The Joint Ways and Means Subcommittee on Education will start to consider the Oregon University System (OUS) budget for the 2013-15 biennium on March 20. The subcommittee has scheduled five hearings on House Bill 5031 (the Oregon University System budget bill) and will make recommendations to the full Ways and Means Committee on allocations for the Oregon University System.

Oregon University System Chancellor Melody Rose and State Board of Higher Education Board Member Emily Plec will begin the March 20 hearing with an overview of the OUS budget. They will be followed by University of Oregon President Michael Gottfredson and Eastern Oregon University President Bob Davies who will speak together on a panel about the value of Oregon’s large and small campuses. A third panel on March 20 will address teaching and learning innovation in OUS. Topics for the remaining four days are as follows:

March 21: OUS operating budget and finance areas, achievement compacts, and affordability and access

March 25: Capital construction, research and innovation, economic impact of higher education, statewide public service programs, and the Engineering Technology and Innovation Council (ETIC)

March 26: Education continuum collaboration and pipeline, higher education reform, and Department of Administrative Services (DAS) presentation of the OUS budget

March 27: The committee will accept public testimony. There are opportunities for campus stakeholder, including students and alumni to testify. If you are interested in testifying, contact Nate Stice (stice@uoreogn.edu).

The subcommittee will meet on these days from 8:00 am to 10:00 am. The legislature will provide a livestream of the hearings.