Universities are also united in seeking to mend a tarnished image with many legislators, tied to a number of concerns. Chief among them are legislative perceptions of disputes and disagreements among the universities over capital projects and the funding formula the HECC uses to distribute operating funds among the institutions. Other concerns include competition among the universities over what educational programs they may offer, financial accountability, high administrative salaries, low pay for the rank & file, and difficulties students face when seeking to transfer credits from community colleges, advanced placement, and accelerated learning programs. During the session, legislators will be considering a number of bills that could exacerbate or relieve these negative impressions. (These are addressed in Policy Matters<\/span>, below.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n Capital Construction<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n During the 2019 session, the legislature committed $946 million of the state\u2019s projected $1.3 billion general fund debt capacity to long term bonds, leaving approximately $315 million (about 25% of the total biennial capacity) for allocation in 2020 to entities that are seeking bond-reliant projects. (The state has available an additional $30.5 million in lottery bonds.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n For the sake of comparison, during the 2017-19 biennium, the legislature allocated $288 million in general fund bonds to projects at the state\u2019s seven public universities. (This figure comprised about 28% of the state\u2019s general fund debt capacity in that biennium.) In November, university presidents joined together in urging the legislature to approve at least that amount during the current biennium. (See: Continue Capital Investments in Public University Infrastructure<\/span><\/a>). If the legislature were to invest a similar proportion of the state\u2019s debt capacity to Oregon\u2019s public universities, this figure would be $322.85 million. Considering the $65 million the legislature authorized during the 2019 session, this would leave about $257 million for university projects \u2013 IF the legislature devoted the same proportion of the state\u2019s debt capacity to its universities as it did for the last biennium. <\/p>\n\n\n\n This week the HECC will consider a staff-prioritized list of 16 proposed projects<\/span><\/a> from the seven universities. The table below identifies the projects and their rankings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We anticipate the HECC will ultimately recommend this list, or one similar to it, to the Governor, who then will determine how much of the state\u2019s debt capacity she wants to devote to university projects. The universities are working towards being united in supporting increased capital investments that reflect the HECC\u2019s list. OSU\u2019s legislative efforts over the next three months will be aimed at funding for three capital projects on the list:<\/p>\n\n\n\n OSU is providing $68 million in matching funds for the $75.9 million in state bonding capacity that it is seeking \u2013 nearly doubling the state\u2019s investments. It is worth noting that $5 million of these matching funds are from student fees approved by OSU Cascades students in a 2017 campus-wide vote. To see the materials we are using with legislators regarding OSU\u2019s capital projects, click here<\/span><\/a> (meant to be folded booklet-style). <\/p>\n\n\n\n Policy Matters<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Hemp:<\/strong> OSU has been working with the hemp industry, Rep. Brian Clem (D-Salem)<\/a><\/span>, and Rep. Brad Witt (D-Clatskanie)<\/span><\/a> to develop two bills designed to assist the industry while also addressing potential concerns. The House Agriculture and Land Use committee is considering a bill to establish a Hemp Commission that would enable the industry to self-assess fees to support research and other activities, similar to many of the other commodity commissions that exist in Oregon under state statutes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The second bill, introduced by Rep. Witt, would formalize Oregon\u2019s State Plan for hemp to comply with recently issued federal regulations under the federal farm bill. Additional state legislation may be introduced that would clarify the differences between hemp and cannabis for the purposes of addressing concerns as both are grown, processed and marketed. A recent issue of the Capital Press addresses a number of issues that describe the hemp industry in Oregon: Hemp Appeal: Newly legal crop attracts new generation of farmers<\/a><\/span>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ocean Acidification and Hypoxia (OAH):<\/strong> Last session the Senate Environment and Natural Resources approved SB 260<\/span><\/a> which would have allocated $1.9 million to support critical OAH research. Funding would flow to the Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife, the Ocean Science Trust and OSU. The bill stalled in the Ways & Means Committee and we are working with the Coastal Caucus to seek funding either directly with legislation or through the Ways & Means process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Campus Hunger and Basic Needs:<\/strong> Universities are working together and with students and others, including the Oregon Student Association to secure support and funding for a research report that analyzes the prevalence and campus best practices around college student food insecurity. Funding would also support a pilot campus basic needs grant program that would support public university and community college resource centers for low-income students. The proposal is modeled after campus veteran\u2019s grant program. The House Education Committee will consider \u201cpre-session filing\u201d legislation when it meets in January.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Student Athlete Name, Image Likeness:<\/strong> OSU is working with the University of Oregon and others to assist in the consideration of legislation that would mirror a bill passed in California, and other state legislation that would enable college athletes to seek and receive sponsorships while also ensuring that all college athletes are adequately supported during and after their college careers. For a student perspective on this topic, see: \u201cWe are the 100%<\/span><\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Betting on College\nSports:<\/strong> OSU is working with others to create a state statute that would\npre-empt the Oregon Lottery from extending sports betting to include college\nsports.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Universities will also be active in engaging in legislation\nthat seeks to facilitate the transfer of credits for students as they progress\nthrough the education continuum from high school through community colleges and\nuniversities. As well, universities will be supporting legislation that would\nestablish and fund health care for part-time faculty who work at multiple\ncampuses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s important to remember the dynamics of short sessions which were established in the Oregon Constitution in 2010. That year, 68 percent of Oregon voters approved Ballot Measure 71<\/span><\/a>, a legislative referral that switched from biennial sessions that had no specified ending deadlines to 160-day \u201cregular\u201d sessions in odd years and 35-day \u201cshort\u201d sessions in even years. The legislature intended the new regular sessions to maintain the primary goals of the previous biennial sessions: adopting a two-year budget while also addressing large, substantive issues. The short sessions were to fine tune intervening policy issues and make necessary budgetary adjustments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Three factors characterize short sessions. First, the\nschedules are remarkably fast. Compared to long sessions when committees have\nthree months to consider policy bills, committees during short sessions typically\nhave fewer than two weeks to report their bills out for floor consideration.\nBills that have not been approved by committees within the first two weeks of\nthe session are basically dead. As a result, amendments are rare and unlikely\nbecause there is simply no time to do the work. (The Oregon Legislature does\nnot allow consideration of amendments on the floor.) During long sessions, the\namendment process can often entail establishing behind-the-scenes work groups\nor other negotiations that help to construct legislative compromises that\nbridge differences among competing interests and viewpoints. Success during\nshort sessions generally requires concerted work among proponents in the weeks\nand months leading into the session. In short, successful bills need to be on rails\nthat proponents have laid prior to the session. The fast clip also can also\nserve to make it more difficult for the public to participate meaningfully in\nthe legislative process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A second characteristic of short sessions is disagreement\nover whether a bill fits the objectives of Ballot Measure 71. Over the\nintervening short sessions it has been quite common for opponents to claim that\nbills are too expansive and divisive for such a short timeline \u2013 that the measure\nshould wait for the steeping that characterizes the regular sessions.\nProponents typically respond that the issue is critical and, depending on the\ncircumstances, much of the steeping was accomplished in the preceding session. In\ntheir view, the measure is under consideration during the short session simply to\ncarry it over the finish line.<\/p>\n\n\n\n These concerns are likely to be prominent in the upcoming session\nas several proposals that did not pass in 2019 — including childhood\nvaccinations, gun safety, and climate change \u2013 could re-appear as \u201cleftovers\u201d.\nDepending on one\u2019s point of view, the Republican walk outs which stymied\nlegislative business in the Senate in 2019 are a hangover that could embitter\nthe mood and nature of the 2020 session.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Finally, short sessions occur as legislators approach two\nsignificant dates in the election cycle. The deadline for filing for election\nto serve in the 2021 regular session falls just two days after the short session\nis scheduled to adjourn. All 60 seats in the House and half of the 30 seats in\nthe Senate will be on the ballot. (This year, 16 Senate seats will appear on\nthe ballot due to an interim appointment.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n Because the May primary is just two months following the session, constituents may well remember votes that were taken during the short session. Some legislators may be particularly sensitive to issues simply due to the proximity of the next election. In fact, partisan maneuvering may result in manufacturing votes for that very reason. On the other hand, some legislators may be more immune to constituent pressure because they are retiring and have little to lose by voting contrary to the desires of their districts. Legislative turnover is a significant factor each biennium, and this session is no different. (See: Oregon Legislature will have at least 16 open seats in 2020<\/span><\/a>, Oregonian, 12\/4\/19.) <\/p>\n\n\n\n All of these considerations \u2013 short timelines, concerns over\nthe breadth of legislation, leftovers and hangovers, and the election cycle — will\ninfluence the proceedings when the legislature convenes on Monday, February 3,\n2020.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Legislative Committees will meet\nthe week of January 13. Much of the work during this time will be spent on\nbrushing up legislation and gathering cosponsors for bills that will be\nconsidered when the legislature convenes on February 3rd<\/sup>. A\nforthcoming memo from Legislative leaders will outline key dates in the\nlegislative session. If the schedule that they used in the 2018 short session\nis used in 2020, committees will need to be completed with their work on\nchamber-of-origin bills by Thursday, February 13.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Key Dates<\/p>\n\n\n\n To see what the November 20th<\/sup> Beaver Caucus Day looked like, click here<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Before and during the 2020 session, OSU will be actively tracking legislation. For assistance in identifying and tracking bills, or for any other information, contact Claire McMorris<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Welcome to Katie Fast<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n As announced last week by President Ray, after an intensive\nfour-month process, Katie Fast will be taking on the responsibilities of\nExecutive Director of OSU\u2019s Government Relations Office, beginning the first\nweek of January. As a lobbyist for the Oregon Farm Bureau and Oregonians for\nFood & Shelter, Katie brings extensive experience working with legislators\nand grass roots advocates. A graduate of OSU, Katie also has been active in the\nOSU Alumni Association and in 2013 received the Distinguished Alumni Luminary\nAward. Having worked with Katie over the years, I can speak from personal\nexperience that she is both a formidable ally and an effective opponent. Whichever\nside of an issue, she is forthright, strategic, open, approachable, and\nresponsive. The university was fortunate to face an extremely difficult\ndecision in its hiring choice — the finalists were eminently qualified and\npresented similar attributes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While I have deep, conflicting feelings as I depart from a job I have loved for nearly 20 years, one thing that provides comfort is knowing that this job will be filled by someone who will undoubtedly out-perform me on a variety of dimensions, and one who is devoted to this university and the people it serves. Those who wish to communicate directly with Katie can use this e-mail address beginning in January: Katie.fast@oregonstate.edu<\/span><\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n I will be issuing some closing thoughts regarding my tenure\nat OSU in a forthcoming update.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Looking to the 2020 legislative session Universities will be focused on two major priorities as they approach the 2020 legislative session. First, because the legislature postponed decisions about capital facilities on individual campuses during the 2019 session, the universities seeking commitments of state-financed bonds for capital renewal and\/or new buildings on their campuses. During the… Continue reading ![\"\"](\"https:\/\/osu-wams-blogs-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/blogs.dir\/2517\/files\/2019\/12\/HECC-2019-ranking.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nThe Challenge of a Short Session<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The Schedule<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Transitions<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n