Can a Private Business Model Work for Public Universities?
In 2004, Governor Kulongoski wanted to create an innovative and entrepreneurial system of administration that would stabilize income and costs for Oregon’s public universities. To accomplish this, he appointed a number of prominent businesspeople to the Oregon State Board of Higher Education. In 2008, three of these appointees completed their terms and have since claimed that outdated organizational structures prevented their ability to make the fundamental changes necessary to achieve the Governor’s higher education goals.
On October 23, City Club welcomes these three former Board of Higher Education members – Kirby Dyess, Donald Blair and John von Schlegell – who will discuss their experiences on the Board. They will share their perspectives on the strengths of the Oregon University System, while also identifying the challenges posed by limited funding and the requirements of operating as a state agency. They will also propose changes that could make the Oregon University System more efficient, effective and financially viable so that it can best deliver higher education excellence to the citizens of Oregon.
Read an article about the panelists and their thoughts on their Board experience here.
