LCC Faculty Colleagues,

I hope this email finds you well as we begin week 4 of the term.

I’m writing with updates regarding the ongoing dilemma of democracy on the LCC Board of Education.

Based upon new information in emails provided in response to a Freedom of Information Act request, it is clear that the dilemma has risen to the level of a real crisis of democracy where the publicly-elected Board of Education members who represent the people of Lane County and the public at-large have been sidelined.

This summer, LCC President Bulger called two meetings of the Board of Education at the end of August without notice to the public. Oregon open meetings law requires public notice among numerous requirements that local governing bodies like our Board of Education must follow in order to ensure transparency and public oversight – critical for our democracy.

Several Board members, including Chair Folnagy and Vice Chair Rust expressed their concerns that the meetings would violate open meetings law, yet the LCC President chose to hold the meetings anyway. President Bulger later referred to Chair Folnagy’s messages encouraging her to follow the law as an “unnecessary distraction.”

According to the emails provided, the meetings pertained to budget cuts and did lead to changes in what Administration members took action on, further underscoring the open meeting law violation – all when there was a public meeting scheduled just a few days later on September 3.

These emails lay bare the underlying crisis of democracy at the level of our Board of Education. 

As faculty we absolutely love the work that we do with students at LCC — LCC is a most precious gem in our community. While we are deeply concerned about the crisis of democracy in our Board room and look forward to a future where decisions again are made in public in accordance with Oregon’s sunshine law, and importantly, with opportunities for students and community members to be informed and to have a chance to share their views through public comment at open meetings, it is more critical than ever for faculty to remain engaged in our faculty communications and participation in organizing activities, including attending Board meetings in support of democracy on our campus for the common good.

The future of our beloved LCC is at stake. Together, we can help preserve it.

In solidarity and with appreciation,

Adrienne