The Higher Education Coordinating Commission (HECC): An Overview

The Higher Education Coordinating Commission (HECC) is the State of Oregon's public commission working to improve equitable access to and success in higher education and workforce training for Oregonians. The HECC coordinates funding and policy across public and private postsecondary education and training. The Commission convenes partners across the higher education and workforce landscape, and works to improve affordability, equity, student success, and economic and community impact.

Mission and Responsibilities

The HECC is dedicated to fostering and sustaining the best, most rewarding pathways to opportunity and success for all Oregonians through an accessible, affordable, and coordinated network for educational achievement beyond a high school diploma. By promoting collaboration and coordination between Oregon’s education and workforce partners, as well as through HECC's own programs and policy leadership, HECC staff ensure that Oregonians experience increased access, equity, and success in completing their higher education, training, and career goals.

Oregon’s higher education and workforce system serves hundreds of thousands of learners through seven public universities, 17 public community colleges, private and independent colleges and universities, workforce programs, and private career and trade schools. As the State of Oregon’s single, comprehensive portal to all sectors of higher education, HECC is uniquely positioned to provide strategic focus in areas such as:

Investing resources to maximize student success.
Increasing postsecondary affordability.
Improving pathways to and within postsecondary institutions.
Connecting job-seekers with employment.

The Commission conducts its work at public meetings and welcomes engagement.

History and Structure

Established in 2011, the HECC resulted from an extensive overhaul and reconfiguration of educational committees, commissions, boards, and agencies in Oregon, primarily through two pieces of legislation in 2013, SB 270 and HB 3120.

Read also: Oregon's HECC

The HECC is a 15-member volunteer commission responsible for advising the Oregon Legislature and the Governor on higher education policy. A member serves at the pleasure of the Governor. Before the expiration of the term of a member, the Governor shall appoint a successor whose term begins on July 1 next following. A member is eligible for reappointment. A member of the commission is entitled to compensation and expenses as provided in ORS 292.495 (Compensation and expenses of members of state boards and commissions).

The term of office of each member appointed under subsection (2)(g) and (h) of this section is four years and the term of office for each member appointed under subsection (2)(a) to (f) of this section is two years.

The Commission is supported by an executive director, who oversees the work of the HECC agency. The HECC agency is comprised of eight distinct offices of approximately 185 employees, led by Executive Director Ben Cannon.

The commission currently has one active subcommittee: the Funding and Achievement Subcommittee. Membership is noted on the Commission roster. Subcommittee meetings are public meetings.

Key Functions and Authorities

HECC's statutory authorities include:

The development of biennial budget recommendations for public postsecondary education in Oregon.
Making funding allocations to Oregon’s public community colleges and public universities.
Approving new academic programs for the public institutions.
Allocating Oregon Opportunity Grants (state need-based student aid).
Authorizing degrees that are proposed by private and out-of-state (distance) providers.
Licensing private career and trade schools.
Overseeing programs for veterans.
Implementing other legislative directives.

HECC Offices

The HECC agency is comprised of eight distinct offices, each with specific responsibilities:

Office of the Executive Director, Policy, and Communications: This office is in charge of "the central executive role of the agency, as well as communications, legislative affairs, human resources, policy initiatives, and other roles for the integrated agency".
Office of Student Access and Completion (OSAC): Formerly the Oregon Student Access Commission, OSAC administers a variety of state, federal, and privately funded student financial aid programs for the benefit of Oregonians attending institutions of postsecondary education, including the Oregon Opportunity Grant and the Oregon Promise.
Office of Community Colleges and Workforce Development (CCWD): Formerly the Department of Community Colleges and Workforce Development, CCWD provides coordination and resources related to Oregon’s 17 community colleges, 18 adult basic skills providers, and nine local workforce areas. CCWD also provides statewide administration of workforce and education programs under the Workforce Investment Act (WIA), the General Educational Development (GED), and other workforce and education programs for the benefit of Oregonians.
Office of University Coordination: This office provides academic and fiscal coordination related to Oregon’s seven public universities, including coordination of the academic program approval process, statewide initiatives and legislative directives to enhance postsecondary pathways and student success, biennial budget recommendations for the Public University Support Fund, Public University State Programs, and capital investments, fiscal reporting and analysis, and the allocation of state funding.
Office of Private Postsecondary Education: This office oversees the quality, integrity, and diversity of private postsecondary programs in Oregon for the benefit of students and consumers.

Regulation of Postsecondary Institutions

The HECC plays a crucial role in regulating postsecondary institutions operating in Oregon.

Types of Institutions Under HECC Authority

All degree-granting private post-secondary institutions offering academic programs in Oregon, or to Oregon students from outside the state, must be approved by the HECC Office of Degree Authorization.
Any business that offers a non-degree training program, including online education, that prepares an individual to enter a licensed occupation in the State of Oregon must first apply for a private career school license with the Higher Education Coordinating Commission (HECC).

The Office of Degree Authorization approves academic programs offered by the institutions and their corresponding placement programs in the state. The approval is for the degree program with or without placement, or with placement alone, not the institution as a whole. Accreditation or documentation of pre-accreditation candidacy is a requirement for authorization of degree-granting institutions but not for licensure of non-degree granting institutions.

Physical Presence Policy

For degree-granting institutions, located outside of Oregon, the HECC expects all schools to seek ODA approval and to do so BEFORE sending students to a placement site or offering degree programs or academic credit to Oregon students. Any online program with or without a placement must be approved.

Institutional Requirements

Degree-granting institutions must modify their tuition refund policy to comply with OAR 583-030-0035 (18) (c) for all Oregon residents enrolled in degree/certificate programs.
Degree-granting institutions must report changes in key administrative staff, new faculty hires, program changes, and ownership changes; all must be submitted for approval and/or reported as they occur during an authorization period.
For non-degree granting institutions, any changes in ownership, instructional staff, legal documents, school catalog, or curriculum must be reported. Completions, withdrawals, and placement statistics for each program must be reported and meet a minimum guideline. Financial statements must also be sent, and assurances that certain specific statutes are being followed. Any changes in ownership, the enrollment agreement, student catalog, or curriculum should be reported and approved before implementation.

Oregon has a tuition protection fund for private career schools. It is funded by fees from schools.

Read also: Key Trends in Education

Enforcement

For degree-granting institutions, if the school is known to have the legal authority to grant degrees elsewhere but has not obtained ODA approval to offer academic programs to Oregon students, then the ODA administrator would send a warning letter stating that we have received information that the school is offering courses, field experiences, or degree programs without approval. The letter would include the relevant citations and information about obtaining approval. In cases where there is no evidence of the school’s legal authority to grant degrees, the ODA would investigate further and follow up with enforcement action if necessary.

For non-degree granting institutions, a “cease and desist” letter is sent that requires the institution to immediately cease operation and contact our office for licensing. Failure to do so may result in civil and criminal penalties. An institution is entitled to a hearing of the matter before an administrative hearings officer. The determination of the hearings officer is final, but may be appealed to circuit court.

Student Complaints

Key contacts for types of institutions encourage the student to exhaust all institutional resources before filing a complaint. Upon submission, a written complaint is distributed to the key staff person for investigation. The process for handling complaints is has been refined towards a centralized process.

Additional Information for Potential Operators

Potential operators of non-degree granting institutions seeking licensure are requested to read our rules and statutes, review the application, and come prepared with their questions in order to make the best use of time spent in a preliminary screening interview.

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