Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek signed a measure requiring the Higher Education Coordinating Commission to review the state’s public colleges and recommend steps to improve financial footing. The review will evaluate institutions’ academic programming, research, student body and educational models against mission-based criteria, with potential recommendations for collaboration, restructuring, or integration. A preliminary report is due Oct. 1 and a final report is scheduled for April 1, 2027. Lawmakers said the push responds to concerns about competition from out-of-state and online providers and reduced in-state collaboration. The review framework matters because it adds a state-level governance lever over program duplication and workforce-alignment decisions—at a time when some Oregon colleges are already warning about liquidity risks and considering program or job cuts.