplicate academic programs offered by Oregon’s other public universities;

(c) Are not located in a geographic area that will cause undue hardship to Oregon’s other public universities; and

(d) Are allocated among Oregon’s public universities to maximize the achievement of statewide needs and requirements.

(3)(a) On or before April 1 of each even-numbered year, each university listed in ORS 352.002 must submit to an office designated by the Higher Education Coordinating Commission as being responsible for university coordination a funding request applicable to the biennium beginning on July 1 of the following year. On or before May 1 of each even-numbered year, the office shall consolidate the funding requests from public universities listed in ORS 350.090 and submit the consolidated funding requests to the commission.

(b) Pursuant to ORS 350.090, the Higher Education Coordinating Commission shall submit a funding request to the Governor on behalf of all public universities listed in ORS 352.002.

(c) The Governor’s biennial budget submitted to the Legislative Assembly may include funding requests from public universities, including universities with governing boards.

(4) As part of a funding request submitted under subsection (3) of this section, a university with a governing board may request, and appropriations may include, funding for education and general operations, statewide public services, state-funded debt service, capital improvements, deferred maintenance, special initiatives and investments. Any moneys appropriated to pay debt service for state bonds must be held by the State Treasurer pursuant to an agreement entered into by the State Treasurer and a university with a governing board under ORS 352.135 (2).

(5) A public university listed in ORS 352.002 that wishes to request the issuance of state bonds, including a university with a governing board that elects to remain eligible to receive proceeds of state bonds under ORS 352.402, must make a request to this effect to an office designated by the Higher Education Coordinating Commission as being responsible for university coordination. The office shall establish a process for reviewing the request to issue state bonds and submit the request to the commission. The commission shall decide whether, and in what manner, to make a request for the issuance of state bonds to the Legislative Assembly.

(6)(a) Each public university listed in ORS 352.002, including universities with governing boards, shall respond to a request for data from the Legislative Assembly or other state body by submitting the requested information to an office designated by the Higher Education Coordinating Commission as being responsible for university coordination. The office shall consolidate the data received from public universities and provide the data to the commission. The commission shall be responsible for providing the data to the Legislative Assembly or other requesting entity.

(b) As used in this subsection, "data" means any information that, as of August 14, 2013, is collected by an office designated by the Higher Education Coordinating Commission as being responsible for university coordination from each university and reported to the Legislative Assembly or any other state entity, including but not limited to retention and graduation rates and demographic information on students.

[2013 c.768 §8; 2015 c.774 §31]