Now interested more in the content rather than the delivery systems, this group has changed its name to the Oregon Community College Distance Education Consortium. It appears to be poised to tackle the management issues of distance education rather than just the technology to deliver programs. Central Oregon Community College is the site of the University Center, which now coordinates bachelor's and master's degrees delivered from seven Oregon colleges and universities. New degree options are being developed in several fields. The University Center, originally created by the Oregon Legislature in its 1993 session, is an agency of the Oregon State System of Higher Education and is jointly funded and sponsored by Oregon State System of Higher Education, Central Oregon Community College, and the Office of Community College Services.
Programs are dependent upon initiatives of the individual institutions.
But this can cause overlap and duplication. There is a level of institutional autonomy that can lead to encouraging local creativity and entrepreneurial activity. The Higher Education 2010 Advisory Panel that wrote the report recommends a system that encourages the entrepreneurial approach, but also gives more authority to the Board of Higher Education to delegate resources to meet the expectations of the State. The Office of Academic Affairs has a 26-page document in progress that suggests a statewide approach to course planning, student services, faculty issues, tuition and fees, student enrollment, and technical standards. It attempts to create guidelines to foster cooperation in distance education programming and support and reduce duplication.