News

On March 16, members of a top State Board of Higher Education committee agreed that universities should be allowed to establish governing boards, but the committee will meet again this month to discuss what powers these boards should have. Key issues under discussion, include tuition setting, property ownership, shared services, standardized data collection and analysis, as well as hiring, evaluation and termination of presidents.

The State Board's Committee on Governance and Policy discussed institutional governing boards along with PSU President Wim Wiewel; Ed Ray, Oregon State University president; and Robert Berdahl, University of Oregon interim president. Wiewel and Berdahl expressed interest in an institutional board, and told the State Board which authorities they felt were critical to achieving their institutions’ missions. Chancellor George Pernsteiner shared his recommendation for the division of authorities of institutional boards into four categories: accountability, public good, stewardship, and efficiency.

Following their April meeting, the Committee on Governance and Policy will forward their recommendations, as well as materials and analysis produced over the last year by external consultants and testimony by stakeholders, to the Special Committee on University Governance established by House Bill 4061B. That committee will make a recommendation to the Legislature later this year.