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© Oregon University System, 2008
Contact:
Di Saunders –Cell: 971-219-6869 (today, Friday, and over weekend); Office: 503-725-5714
Tuition increases of 3% maintained for 4th straight year
PORTLAND, June 6, 2008 –The State Board of Higher Education (the “Board”) met yesterday and today at Eastern Oregon University in La Grande to consider fall 2008 tuition increases, items related to the planning and construction of the University of Oregon arena project, and proposed programs to be considered by the 2009 Legislature in the OUS budget, among other items discussed by the Board.
Tuition & Fees Rates and Changes Jay Kenton, OUS vice chancellor for finance and administration, and Brian Meara, OUS interim director of budget operations, reviewed the tuition and resource fees transition plan developed jointly with the Oregon Student Association, and approved by the Board earlier this year. Meant to increase transparency of tuition and fee charges at OUS institutions, among other goals, the plan begins to fold resource fees into base tuition rates. The plan also includes availability of financial aid for students in programs that begin charging differential tuition, which is higher than standard tuition rates, so that cost is not an impediment to students when choosing a major. The Board authorized the chancellor or designee to report on these transition plans and details to the Legislative Emergency Board, and related information in the 2008-09 Academic Year Fee Book.
Kenton and Meara summarized, and the Board reviewed and approved, tuition and fee increases for 2008-09. The recommendations are in compliance with the Legislative Budget Note which limits tuition increases to 3.4% for undergraduates on average, across the system, and resource fees to 8.6% of tuition revenue. Room and board increase recommendations were also approved by the Board. Below is a summary of the resident undergraduate tuition and fee increases and comparisons with the current year; more detail of nonresident and graduate program tuition and fees is available at: http://www.ous.edu/state_board/meeting/dockets/ddoc080606.pdf, beginning on page 67.
UO Arena After a thorough review of the UO arena project and history from UO president Dave Frohnmayer, and representatives from the state Treasurer’s Office and consultants related to the project, and discussion by the Board, the resolution for the sale of $200 million in Article XI-F(1) Bonds was approved by the Board. The Board also voted approval of the finding that the UO Athletic department buildings and structures, including the arena, conservatively appear to be wholly self-liquidating and self-supporting. The Board separately approved the UO’s request for a sole source determination made by president Frohnmayer to enter into a sole source contract with National Championship Properties (NCP) related to design, pre-construction and construction of the arena, and to delegate to president Frohnmayer the responsibility to ensure performance of all related obligations. The Board also approved UO’s request to continue to authorize NCP to contract with Ellerbe Becket, TVA, and Hoffman Construction; and approved that any protests submitted related to these contracts be filed with the OUS Chancellor’s Office. The Board also approved a motion that OUS conduct a formal review of the entire arena process to determine lessons learned, especially in the case where a major private donation is a component of a capital projects.
OUS Policy Option Packages Chancellor George Pernsteiner reviewed the proposed policy option packages to address priorities and issues of critical importance related to higher education in Oregon. Budget priorities for 2009-2011 include: (1) Educational Quality and Delivery investments that will: decrease faculty/student ratios and increase academic quality and access; bring faculty salaries closer to peer averages; increase OUS competitiveness to attract advanced degree students; and ensure safe and efficient campus facilities through critical capital repairs and deferred maintenance; (2) Student Affordability, Access and Success investments that will: freeze tuition costs at the smaller OUS institutions; increase underserved students in pre-college preparation and in-college retention programs; support previous and current enrollment increases; support the preparation and retention of K-12 teachers; continue alignment and ease of transfer between K-12, community colleges and OUS; increase degrees through support of university centers on community college campuses; and develop ways to identify and measure learning outcomes; (3) Research and Sustainability investments that will enhance research competitiveness through strategic partnerships and a focus on sustainability and biotechnology, elevate research connections via workforce and economic development, and improve research communications and assessment; support a collaborative effort to create a National Life Sciences Center in Portland; and create increased collaboration between OUS research faculty and the manufacturing cluster; and (4) Economic and Workforce Support investments that will: increase the number of engineers, technology workers and applied scientists to meet Oregon’s workforce needs, hiring research faculty and improving laboratories, and expanding the pre-college pipeline; and through Statewide Public Services, continue and expand enabling partnerships with natural resource industries, environmental and natural resource agencies, and stakeholders to enhance Oregon’s economy and environment. The Board discussed the need to further prioritize and hone the proposals at the staff and Board levels prior to and at the July board meeting, with a final version presented to the Governor and the Legislative Fiscal Office in the fall.
In other action and discussion at the meetings, the Board: