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83rd OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2025 Regular Session
Enrolled
House Bill 2421
Introduced and printed pursuant to House Rule 12.00. Presession filed (at the request of House In-
terim Committee on Higher Education for former Senator Michael Dembrow for Oregon Alliance
of Independent Colleges and Universities)
CHAPTER .................................................
AN ACT
Relating to direct admissions; amending ORS 350.075.
Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:
SECTION 1.
ORS 350.075, as amended by section 11, chapter 95, Oregon Laws 2024, is amended
to read:
350.075. (1) As used in this section, “student access programs” means scholarship, loan, grant
and access programs described in ORS chapter 348.
(2) The Higher Education Coordinating Commission shall be guided by the legislative findings
in ORS 341.009, 350.001 and 350.005 and the goals and mission of post-secondary education set forth
in ORS 350.009 and 350.014.
(3) The Higher Education Coordinating Commission shall:
(a) Develop state goals for the state post-secondary education system, including community col-
leges and public universities listed in ORS 352.002, and for student access programs.
(b) Determine strategic investments in the state’s community colleges, public universities and
student access programs necessary to achieve state post-secondary education goals.
(c) Coordinate the post-secondary elements of data collection and structure, with the advice and
recommendation of the state’s independent institutions, community colleges and public universities,
as appropriate, in order to construct a state longitudinal data system.
(d) Adopt a strategic plan for achieving state post-secondary education goals, taking into con-
sideration the contributions of this state’s independent institutions, philanthropic organizations and
other organizations dedicated to helping Oregonians reach state goals. State post-secondary educa-
tion goals as described in this section should include, but need not be limited to:
(A) Increasing the educational attainment of the population;
(B) Increasing this state’s global economic competitiveness and the quality of life of its resi-
dents;
(C) Ensuring affordable access for qualified Oregon students at each college or public university;
(D) Removing barriers to on-time completion; and
(E) Tracking progress toward meeting the state’s post-secondary education goals established in
the strategic plan described in this paragraph.
(e)(A) Each biennium, after receiving funding requests from the state’s community colleges and
public universities as authorized by law, recommend to the Governor a consolidated higher educa-
tion agency request budget aligned with the strategic plan described in paragraph (d) of this sub-
section, including appropriations for:
Enrolled House Bill 2421 (HB 2421-A) Page 1
(i) Student access programs;
(ii) Public universities listed in ORS 352.002, including but not limited to education and general
operations, statewide public services and state-funded debt service;
(iii) Community colleges, including but not limited to education and general operations and
state-funded debt service;
(iv) New facilities or programs;
(v) Capital improvements and deferred maintenance;
(vi) Special initiatives and investments; and
(vii) Any other program, duty or function a public university listed in ORS 352.002 is authorized
to undertake.
(B) In the development of the consolidated higher education agency request budget:
(i) Determine the costs necessary to provide quality post-secondary education;
(ii) Solicit input from educators, education policy experts, appropriate legislative committees,
students and other persons interested in the development of the funding model; and
(iii) Solicit public input regarding educational priorities.
(f) Adopt rules governing the distribution of appropriations from the Legislative Assembly to
community colleges, public universities listed in ORS 352.002 and student access programs. These
rules must be based on allocation formulas developed in consultation with the state’s community
colleges and public universities, as appropriate.
(g) Approve or disapprove any significant change to the academic program of a community col-
lege or a public university listed in ORS 352.002. In reaching a decision under this paragraph, the
commission shall consider the recommendation from the community college or public university
seeking to make the change to an academic program that is issued pursuant to the obligation of the
governing board of a community college or public university to review and approve academic pro-
grams. The commission shall ensure that approved programs:
(A) Are consistent with the mission statement of the community college or public university;
(B) Do not unnecessarily duplicate academic programs offered by Oregon’s other community
colleges or public universities;
(C) Are not located in a geographic area that will cause undue hardship to Oregon’s other
community colleges or public universities; and
(D) Are allocated among Oregon’s community colleges and public universities to maximize the
achievement of statewide needs and requirements.
(h) For public universities listed in ORS 352.002:
(A) Approve the mission statement adopted by a governing board of a public university.
(B) Review and determine whether a proposed annual increase of resident undergraduate en-
rollment fees of greater than five percent is appropriate.
(C) Advise the Governor and the Legislative Assembly on issues of university governance.
(D) Approve and authorize degrees.
(E) Perform the evaluation and certification required by ORS 350.095.
(i) Authorize degrees to be offered by independent post-secondary institutions in this state under
ORS 348.594 to 348.615.
(j) Oversee the licensing of career schools under ORS 345.010 to 345.340.
(k) Have the authority to enter into and administer interstate agreements regarding the pro-
vision of post-secondary distance education. The participation by an educational institution that is
not based in this state in distance learning courses or programs that are part of an interstate
agreement entered into and administered under this paragraph does not constitute operating in this
state for purposes of ORS 348.594 to 348.615. The commission, by rule, may impose a fee on any
educational institution that seeks to operate under or participate in such interstate agreements. The
fee amount shall be established to recover designated expenses incurred by the commission in par-
ticipating in such agreements.
(L) Administer a statewide longitudinal data system.
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(m) In coordination with the Department of Education, the Employment Department and other
state agencies, conduct statewide longitudinal studies and reporting of early learning, kindergarten
through grade 12 education, higher education and workforce programs. For the purposes of this
paragraph:
(A) The commission shall enter into written interagency agreements with the Department of
Education, the Employment Department and any other state agencies necessary for conducting
statewide longitudinal studies and reporting.
(B) The commission may share data from the statewide longitudinal data system with persons
or public bodies. For purposes of this subparagraph, the commission shall adopt rules to establish
procedures for requesting or sharing data and may enter into written agreements for sharing data.
(C) The commission is considered an authorized representative of state educational agencies
under applicable state and federal law for purposes of accessing, compiling and storing student data
for research, audit and evaluation purposes.
(n) Establish a direct admissions program for community colleges in this state and public uni-
versities listed in ORS 352.002. The program may include, upon the consent of the institution,
any private post-secondary institution that meets the criteria set forth in ORS 348.597 (2)(a).
The commission shall adopt rules to:
(A) Establish a method for the collection of student data necessary to implement the program,
which may include collaborating with the Department of Education to the extent necessary to col-
lect the student data; and
(B) Maximize opportunities for underserved students and first generation college students to
participate in the program.
(4)(a) The Higher Education Coordinating Commission shall implement a process to review and
appropriately act on student complaints regarding any school operating in this state. As part of the
process implemented under this subsection, the commission may:
(A) Receive student complaints from students regarding a school;
(B) Specify the type of information that must be included in a student complaint;
(C) Investigate and resolve student complaints that relate to state financial aid;
(D) Refer a student complaint to another entity for investigation and resolution as provided in
paragraph (b) of this subsection;
(E) Adopt rules to implement the provisions of this subsection; and
(F) Enter into agreements to implement the provisions of this subsection.
(b) The commission may refer the investigation and resolution of a student complaint to:
(A) An appropriate state agency if the complaint alleges that a school has violated a state law
concerning consumer protection, civil rights, employment rights or environmental quality;
(B) A school’s accrediting association if the complaint relates to the school’s authorization to
offer academic degree programs or to the quality of the school’s academic degree programs; or
(C) The school at which the student is enrolled if the commission determines that the complaint
should be resolved through the school’s internal review process.
(c) As used in this subsection:
(A)(i) “School” means an independent institution of higher education that meets the require-
ments of ORS 348.597 (2)(a).
(ii) “School” does not mean a school that is exempt from ORS 348.594 to 348.615 under ORS
348.597 (2)(b) or (c).
(B) “Student” means a person who is enrolled at a school for the purpose of obtaining a degree,
certificate or other recognized educational credential offered by that school.
(5) A student complaint that is received by the Higher Education Coordinating Commission, in-
cluding but not limited to a student complaint filed under subsection (4) of this section, is not sub-
ject to disclosure under ORS 192.311 to 192.478.
(6) In addition to the duties described in subsections (2) to (4) of this section, the Higher Edu-
cation Coordinating Commission shall advise the Legislative Assembly, the Governor, community
colleges, public universities and other state boards and commissions on policies in order to:
Enrolled House Bill 2421 (HB 2421-A)Page 3
(a) Ensure or improve access to higher education by diverse and underserved populations.
(b) Encourage student success and completion initiatives.
(c) Improve the coordination of the provision of educational services, including:
(A) Transfers and coenrollment throughout the higher education system;
(B) Accelerated college credit programs for high school students;
(C) Applied baccalaureate and other transfer degrees;
(D) Programs and grants that span multiple institutions; and
(E) Reciprocity agreements with other states.
(d) In coordination with the State Board of Education, enhance the use and quality of dual
credit, career and technical pathways and efforts to create a culture of college attendance in this
state.
(e) In coordination with the State Workforce and Talent Development Board, local workforce
development boards, the Oregon Health and Science University and independent institutions, ensure
that the state’s colleges and universities offer programs in high-demand occupations that meet
Oregon’s workforce needs.
(f) Improve economies of scale by encouraging and facilitating the use of the shared services
among post-secondary institutions in this state.
(7) The Higher Education Coordinating Commission, in a manner consistent with ORS chapter
183, may adopt administrative rules.
(8) With the exception of the rulemaking authority granted in subsection (7) of this section, the
Higher Education Coordinating Commission may delegate any of its powers, duties or functions to
a committee of the commission or to the executive director of the commission.
(9) The Higher Education Coordinating Commission may, subject to the Public Contracting
Code, enter into contracts and agreements, including grant agreements, with public and private en-
tities for those higher education and workforce development activities that are consistent with ORS
350.001 and 350.005, with the policies set forth in ORS chapters 341 and 348 and with statutory
policies related to career schools and public universities.
(10)(a) The Higher Education Coordinating Commission may exercise only powers, duties and
functions expressly granted by the Legislative Assembly. Except as otherwise expressly provided by
law, all other authorities reside at the institutional level with the respective boards of the post-
secondary institutions.
(b) The commission has implied and direct authority to implement the powers, duties and func-
tions expressly granted to the commission by the Legislative Assembly.
(c) Notwithstanding paragraph (b) of this subsection, the commission may not exercise any au-
thority, express or implied, statutorily provided to a governing board of a public university listed
in ORS 352.002 or a community college operated under ORS chapter 341.
Enrolled House Bill 2421 (HB 2421-A) Page 4
Passed by House April 2, 2025
..................................................................................
Timothy G. Sekerak, Chief Clerk of House
..................................................................................
Julie Fahey, Speaker of House
Passed by Senate May 1, 2025
..................................................................................
Rob Wagner, President of Senate
Received by Governor:
........................M.,........................................................., 2025
Approved:
........................M.,........................................................., 2025
..................................................................................
Tina Kotek, Governor
Filed in Office of Secretary of State:
........................M.,........................................................., 2025
..................................................................................
Tobias Read, Secretary of State
Enrolled House Bill 2421 (HB 2421-A) Page 5