By Stephanie Bulger
For more than 50 years, Lane Community College has been a trusted path to opportunity for Lane County residents. Through degrees and certificates that open doors, transfer pathways to universities and short-term programs that help people upskill, Lane’s promise has endured, even as we’ve weathered recessions and shifts in public funding.
Today, LCC stands at an inflection point.
Since my arrival as president in 2022, enrollment has begun to recover after a decade-long decline of roughly 40 percent. We have launched two bachelor’s degrees and opened a 54,000-square-foot Industry and Trades Education Center dedicated to apprenticeship and the skilled trades.
These are major milestones in Lane’s history. This summer, Moody’s Rating Service removed the negative outlook it applied in 2023, acknowledging modest enrollment growth and strengthened leadership. That change reflects Lane’s resilience and community trust. We must sustain this critical momentum.
Facing Financial Challenges with Purpose
Lane begins the fall term in a period of significant change that demands careful stewardship. The Board of Education has approved a Fiscal Year 2026 budget with reductions. As president, I am accountable for implementing them in ways that sustain our mission while positioning Lane for a vital future.
Like community colleges nationwide, LCC’s expenses have risen faster than revenue, driven by unavoidable costs such as health care, retirement, salaries and insurance. Without structural change, deficits deepen and force crisis-driven decisions. To avoid that outcome, we’re planning reductions of about $3 million annually through 2029. Acting now lets us shape our future deliberately rather than react later.
Doing More of What Matters
Leadership in this moment means sharpening our focus — doing more of what matters and less of what does not. We will strengthen student success by removing barriers and modernizing systems so the student experience sits at the center of every decision. Students should encounter clear academic pathways, timely feedback, accessible services, proactive advising and tools that help them stay on track.
We will also support the people who make learning possible.
Student learning conditions are faculty and staff working conditions. Competitive compensation over time, professional growth and modern tools that reduce administrative burden are essential to LCC’s success.
And we will enhance the student experience beyond the classroom — through clubs, activities and real-world, work-based learning that connects education to opportunity.
Aligning with Community Needs
LCC’s future also depends on aligning what we offer with the region’s highest needs. That means expanding experiential learning opportunities, updating schedules to match when students can attend and strengthening pathways that prepare graduates for both university transfer and family-wage careers.
Compromise will be essential. We cannot be everything to everyone and remain solvent. Because Lane is the workforce and talent development hub of Lane County and beyond, academic programs central to our mission must continue to thrive.
Labor negotiations with our two unions are part of this broader stewardship. We are bargaining respectfully and in good faith — with the discipline to say “yes” when possible, “not yet” when resources are insufficient, and “no” when a proposal would compromise long-term stability. Our students cannot afford stalemate.
Progress will require give-and-take so LCC remains strong for generations to come.
Promise to the Community
As Lane’s president, here is what you can expect from me:
• Fiscal stewardship with a student-first focus. We will balance the budget thoughtfully, protect core learning experiences and avoid emergency cuts.
• Data-informed decisions and clear communication. We will measure what matters — student progress, completion and employment — and be transparent about what we start, stop and scale.
• Continued advocacy. We will press for state investment that reflects the true cost of open-access higher education while modernizing operations and managing costs responsibly.
• Community engagement. This fall, I’m seeking invitations with civic groups to gather feedback and hear directly how LCC can best serve Lane County.
Stewardship and Shared Responsibility
LCC’s story has always been one of resilience and service. I see it every day — in our classrooms and labs, in the small businesses we help launch, in transfer students succeeding at universities and in graduates fueling the local economy. We honor that legacy by stewarding resources wisely and holding ourselves accountable for the success of our students and the communities we serve.
Strong learning and shared responsibility are not competing goals; they are the way forward. I invite our community to join us so Lane Community College remains what it has always been: the place where potential becomes progress, where individuals transform, where communities are uplifted, and where together we help shape the future of a thriving Lane County.