ORS 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 public university listed in ORS 352.002 shall adopt a mission statement for the university, and shall forward the statement to the Higher Education Coordinating Commission. (2) A public university listed in ORS 352.002 shall submit any significant change in the university’s academic programs to the Higher Education Coordinating Commission. The commission shall establish a process for reviewing the significant program change 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; (d) Are allocated among Oregon’s public universities to maximize the achievement of statewide needs and requirements; and (e) Submitted by Western Oregon University, Southern Oregon University or Eastern Oregon University comply with ORS 352.011. (3)(a) Pursuant to ORS 350.090, on or before September 1 of each even-numbered year, the Higher Education Coordinating Commission shall submit a consolidated funding request to the Governor on behalf of all public universities listed in ORS 352.002. (b) The Governor’s budget may include funding requests from public universities. (4) As part of a funding request submitted under subsection (3) of this section, a public university listed in ORS 352.002 may request, and appropriations may include but are not limited to, funding for education and general operations, statewide public services, state-funded debt service, capital improvements, deferred maintenance, special initiatives and investments or any other purpose authorized by ORS 350.075 (3)(e). 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 public university 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 public university that elects to remain eligible to receive proceeds of state bonds under ORS 352.402, must make a request to this effect to the Higher Education Coordinating Commission. The commission shall establish a process for reviewing the request to issue state bonds. 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 shall respond to a request for data from the Legislative Assembly or other state body by submitting the requested information to the Higher Education Coordinating Commission. The commission shall consolidate the data received from public universities. 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 the Higher Education Coordinating Commission 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; 2016 c.117 §59; 2017 c.440 §12; 2021 c.101 §2]