University President Richard Lariviere’s novel governance and finance reform plan — known as the New Partnership — will be shelved on the legislative back-burners until next year, per an agreement between the president and Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber.
The two public officials announced Wednesday that they will make the governor’s new education reform plan their top priority, focusing on creating a single governing board to oversee the Oregon education system from prekindergarten through college. Though Lariviere had hoped to push his proposal through Salem this year, he said he supports postponing the changes to build more support for and further educate voters about the plan’s specifics.
Kitzhaber’s plan calls for the creation of the Oregon Education Investment Board, which would replace both the State Board of Higher Education — governing Oregon colleges and universities — and the state’s Board of Education overseeing K-12 schools. The unified board would share a single budget.
Lariviere has contended Kitzhaber is now in support of the New Partnership and sent an exalting letter to the governor’s office Tuesday with hopes that they can work together.
“I, too, am pleased that there is general alignment between our respective policy agendas,” Lariviere wrote, “and I am optimistic that the first steps toward comprehensive reform can be taken this session.”
In the letter, the president said the University is “fully supportive” of the Oregon Education Investment Board’s creation, and his administration is “ready to help see that this first critical step is adopted now.”
Contained within Senate Bill 559 and Senate Joint Resolution 20, the New Partnership enacts a localized governing board for the University separate from the state, and establishes a $1.6 billion public-private endowment to finance University operations for the next three decades.
The governor wrote a reply letter the same day, praising the president for understanding why the delay is necessary and saying it will ultimately be in the best interest of all parties.
“I share your commitment to seeing that the first steps in reform are adopted during the current legislative session,” Kitzhaber wrote. “Thank you for recognizing this challenge and for agreeing to let the debate about the policies in SB 559 and SJR 20 carry forward to the interim so that we are prepared to consider and take action on the issues of local governing boards … and stable funding proposals in 2012.”
Kitzhaber press secretary Christine Miles said the governor is in support of the University’s plan, but feels it is more appropriate to focus on his current efforts in the short run and wait to appraise the New Partnership during the 2012 legislative session.
“He supports it; he believe(s) in it,” Miles said. “They are just postponing it till next year. This year is really about delivering a better plan.”
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