Dear Gov. Kulongoski:
This last month has been heart-breaking for Linn-Benton Community College.
As you are well aware, Oregon community colleges did not receive an adequate state appropriation this biennium and we are now facing the consequences.
Even though we have the strongest partnership with OSU of any community college (over 5,000 students have been admitted), even though we aggressively promote College Now opportunities for over 1,300 high school students (11,500 college credits, saving families $650,496 in 04-05), and even though we are respected for our workforce development for local businesses, this spring we have to reduce our expenditures by $1.5 million (5 percent).
This might seem small to you — you are responsible for billions of dollars — but for an institution the size of Linn-Benton Community College, the reduction significantly impacts our students, programs, services and partnerships.
It is a very big deal to us and to the community we serve.
We have had to eliminate 4 percent of our personnel budget — positions filled by 19 dedicated citizens of our community who have provided excellent service to students.
We tried to balance our budget with minimum harm to students, so we held our tuition increase to $3 per credit, didn’t reduce class sections, and didn’t reduce academic support services.
However, we have reduced positions that connect Linn-Benton Community College to local businesses, high schools, community education, and senior citizens. We have also significantly reduced student services. All of these services are central to our mission, but we had no choice.
Now we hear good news on the horizon about Oregon’s economic recovery, the same week we are reducing staff. We also hear about essential resources flowing out of the state of Oregon due to the corporate kicker, the same week we are reducing staff. The ironies are beyond our understanding.
We are well aware of the demand for financial support in Oregon for corrections, health services and K-12. We also know that the institutional scarring caused by our staff reductions will last for years, that staff and student morale is fragile and falling, and that our ability to plan wisely is compromised by the lack of adequate and stable funding.
LBCC changes lives. We fill our community demand for nurses, welders, teachers, technicians and engineers. We take families off welfare and prepare them for work. We serve over 200 veterans who are putting their lives back together.
This letter is a reality check and a plea.
The reality check is to gently remind you that being inadequately funded for several biennia has already had a long-term effect on the quality of our institution and on student access; that reduction in force is a nasty, heart-wrenching exercise that undermines the relationship of a college and its students.
It is a plea that community colleges not be relegated to the margins of the next budget, but that you, as governor, shine a strong light on our need and our value to the vitality of the state of Oregon; that you, as governor, remember that community colleges put Oregonians to work.
Your budget starts the fiscal conversation in the Legislature. This time, start the community college appropriation with your strongest level of support.
Rita Cavin
President, LBCC