Plan approved on March 4 includes potential reduction of 22.5 jobs as negotiations with faculty continue
By Sequoia Nix
The Lane Community College Board of Education approved a mitigation plan during its March 4 meeting outlining approximately $4.4 million in budget reductions, a move that comes as contract negotiations with faculty continue and the possibility of a strike remains on the table.
According to documents presented during the meeting the proposal includes a reduction of 22.5 full time equivalent positions, a measure representing the workload of full time jobs and including part time roles.
The board voted to approve the FY2027 Mitigation Plan Summary, allowing LCC President Stephanie Bulger to begin implementing the plan and return to the board in April with further details.
However, the proposal does not specify which programs, services or operational areas may ultimately be reduced or eliminated.
Three board members — Chair Austin Fölnagy, Vice Chair Rust and former board chair Zach Mulholland — voted against the plan, raising concerns about approving cuts without clearer information about their potential impacts.
The remaining four board members voted in favor of the measure.
In an email to faculty following the meeting, Lane Community College Education Association (LCCEA) President Adrienne Mitchell criticized the proposal, saying it lacked transparency.
“No other details are available beyond the publicly posted documents about what the Administration plans to reduce or eliminate,” Mitchell wrote.
At the time of the board vote, the union and administration were negotiating to avoid a strike by LCC faculty.
On March 10, the LCCEA announced that faculty had ratified the tentative agreement, with 97.5% of members voting in favor. The college’s board of education is expected to vote on the agreement March 18.
