We fully support the way the Oregon legislature has chosen to deal with the pitch for Oregon’s universities to be governed by individual, autonomous governing boards (House Bill 4061). There’s a couple of key issues with the timing of the proposal that need to be sorted out before we consider a change of this nature.
To start with, this is the first time Oregon’s legislature has met in an off-year, one in which the body meets for a shorter time. The 2012 session is over around the start of March. As we mentioned earlier,@@checked@@ the State Board of Higher Education and the Oregon University System comprise a complicated body with a significant history. In order to fully re-examine their role in the greater higher-education model, it will take time. More time than this short month will provide.@@are complicated bodies?@@
As we argued before, the system is archaic and dependent on an unnecessarily byzantine administrative structure. The issue with that is that it leaves many loose ends for us to sort through; to set Oregon’s universities so they can continue to provide a service, it will take time to figure this out.
We support individual, independent governing boards for the University, but we agree that this is too short a term to deliberate out the future of public, post-secondary higher education.
Furthermore, we should have our new president in before coming to a consensus.
As long as higher education decisions are being made this legislative term, they are likely being made without the person who will be our permanent president. Interim President Robert Berdahl wishes @@checked@@to be out office by September. So, if we want meaningful change on this issue, it would be important for the person holding that seat to be at the table for that conversation.
But this conversation must take place. There’s no getting around the fact that the model of the past is not working today: When revenue forecasts project higher education cuts year in and year out, we need to find a way @@checked@@to stabilize tuition.
And, obviously, it will take a little time to figure that out.