71st OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2001 Regular Session
 
NOTE:  Matter within  { +  braces and plus signs + } in an
amended section is new. Matter within  { -  braces and minus
signs - } is existing law to be omitted. New sections are within
 { +  braces and plus signs + } .
 
LC 1730
 
                           A-Engrossed
 
                         House Bill 2015
                   Ordered by the House May 10
             Including House Amendments dated May 10
 
Sponsored by Representative SIMMONS
 
 
                             SUMMARY
 
The following summary is not prepared by the sponsors of the
measure and is not a part of the body thereof subject to
consideration by the Legislative Assembly. It is an editor's
brief statement of the essential features of the measure.
 
    { - Creates College Opportunity Board. Directs board to
oversee and adopt rules for Department of State Higher Education,
Department of Community Colleges and Workforce Development and
Department of Student Assistance. Directs Governor to include
consolidated budget for departments in Governor's 2003-2005
biennial budget report. - }
    { - Abolishes State Board of Higher Education and Oregon
Student Assistance Commission. Creates Department of Student
Assistance.  Transfers duties of State Board of Higher Education
to College Opportunity Board and Department of State Higher
Education.  Transfers duties of Oregon Student Assistance
Commission to College Opportunity Board and Department of Student
Assistance.  Transfers duties of State Board of Education
regarding community colleges to College Opportunity Board.
Renames Department of Higher Education to Department of State
Higher Education. - }
    { - Becomes operative July 1, 2003. - }
   { +  Creates Post-Secondary Education Opportunity Commission.
Requires commission to assist Governor in developing
post-secondary education budget framework. Directs commission to
examine and make recommendations on other matters including
alternative governance structures for state-level post-secondary
education.
  Sunsets June 30, 2003.
  Declares emergency, effective July 1, 2001. + }
 
                        A BILL FOR AN ACT
Relating to higher education; creating new provisions; amending
  ORS 351.003; and declaring an emergency.
Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:
  SECTION 1. ORS 351.003 is amended to read:
  351.003.  { + In addition to making the findings under ORS
351.001, + } the Legislative Assembly   { - further - }  finds
that:
   { +  (1) Oregonians need access to post-secondary education
opportunities throughout life in a variety of forms. + }
    { - (1) - }  { +  (2) + } To meet the societal and individual
needs described under ORS 351.001, Oregonians have created and
sustained, from territorial days to the present, many and diverse
institutions of higher education, both independent and
state-assisted.
    { - (2) - }  { +  (3) + } These institutions have developed
the intellectual capacity of Oregonians and have prepared
thousands of them for productive and fulfilling careers.
    { - (3) - }  { +  (4) + } These institutions provide
educational access to all segments of Oregon's diverse
population, including many students for whom higher education
creates the first opportunity for their entry into the mainstream
of society.
    { - (4) - }  { +  (5) + } These institutions provide
research, both basic and applied, that generates new knowledge
and applies it to the development of new products and processes
essential for Oregon's economic growth.
    { - (5) - }  { +  (6) + } These institutions provide public
service activities that engage the professional expertise of
their faculties to solve social problems.
    { - (6) - }  { +  (7) + } These institutions share with our
communities many cultural activities and services of immense
importance to the quality of life enjoyed by Oregonians.
   { +  (8) These institutions are expanding the times, places
and formats of course offerings.
  (9) Oregonians' diverse educational needs will be best met in
an environment in which public and independent schools are
recognized as critical for meeting those needs. + }
  SECTION 2.  { + (1) There is created a Post-Secondary Education
Opportunity Commission consisting of 15 members as follows:
  (a) The Governor shall appoint:
  (A) Two members who are also members of the State Board of
Education;
  (B) Two members who are also members of the State Board of
Higher Education;
  (C) Two members who are also members of the Oregon Student
Assistance Commission;
  (D) One member who serves on a board of education of a
community college district;
  (E) One member who serves on the governing board of an
independent college;
  (F) One member who serves on an advisory committee for a state
institution of higher education listed in ORS 352.002;
  (G) One member who is currently enrolled in a post-secondary
institution; and
  (H) One at-large member.
  (b) The Speaker of the House of Representatives shall appoint
two members who are members of the House of Representatives.
  (c) The President of the Senate shall appoint two members who
are members of the Senate.
  (2) A member of the commission may not be employed by a public
or independent post-secondary institution.
  (3) When making appointments to the Post-Secondary Education
Opportunity Commission, the Governor shall ensure that the
commission includes members who are from rural Oregon.
  (4) If there is a vacancy for any cause on the commission, the
appointing authority shall make an appointment to become
immediately effective.
  (5) A nonlegislative member of the commission is entitled to
compensation and expenses as provided in ORS 292.495. A
legislative member of the commission is entitled to payment of
compensation and expenses as provided under ORS 171.072, payable
from funds appropriated to the Legislative Assembly.
  (6) The Governor shall provide staff to the commission.
  (7) The Chancellor of the State Board of Higher Education, the
Commissioner for Community College Services, the executive
director of the Oregon Student Assistance Commission and the
Education and Workforce Policy Advisor shall provide support to
the Post-Secondary Education Opportunity Commission as necessary
to enable the commission to fulfill its responsibilities. + }
  SECTION 3.  { + (1) The Post-Secondary Education Opportunity
Commission shall:
  (a) Assist the Governor in developing a post-secondary
education budget framework to be presented to the Legislative
Assembly as required by section 4 of this 2001 Act.
  (b) In consultation with the State Board of Higher Education,
review and make recommendations to the Governor and the
Legislative Assembly regarding institutional autonomy and
governance among the state institutions of higher education
listed in ORS 352.002.
  (c) In consultation with the State Board of Education and
boards of education of community college districts, make
recommendations to the Governor and the Legislative Assembly on
how to most effectively support Oregon's locally governed
community colleges to meet Oregon's diverse community education
needs.
  (d) Review the Oregon benchmarks adopted by the Oregon Progress
Board that are relevant to the duties of the commission.
  (e) Examine and make recommendations about alternative
governance structures for state-level post-secondary education.
  (2) Any budget goals established by the commission shall be
consistent with ORS 341.009, 348.005, 351.001, 351.003, 351.005,
351.007 and 351.009.
  (3) Prior to January 31, 2003, the commission shall present to
the Seventy-second Legislative Assembly its findings and
recommendations developed under this section. + }
  SECTION 4.  { + (1) With the assistance of the Post-Secondary
Education Opportunity Commission, the Governor shall include in
the budget report prepared for the 2003-2005 biennium a budget
framework for the state's investment in colleges and
universities.  The budget framework shall include state
investment in student access to post-secondary education and may
include other categories such as:
  (a) Need-based and merit-based student assistance used to
offset attendance costs at public and private post-secondary
institutions;
  (b) Statewide and community services provided by post-secondary
institutions;
  (c) Research and development conducted by post-secondary
institutions;
  (d) Investment in new programs that are offered by
post-secondary institutions and that are of critical strategic
importance to the state;
  (e) Support of individual public post-secondary campuses where
a specific need for campus-level support has been identified;
  (f) State administration and services provided to public
post-secondary institutions; and
  (g) Other budget categories necessary for the fulfillment of
Oregon's post-secondary education goals.
  (2) The Governor, with the assistance of the Post-Secondary
Education Opportunity Commission, shall establish goals and
performance measures for the budget proposed for the 2003-2005
biennium. The Governor shall include in the budget report an
indication of how the proposed budget meets those goals and
performance measures. + }
  SECTION 5.  { + Sections 2 to 4 of this 2001 Act are repealed
June 30, 2003. + }
  SECTION 6.  { + This 2001 Act being necessary for the immediate
preservation of the public peace, health and safety, an emergency
is declared to exist, and this 2001 Act takes effect July 1,
2001. + }
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