LCC president explains approach to FY26 reductions

Presenter: A report from the president of Lane Community College.   At the Sept. 3 board meeting, Dr. Stephanie Bulger:

Stephanie Bulger (Lane Community College, president): For more than half a century, Lane Community College has stood as a cornerstone of opportunity, innovation, and service in Lane County. Generations of students have come here to gain skills for the universities and prepare for meaningful work.

We have weathered shifts in the economy, changes in state funding formulas, and the evolving needs of our community. Through it all, our mission has remained constant: to provide excellent, accessible education that changes lives and lifts communities.

[00:00:39] In just a few weeks, Lane will begin its fall term during a period of significant change that will require careful stewardship of our resources. The Board of Education has approved a FY 2026 budget plan that includes reductions. And as president, I have been entrusted to implement those reductions in a way that sustains our mission while positioning Lane for a vital future.

[00:01:05] I understand that this moment brings uncertainty. I want to share the reasons behind these decisions, the principles guiding us, the role the community college has played, the guidance provided by the board, and the future we are building together.

Tonight’s FY2026 budget update presents a path that is principled, transparent, and anchored in student impact, and the talented people who make that happen. We are protecting student success, aligning decisions with strategic priorities, using data and evidence, and applying an equity lens to anticipate disproportionate impacts.

[00:01:45] Today, we launched a website to keep our community informed, and I encourage both the college and the broader community to refer to it often, as information will regularly be updated.

[00:01:58] I also want to thank our campus and community for influencing immediate administrative decisions through the input received over the past year in the ‘Grow, Save, Partner’ work groups, our virtual suggestion box, which is always open, and ongoing consultation. The college community continues to shape ideas to enhance revenue, improve systems and processes, and build partnerships. Your insight matters and it is being used.

[00:02:27] Building on our Board of Education conversations this summer, I am working to schedule a series of community presentations this fall to gather focused feedback that will inform future budget discussions. Trustees will receive the dates so you may join and hear directly from our community about how Lane can best respond to community needs. These sessions will also spotlight financial realities, achievements, and student support innovations, even as we address a projected multimillion-dollar structural deficit over the next few years.

[00:03:02] As we move into the fall term, our focus will remain on three priorities.

[00:03:06] Fiscal condition: Stewarding resources with transparency, aligning budgeting to student centered domains, growing non-tuition revenues where possible, and tracking progress toward restoring our ending fund balance.

[00:03:21] Managed enrollment growth: Positioning Lane as the college of choice for experiential learning, strengthening K-12 pathways, clarifying academic pathways, and integrating work-based learning across programs.

[00:03:36] Institutional climate: Cultivating a respectful, empowering workplace because a healthy climate is foundational to student success and operational excellence.

[00:03:48] The Great Recession of 2008 brought forth a surge in enrollment to this college and deep cuts to state funding. The institution adapted by leaning on reserves and making targeted reductions as well as expansion in areas such as health professions to meet workforce needs.

[00:04:08] Here is the reality. We cannot keep doing everything the way we always have and expect to sustain the college in the long run. College expenses, including costs tied to health care, retirement and contracts, predictably outpace revenue on an average of 2% each year. Here, even with encouraging gains, community colleges statewide are still recovering from a decade of enrollment decline, complicated by pandemic disruption.

[00:04:38] Absent thoughtful structural changes, deficits will deepen, and choices will be made in crisis rather than by design. Historically, Lane has managed through prudent use of reserves, temporary program pauses, and incremental adjustments, but the financial reality today is different. Absent structural changes, we will face persistent deficits that erode our ability to serve students effectively.

[00:05:05] I know these times are difficult. Change cannot be made lightly. I approach every decision with the knowledge that behind every number is a person, a program, or a possibility. I also know that our collective strength has always been Lane’s greatest resource. We are at our best when we face challenges directly, draw on our shared commitment to students, and trust in our ability to adapt.

[00:05:35] My promise is to continue leading with transparency, care, and strategic focus. Together we will ensure that Lane Community College not only weathers this period but also emerges stronger, more focused and ready to serve our community for the next 60 years and beyond.

[00:05:54] And to the College: I want to add that now is the time for resilience, the same skill we inculcate in students each year. We can set the standards to which we aspire. We can be constructive even when it would be easier to be critical of ourselves and others. We can face tough decisions, meet the moment, and model the values and behaviors we wish to see to foster psychological safety, attract more students, and serve this community’s needs for future employees, leaders, and citizens.

[00:06:29] I want to thank the Board of Education for the values that you set forth in July at a special work session. With clear roles, shared purpose, strong union and governance partnerships, and broad community engagement, we will protect what matters most for students and for the region we serve and ensure that Lane remains the college our community deserves. Thank you so much for coming.

[00:06:55] Presenter: That’s Dr. Stephanie Bulger, president of Lane Community College, with the president’s report at the Sept. 3 meeting of the LCC Board of Education.