Relating to higher education; and declaring an emergency.

Permits Higher Education Coordinating Commission to establish by rule minimum hourly training requirement or student proficiency-based training requirement standards required for graduating from hair design, barbering, esthetics or nail technology schools. Requires commission to approve, rather than review, mission statements of public universities. Requires State Apprenticeship and Training Council to work with commission, rather than State Board of Education, to adopt policies regarding apprenticeship and training. Requires ASPIRE programs to provide financial aid instruction to middle school, high school and college students. Permits commission to enter into contracts and agreements for certain higher education and workforce development activities. Amends how federal government share is calculated for purposes of Oregon Opportunity Grant. Changes name of Executive Director of the Office of Student Access and Completion to Director of the Office of Student Access and Completion. Updates statutory references to General Educational Development (GED) test to clarify that test is example, and not only possibility, of approved high school equivalency test. Declares emergency, effective on passage.