HB 4061, a bill that would establish a task force to discuss the future possibility of creating independent local governing boards for OUS institutions, passed the Senate 23-4 on Friday and will head to Governor Kitzhaber this Monday to likely be signed into law.
The task force plans to explore issues of higher education coordination and governance, and hopes to determine how local governing boards can collaborate with the broader university system. The task force would report its findings and recommendations to the Governor and legislative assembly prior to the 2013 legislative session.
The bill passed easily in the house last Thursday, with a vote of 43-13.
“This is great news, as HB 4061 was the main priority for SHEEN this session,” SHEEN leader Sam Dotters-Katz said. ” The message our advocates took to Salem was simple. Students do support local governing boards because they are more accessible, and because with local coordination and authority we can make sure that pursuing affordable access and educational quality is not a zero sum game. Clearly we were successful in driving that point home.”
