Photo Provided By Austin Fölnagy
Austin Fölnagy Running for Re-election in District 4 on LCC board of education
By Kat Tabor
Austin Fölnagy has announced his candidacy for re-election to the Lane Community College Board of Education in seat 4. Fölnagy represents East Lane County. Before his tenure at LCC, he was vice chair of the Klamath Community College Board. He is currently president of the Oregon Community College Association, where he works with higher education partners to advocate for all 17 community colleges in Oregon.
Since taking office during the pandemic, Fölnagy has been involved in passing budgets and policies that support student success and institutional operations. During his time on the board, LCC has implemented programs and budgets aimed at increasing enrollment and maintaining financial stability. His work has also focused on ensuring the availability of student services and resources.
Fölnagy has supported student representation in governance and was involved in LCC becoming one of three community colleges in Oregon to establish a non-voting student representative on the board. He says he has worked to maintain funding for the LCC Student Health Clinic and advocated for policies that prioritize student input during public comment sessions at board meetings. The board also adopted a strategic plan to pursue designation as a Hispanic-Serving Institution.
In an interview with The Torch, Fölnagy discussed broader challenges facing community colleges and the need to protect students from external political pressures. “Education is literally the front lines of the attacks that we’ve been seeing from this administration,” he says. “I’m protecting our students and making sure we’re passing policies that protect our students, both our migrant and mixed-status families that come to our community college and our international students.”
Regarding concerns about policy adherence and governance at LCC, Fölnagy says, “I think that there are opportunities for us to still pass things that will protect students. The reason I say that is because of my access to a statewide level understanding of all 17 community colleges. I’ve been up in Salem lobbying for laws, rules, and policies that will help protect our students.” He emphasized the need for both reactive and proactive measures in response to state and national policies affecting community colleges.
Fölnagy says he has worked on issues related to diversity, equity and inclusion, as well as policies aimed at supporting migrant students, mixed-status families, and international students. “DEI is critical. It’s not only about safety and being an inclusive environment, but also about supportive services,” he says.
Fölnagy has expressed an interest in expanding transfer and career technical education opportunities while maintaining support services for students. He has also emphasized the role of LCC as a continuing education institution that serves individuals throughout their careers by providing training and skill development. “I want LCC to be a touchpoint education institution, where individuals can return at different points in their careers to upgrade their skills and access new opportunities,” he says.
“I am running for re-election because I believe in the promise of Lane Community College, that individuals can make courageous changes to their lives through education. That as an institution we can create a more just and equitable community, and that you belong here at our community’s college,” Fölnagy says.
According to his candidate filing form, Fölnagy holds a Certificate in Organizational Dynamics and a Bachelor of Science in Political Science, both from the University of Idaho.
The deadline for new voter registration is April 29. For more information on Lane County’s special elections, visit LaneCounty.org. Voters can check their registration status at SOS.oregon.gov.The Torch will be covering the candidates throughout the election process. If you would like to share information or be featured, please reach out via email at kattabor.journalism@gmail.com.
