Monthly Highlights
June 2004 Highlights
THE 2004/05 COLLEGE BUDGET was adopted by the Lane Community College Board of Education at its June 9 meeting. The budget is basically a roll-over from the current year and has no program or service reductions. There is an inflationary tuition adjustment of $1.50 per credit hour and some investments to help reduce future shortfalls. Chief among these are a $500,000 stabilization reserve fund, and $810,000 for deferred maintenance. The general fund total is $79,232,500. Deficits are projected for 2006 of about $1 million, and for 2006/07 of about $2 million.
STANDARD & POORS reaffirmed the college's A+ rating, a notable achievement at a time when many Oregon colleges and agencies are being downgraded. Lane's fiscally conservative financial policies, cost containment measures and tuition policy were cited as key reasons for the top rating.
THE SECOND DRAFT OF THE ACCREDITATION SELF STUDY DOCUMENT was posted to the web at http://www.lanecc.edu/selfstudy/index.htm . The final document is scheduled to be mailed to the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities July 27.
GRADUATION was held June 12 for college degree and certificate students, Adults With Special Needs students, and GED students. More than 900 individuals earned degrees and certificates from Lane this spring.
A WOODCARVING SCULPTURE created by visiting master woodcarvers from Japan and students in instructor Lee Imonen's site-specific sculpture class was dedicated June 10. The sculpture is installed between the administration and center buildings on main campus.
THREE LANE STUDENTS won honors in the annual League for Innovation student literary competition. First place for personal essay, with a cash prize of $500, was awarded to Debra Schneider (sponsored by instructor Merry Caston) for "A Misunderstood Angel Wakes Up." Kyla Wetherell (sponsored by instructor Drew Viles) received third place for her short story, "The Organ," as well as a $100 cash prize. Honorable mention for poetry was given to Lara Coley (sponsored by instructor Lance Sparks) for "To Begin With."
THE LANE MEN'S BASEBALL TEAM finished first at the NWAACC Championships at Lower Columbia Community College on May 31. The women's track and field team placed second, and the men's track and field team placed fifth, at the NWAACC Championships in Spokane from May 27-28.
SMALL BUSINESSES ASSISTED by Business Development Centers around the state created 3,300 new jobs in 2003 and paid more than $53,000,000 in new wages, according to an independent study conducted for the Oregon Small Business Development Center Network. The network is headquartered at Lane.
ERIC ANDERSEN was named Outstanding Classified Employee of the Month for June. Eric is a network administrator in Instructional Computing and has been with Lane since 1993.
JIM GARCIA, Lane's diversity coordinator, was awarded an Equity Committee Award in recognition of extensive contributions to furthering human rights, equity and diversity. Garcia founded the Eugene School District's GANAS program. The program provides tutoring and after-school activities to Chicano/Latino youth.
ANNE MCGRAIL was named Learning Communities Coordinator effective fall 2004. Anne brings the experience of numerous on-campus leadership positions and learning community experience as well as knowledge gained in working on Lane's accreditation self study.
KATHY THOMAS joined the Foundation as the new annual fund director. She will coordinate the Harvest Dinner and Golf Scramble, work to fund the Native American long house, and other Foundation projects.
HEALTH SERVICES from the campus health clinic became available to college employees under a pilot program to improve employee health and reduce insurance costs.
Excerpted from Lane Weekly and news sources by Joan Aschim, public information officer, Marketing and Public Relations, (541) 463-5591, June 2004.