House Bill 4124 and HECC Recommendations regarding Oregon's Public Colleges and Universities

Section I

1.1  WHEREAS the University of Oregon Statutory Faculty, as represented by the University of Oregon Senate, hold an essential role in the governance of all academic matters as commonly understood in higher education; and

1.2  WHEREAS shared governance over academic matters is an essential component of academic freedom for UO faculty; and

1.3  WHEREAS the curriculum of the University, as defined by its academic departments and programs, is an essential part of the academic mission and purpose of the University; and

1.4  WHEREAS the University of Oregon Senate and its committees lead a thorough and diligent process to approve new programs, and review changes to existing programs at the University of Oregon; and

1.5  WHEREAS the faculty of the University hold the expertise, that cannot be replicated by an outside entity, to make programmatic decisions in the best interest of the University, and its students; and

1.6 WHEREAS the UO and its degree programs undergo regular review by internal offices and external accreditors on a frequent basis, leading to program revisions; and 

1.7  WHEREAS the University Senate has worked along with the Office of the Provost to develop and execute best practice procedures to approve and review programs at the University of Oregon; and 

1.8  WHEREAS the Higher Education Coordinating Commission (HECC) does not possess the expertise, experience or commitment to the University of Oregon to review academic programs in the best interest of UO's students, faculty, and staff; and

1.9  WHEREAS the state's investment of Oregon higher education ranks 46th in the nation; and 

1.10  WHEREAS HB 4124, introduced to the Oregon State Legislature in January 2026, calls for a comprehensive statewide review of all of Oregon's public institutions of higher learning to be completed by December 1, 2026; and

1.11  WHEREAS while the University of Oregon Senate welcomes a statewide study of higher education, HB 4124 is written in such a way as to potentially result in unnecessary external intrusion in program and curricular matters at the UO; and 

1.12  WHEREAS the University of Oregon Senate strongly supports the idea that curriculum development and maintenance should be led by the faculty who are responsible for teaching the curriculum and whose scholarship underpins the knowledge related throughout the curriculum; 

Section II

2.1  THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the University of Oregon Senate formally opposes recommendation #2 of the HECC's January 2026 report (please see related documents) on "Spending and Efficiency in Oregon Public Universities" that would, "...require academic degree programs at public universities to be periodically reviewed and renewed by HECC," as this would violate fundamental principles of shared governance and academic freedom for the faculty of the University of Oregon; and

2.2  THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the University of Oregon Senate also urges HECC to exhibit caution, and deference to the principles of shared governance while "developing a proposal for targeted institutional integration by January 2027."