The House Committee on Higher Education and Workforce Development on March 18 held a public hearing on House Bill 2,695, which would require the Oregon Health & Science University Board of Directors to include representatives of the university community — at least one student, one faculty member and one nonfaculty staff member — on the presidential hiring committee and permit official campus labor organizations to provide comments to the board at regularly scheduled meetings if requested in advance.

A staff measure summary presented to the committee described the bill’s main provisions: the hiring committee must include university-community representatives and at least one public-university president; the OHSU board could require inclusion of a faculty member, a nonfaculty staff member and a student on the search committee; and the board could allow a representative of official campus labor organizations to provide comments at regularly scheduled meetings upon advance request.

Representative Lisa Bridal, sponsor of the bill, said HB 2,695 would align OHSU with other public universities and create a “more equitable and transparent search and hiring process.” Bridal said the requirement would not transfer hiring authority from the board: “The recommendation is always made to the Board of Education, and the Board of Education always has the decision making authority,” she said, adding that the bill is intended to broaden engagement and build trust in the process.

Members asked clarifying questions. Representative Younger asked whether the board could voluntarily make these changes without legislation; Bridal said boards sometimes do but that the bill ensures consistent practice and statutory alignment with other institutions. Representative Wright confirmed the student, faculty and staff members would provide perspective and not change the board’s final decision-making authority. Representative Harvick asked about language permitting labor representation; Bridal said the provision would create an established time for labor representatives to address the board at scheduled meetings rather than unrestricted public comment.

Evan Bowman, an IT project coordinator at OHSU and a member of AFSCME Local 328, testified in support of the bill on behalf of unionized staff, saying inclusion on the hiring committee would help restore trust and ensure leadership remains mission-driven. Bowman told the committee that allowing “community members to engage more directly with university leadership provides a more transparent hiring process” and that union representation “is important to me personally as a member of Local 328.”

Committee members generally expressed support for increased transparency and engagement during presidential searches; no formal motion or vote on HB 2,695 occurred at the hearing. The public hearing concluded and the committee adjourned.