Clatsop Community College
1653 Jerome, Astoria OR 97103
For immediate release
Contact: Nadine Faith (503) 338-2306

Community Colleges Statewide Receive Funding Blow

Oregon’s community colleges took a genuine blow on Thursday when co-chairs of the Joint Ways and Means Committee released their version of a budget for the 2008-2009 biennium. The co-chairs recommended that the community college support fund be allocated only $458 Million, over $70 Million less than the community colleges statewide have identified as critical to continuing and improving their educational operations.

Oregon’s 17 community colleges have been very clear that what they collectively need this session is $529 Million if they are going to meet the growing demand for workforce training and post-secondary education.

The state anticipates that by 2014, Oregon will see at least 250,000 new jobs created and much of the education and training to prepare workers for those jobs will happen in community colleges.

The Governor’s proposed budget recommended $483 Million for the community college support fund, which is a definite move toward the goal of $529 Million, but still means that some community colleges will cut budgets and raise tuition.

Lindi Overton, Clatsop Community College’s VP of College Services, responded to the news with disappointment.

“We have been working for several months on our budget for FY08. Acting conservatively, we based our estimates on the Governor’s recommended funding of $483 million,” says Overton. “Like other community colleges we were struggling with the effort to balance a budget while keeping tuition increases to a minimum. This recommended decrease by the co-chairs is very disappointing, and we’ll be back at the table discussing how to manage these further constraints on our already conservative budget.”

Andrea Henderson, who is the executive director of the Oregon Community College Association, likewise said she is deeply disappointed on behalf of community colleges but “truly worried that a budget this meager undercuts the ability of the colleges’ business partners and communities to become prosperous. Disinvesting in community colleges at this point in time makes about as much sense as ignoring the check engine light flashing on your dashboard,” said Henderson.