In 2026-27, the Higher Education Coordinating Commission (HECC) will develop an analysis and recommendations on the public postsecondary system in Oregon, as assigned by the Oregon Legislature in House Bill 4124 (2026). This legislation requires the HECC to study the condition of the public higher education system and develop recommendations to the Legislature on the design, implementation, and operation of a sustainable system for Oregon by April 1, 2027.
House Bill 4124, approved with bipartisan support in 2026, aims to address fiscal pressures and changing dynamics faced by postsecondary institutions in Oregon by launching a systemwide analysis to meet student, economic, and community needs. Partners can learn more about the general legislative intent of the bill in its introductory clauses.
The work of implementing House Bill 4124 will be a major focus of the HECC in 2026-27. We are committed to keeping our partners informed on this important process. On this web page, members of the public can find key information on the process and timeline of this significant study.
Responsibility of the HECC
House Bill 4124 directs the HECC to conduct a study of the condition of Oregon’s postsecondary education system and to develop detailed recommendations for the design, implementation and operation of a viable and improved institutional framework for public higher education in Oregon. The HECC is charged with ensuring that its recommendations:
- support access to postsecondary education institutions for students across geographic location, including rural communities and other underserved populations;
- fuel regional and statewide economic development and employment opportunities; and
- improve the financial viability of each postsecondary education institution in Oregon and the postsecondary education system as a whole, including by addressing projected enrollment, increased personnel costs, changes in federal law or priorities, sector-specific inflationary costs or other related factors.
The study must:
- evaluate the distinct objectives and missions of each category of postsecondary institution in consideration of several key variables identified in the bill; and
- identify opportunities for collaboration, restructuring, or integration in the postsecondary system.
The study may also make recommendations on several other topics identified in the bill.
The HECC is required to consult with faculty, staff, students, and other public institution partners in the development of the report. The HECC must provide a preliminary report to the Legislature by October 1, 2026, and submit a final report by April 1, 2027.
HECC Process for Implementation of House Bill 4124
The HECC is currently working with
Oregon Consensus on developing a transparent, inclusive, and collaborative process for this important project. This includes the development of principles for the project.
By summer 2026, HECC intends to engage a contractor (or contractors) that will conduct the bulk of the project, including outreach, communications, data-gathering, analysis, and recommendations. In addition, we expect to establish a project leadership table. Learn more about these steps below.
While the Commission will take final responsibility for the contents of interim and final reports to the Legislature that meet the requirements of HB 4124, we intend for our public process to build shared understanding amongst Oregon’s diverse education constituencies about challenges and opportunities facing higher education.
Initially, HECC has contracted with Oregon Consensus to conduct an assessment that will inform the approach that HECC takes to the project. Oregon Consensus has begun to conduct interviews and focus groups with interested parties including community college and university leaders, faculty, staff, students, unions, employers, tribal, and community leaders. Their assessment will attempt to answer questions such as:
- What should be the project’s guiding principles?
- What additional consulting support should HECC seek?
- Who should sit at a project leadership table?
- How should other interested parties be able to participate?
- What relational dynamics may hinder/foster alignment between parties throughout the project?
The answers to these questions will help inform HECC’s subsequent process.
What follows is a list of draft principles to guide the project. Oregon Consensus is inviting its interviewees to reflect on and respond to this list. Once finalized, these principles should help inform and guide project leadership.
(DRAFT)
We are committed to:
Building on what’s come before. This includes a 2022 Oregon Higher Education Landscape Study conducted by a third-party entity for the Presidents of Oregon’s community colleges and public universities, as well as the HECC’s January 2026 report on public university spending and efficiency.
Learning from others. We will be informed by a broad, national perspective on the challenges faced in higher education and potential models to follow, as well as what to avoid.
Inclusion. Faculty, staff, students, governing boards, unions, institutional administrators, tribal governments, community leaders, and legislators should have meaningful opportunities to help shape the process and the recommendations.
Transparency. Interested parties should receive frequent communication about the project.
Focusing on student and community needs. The primary lenses for analysis and decision-making should be the needs of students (access to impactful education) and the state and its regions (economy, workforce, civic vitality).
Protecting institutional diversity. To meet the needs of diverse students, including race/ethnicity, age, and urban/rural, one size will not fit all.
Good data. We should draw from data that is well-accepted and standardized to the greatest extent possible.
Being realistic and working within the parameters that the Legislature established in HB 4124, even when it’s uncomfortable. Recommendations should promote student access, economic and workforce opportunities, and the financial viability of institutions/systems without relying on major increases to public funding.
A decision-making process that attempts to establish areas of high alignment between interested parties, but also reflects that HECC will be responsible for final recommendations to the Legislature.
By summer 2026, HECC intends to engage a contractor (or contractors) that will conduct the bulk of the project, including outreach, communications, data-gathering, analysis, and recommendations. In addition, we expect to establish a project leadership table that includes representatives of interested parties and will be facilitated by an external entity. This group will receive regular updates on the project, advise HECC staff on guiding the consultant(s) work, and attempt to forge areas of alignment with—and acknowledge areas of deviation from—the consultants’ perspectives and recommendations.
How to Engage
The assessment work underway by Oregon Consensus will result in a plan for the project leadership and the process for engagement. The results of this assessment—and future updates on HB 4124— will be presented at upcoming Commission meetings.
Public testimony is welcomed at all public meetings of the HECC.