FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

9/25/23

LCC FACULTY AND CLASSIFIED RESPOND TO PROPOSED SUDDEN BUDGET CUTS

LCC Administration is pushing for a Board of Education vote on $3.8 Million in budget cuts at a Special Meeting on September 27, 2023 at 6:00 p.m. Proposed cuts have not been announced publicly, but administrators provided faculty and classified union officers with lists of planned reductions to take effect in January.

Proposed cuts include: elimination of the French program, elimination of three faculty counselor positions, elimination of the majority of Health classes, four full-time classified positions as well as many part-time classified positions across campus, part-time librarian budget reductions, and reduction of faculty staffing in skills development courses for students. 

Cuts would impact three BIPOC faculty members, the only bilingual/bicultural counselor, and three faculty union officers. Half of the full-time classified positions being cut are filled by workers who were deemed “essential front line” during COVID-19 shutdowns, and worked on campus at Lane throughout the pandemic.

“The cuts strike at the very heart of our institution and our instructional and student services mission. We need more support for our students and more faculty from historically oppressed groups, not fewer.” LCCEA Faculty Union President Adrienne Mitchell stated. “We are also deeply concerned about faculty who filed complaints about racial discrimination or retaliation who are now on “the list” for layoffs.”

“Is this union-busting?” asked Physical Therapy Program Coordinator and LCCEA Vice President for Career Technical Faculty, Christina Howard, in response to news that cuts would impact three faculty union officers. 

To classified professionals, who are currently in contract negotiations with the college, it certainly feels so. “The administration gave themselves a raise this year, and now they’re looking to lay us off, cut our benefits, and give us raises that in many cases won’t even cover the loss in benefits they’re proposing,” says LCCEF President Frankie Cocanour, “it feels like a scare tactic.”

Budget cuts may be unnecessary. Enrollment is up more than 10% for Fall according to LCC’s Institutional Research department, and state funding for community colleges increased 12.3% this biennium. Details about tuition revenue will be available October 3, and updated state funding allocations will be available in early October. 

The LCC Board and Budget Committee approved a $3.8M “reserve for revenue shortfall” in this year’s budget, but revenue information is not finalized, so it is unclear what the amount of a revenue shortfall will be, if any. 

Cutting programs and services LCC students and the community rely on is premature.

LCC Faculty, Classified Professionals, and concerned community members plan a rally at 5:00 p.m. at the LCC Cafeteria on Main Campus before the 6:00 Board meeting this Wednesday, September 27.