In 1995, Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) became a public corporation and separated from the Oregon State System of Higher Education. Governance of OHSU changed from the Board of Higher Education to the OHSU Board of Directors, whose members are nominated by the governor and approved by the Oregon Senate.

In addition, that portion of the OHSU budget that comes from the state general fund ($43 million in 2007) appropriation must be submitted to the Legislature through a budget request to the State Department of Administrative Services, which is the same process as with public agency requests.