[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6287971,"mediaKeyId","2546129-41d2174ffffac88a14230494699ef4a4","parentId",2546129,"title","Committee hears testimony to let private nonprofit colleges join Oregon—direct admissions program","audioSeconds",1922,"startMs",2757000,"endMs",835000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2546129-41d2174ffffac88a14230494699ef4a4&start=2757&end=835","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2546129-41d2174ffffac88a14230494699ef4a4/thumbnail_2757000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6287971/Oregon/Committee-hears-testimony-to-let-private-nonprofit-colleges-join-Oregondirect-admissions-program","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6287971-f2c8711639fae9dc7fa7d0fe10f3886b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771150510&Signature=BhjRXi6U0EMlxq~lsbw7aVeS812clDE6qJcdO3Fz2hb7zIjYO-VQWqBZz247NPDSsOl0AjvP5gQv0NSyu0lyIj9-WGSLWaDkOomZP01b-QH9NrPGE9Tv~0ZrzTq8sz10itDC5k5VGtgZHxdJFgS8dPoeLWMYSzqCi2~rCa7-jjV6f2Pjp1XZPD1m6ZyMvJe~QCC8fqNZccvK-tJRLKhjhJGpRBZjUGetUQGPxtztpTjAtKwPDFiapVismvmNjp02f0KtfXC5OYsDXG3pzRLXFX~KddJZdevDQW0fAQPCI6LeJj96FGbtuLCxVROfFiwYl4BvBryVYtOcy7xkKc9FAQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Oregon State Legislature","date","2025-03-11T00:00:00Z","article","House Committee on Higher Education and Workforce Development Chair Hudson opened a public hearing March 11 on House Bill 2421, which would permit private nonprofit postsecondary institutions to join, by consent, Oregon\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000the direct admissions program established by the Higher Education Coordinating Commission (HEC).

Proponents told the committee the bill would broaden college choices and reduce application barriers for many high school students. Morgan Shaw, an intern for Cindy Robert, testified on behalf of the Oregon Alliance of Independent Colleges and Universities, saying, \"Direct admissions tells high school students that there are colleges and universities that are eager to admit them based on their academic records and their projected graduation date.\" Shaw said the approach has the largest impact on first-generation and traditionally underrepresented students and can reduce out‑migration of students who leave Oregon to enroll elsewhere.

Mynea Zhong Chan, vice president for enrollment management and marketing and web services at the University of Portland, told members HB 2421 would \"increase the diversity of higher education choices available to students in Oregon\" and that private nonprofit institutions should be able to decide whether to participate. She said private colleges offer \"unique experiences and value to students\" and argued participation would help the state build a more diverse pipeline of graduates.

William Mullen, vice president for enrollment management at Willamette University, also supported the bill and described direct admissions in other states as increasing FAFSA filing and college enrollment rates and helping students make timely decisions. Several members asked whether the HEC\u0000direct admissions program is already in place at public institutions; witnesses said the program is still being developed for public universities and that private institutions want the option to participate when the program is implemented.

The bill as discussed would add private nonprofit institutions to the list of entities that may take part in the HEC direct admissions program; the dash-3 amendment in the staff summary specifies participation by private nonprofit institutions and that institutions must elect to participate. The committee did not take a vote during the public hearing.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","House Committee On Higher Education and Workforce Development 03/11/2025 8:00 AM","oneSentenceSummary","House Committee on Higher Education and Workforce Development Chair Hudson opened a public hearing March 11 on House Bill 2421, which would permit private nonprofit postsecondary institutions to join, by consent, Oregon's direct admissions program.","taxTitle","Higher Education, House of Representatives, Committees, Legislative, Oregon","taxId",18022,"location","Oregon","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6287965,"Committee hears community colleges seek higher state matching cap for capital projects",1253,1823000,3076000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2546129-41d2174ffffac88a14230494699ef4a4&start=1823&end=3076","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2546129-41d2174ffffac88a14230494699ef4a4/thumbnail_1823000.jpg","/articles/6287965/Oregon/Committee-hears-community-colleges-seek-higher-state-matching-cap-for-capital-projects","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6287965-a5a9e7455232a2d0fb0a5645978db7c7/orig.mp4?Expires=1771150510&Signature=fbN51rTB6o8Qk-oiMIJnKtEMWk2bQV8vVFTOzi~tzJpH1f9O9rI8sm5Iu0tUIk8rYzOeyo8-zuPfqEOTVB02tuhnhlPWKv~jtYTH9FNUfqTWi-VGwMdHd-f8ABmKT56P4mrAjH43ha4X4rzEIiK0cInNzbb7~1GamQYW~3aeMn3j95AXGx~WJZx~KMehthli2CqcWF8e-vXp0gcvedXpIzxG1eqk1oWwObf18hQlCEQVWtariLkdWlQljwrUlQp8trsSGm1EQwjRFAx6~7f3thQlWypWkh5a7h8nP71wnhEMr9d5aDB~m5yACQ2uO0jOb2Ls~78lUStYpJnUob2jhw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The House Committee on Higher Education and Workforce Development held a public hearing March 11 on House Bill 3635, a committee bill that would raise the per-college limit on the aggregate amount of general obligation bonds the state can issue for a single community college's capital construction project from $8,000,000 to $14,250,000.

John Wykoff, deputy director with the Oregon Community College Association, said the $8 million cap has been in place since roughly 2007 and does not reflect inflation or construction cost increases. \"If you just looked at consumer price index inflation,\" Wykoff said, \"8,000,000 in 2007 dollars would be about $14,250,000\" today; he and other witnesses added that actual building-cost inflation has outpaced CPI at times, especially during the pandemic.

Rebecca Aukin, director of planning and capital construction for Portland Community College, and other community college leaders described recent projects that required state matching funds and said rising costs threaten the ability to modernize facilities that support workforce training in health care, construction trades and auto technology. Mark Browning, president of Blue Mountain Community College, said his institution scaled back a planned project after construction estimates rose above initial projections.

Witnesses noted statutory constraints on community colleges: colleges may request an Article XI-G project only once every four years, and state matching funds must be locally matched by bonds, private donors or other local financing. Testimony explained the bill would not itself appropriate funds or change capital construction approval by the Ways and Means subcommittee; it would raise the cap on the matching amount colleges can request in that approval process.

The committee closed the public hearing without a vote during the session.","House Bill 3635 would raise the per-college limit on the state's Article XI-G general obligation matching grant for community college capital projects from $8 million to $14.25 million; community college leaders testified rising construction costs and long-standing statutory caps make the update necessary for projects to remain feasible.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6287968,"Committee hears bill directing HEC to inventory and reduce duplicative university reporting",830,820000,1650000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2546129-41d2174ffffac88a14230494699ef4a4&start=820&end=1650","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2546129-41d2174ffffac88a14230494699ef4a4/thumbnail_820000.jpg","/articles/6287968/Oregon/Committee-hears-bill-directing-HEC-to-inventory-and-reduce-duplicative-university-reporting","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6287968-d92cc8c1fb2550413710cfff3889f230/orig.mp4?Expires=1771150510&Signature=KEA6e28Bfk5Ohgcvciq3iTUHdpxr-pdg0wqCW5yR1S6eoHkZFJ7E3XtFWfbQBvjddTnphYemyQWwcgYdPnm-3C8hlYSJ2je3oQu0boLixMMMfYUW3L6bvwd4wmZS8-7WBIRLsjrDZF-PaqS8yh5hISzE6y1y7Z3Ghppla2inK6N9K8NpQcppASgI-Y2junVIwmxW-bOmDYbOpngVMIoDrEx6LRC~3bff2rth9OkNPkMx9rhmw8uKlbPu~0zEwskC0wy6oe4TrA-SO0XGAd7G0Rm-czyAaz4Vge0EsIC7pRVgXyPQs3GASoBnfwIMS62QkYabSF0gFovNnftStg1xhA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","House Committee on Higher Education and Workforce Development members held a public hearing March 11 on House Bill 2458, which would require the Higher Education Coordinating Commission (HEC) to inventory reporting requirements for public universities and develop a plan to eliminate unnecessary or duplicative reports, to be delivered to the legislative assembly by Sept. 15, 2026.

Kathy Martin Willis, staff for Representative Paul Evans, said universities face more mandates now than they did more than a decade ago and noted HEC\u0000has grown from roughly 40 to over 185 employees in recent years. Mark Overbeck, director of government relations at Southern Oregon University, testified that public universities currently respond to more than 150 state reporting requirements, plus several hundred federal mandates, and that some reports may be outdated or duplicative. \"Please don't ask us to do more with so much less if it's not making a difference for the students we're committed to serving,\" Overbeck said, describing staff reductions at his university in recent years.

HEC legislative affairs director Kyle Thomas told the committee the bill is limited to analyzing reporting mandates on public universities and that HEC does not expect a substantial fiscal impact from the bill itself. Thomas suggested the agency could reallocate reporting frequency (for example, moving some annual reports to biennial schedules) to free capacity for more useful research and policy analysis.

Committee members asked whether HEC would need additional staff to complete the inventory and plan; witnesses and HEC testimony described the proposed timeline through 2026 as reasonable and suggested any additional workload could be offset by subsequent reductions in redundant reporting. The committee concluded the public hearing without taking action during the session.","House Bill 2458 would require the Higher Education Coordinating Commission to study reporting requirements imposed on public universities and produce a plan to eliminate unnecessary or duplicative reports; witnesses said reporting burdens have grown and suggested the review could free staff time for instruction.","actionData","errors"]

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Committee hears testimony to let private nonprofit colleges join Oregon—direct admissions program

Committee hears community colleges seek higher state matching cap for capital projects

Committee hears bill directing HEC to inventory and reduce duplicative university reporting