Good morning LCC Colleagues,
As shared previously, we have been engaged in a deliberate, multi-year mitigation effort that is already delivering results. Lane is making real progress, and this update shares what that progress looks like, what comes next, and why we're confident in where we're headed. On Wednesday, March 4, the College will present a progress update to the Board of Education outlining the strategies proposed for FY2027 and beyond.
FY27 Budget Development Progress
The depth of development behind this budget reflects the hard work already underway across the college: we have a real plan, not a reactive one. The development of the FY27 budget is grounded in the direction provided by the Budget Committee in 2025 (which includes the Board of Education), the Board’s priorities established in July 2025, the Board’s approval of a three-year mitigation plan in January 2026, and the broad input gathered through our fall and early winter Thought Exchange activities. It has also been shaped through engagement with department-level conversations across the college and evaluation of the Budget Development Subcommittee recommendations from current and previous years.
Every decision in this budget was tested against five commitments we have been discussing together:
- Student success impact
- Equity and access implications
- Workforce and transfer alignment
- Fiscal sustainability
- Community responsiveness
As reflected in our broader budget vision over the next three years, this budget development is part of a longer transformation to ensure Lane remains financially stable, strategically aligned, and resilient in a volatile funding environment.
The current phase of the budget development for FY27 focuses on structural adjustments, rather than one-time savings, to reduce recurring deficits and build a stronger foundation.
These adjustments are designed to make Lane sharper, more focused, and better positioned to serve students – specifically by:
- Addressing persistent structural deficits
- Reducing organizational duplication
- Aligning instructional offerings with workforce demand
- Shifting deficit-funded programs toward sustainability
- Reducing non-student-facing administrative overhead where possible
- Protecting high-demand, high-impact student-centered instruction
The budget development for FY27 reflects a careful balancing of fiscal responsibility and mission protection, and is categorized in operations, support services, and academic programs.
Operations
Operational mitigation represents the largest portion of ongoing savings. Strategies include:
- Consolidation of management structures
- Elimination of vacant classified positions
- Centralization and restructuring of select services
- Streamlining internal processes
- Reducing mission-adjacent administrative overhead
- Remodeling services to increase cost efficiency
Where possible, student-facing instructional capacity is being protected. Operational realignment is intended to reduce duplication, improve clarity in reporting lines, and align services with the student-centered domains identified in our Board-approved 2026 President’s goals.
Support Services
In Support Services, mitigation strategies emphasize long-term sustainability and alignment with usage patterns. These include:
- Requiring certain services to move toward self-sustaining models
- Reducing ongoing General Fund exposure to deficit programs
- Consolidating service functions
- Adjusting staffing models or service hours where utilization data supports change
- Transitioning certain services to alternative providers when feasible and low-impact to students
Throughout this work, we are prioritizing mission-critical services that directly enable students to access, persist, complete, and transfer, thereby realizing their educational pursuits.
Academic Programs
Within Academic Programs, mitigation strategies focus on alignment and sustainability. These include:
- Aligning course offerings more tightly to transfer pathways and workforce demand
- Reducing vacant positions and evaluating opportunities for repurposing FTE
- Redesigning certain programs for more cost-effective delivery models
- Reassigning expert faculty members from non-instruction roles to the classroom and student contact positions.
These decisions are guided by data-informed decision making criteria, which prioritizes:
- Generation of student FTE or tuition
- Achievement of degrees, certificates, and direct transfer credits
- Alignment with labor market demand
- Offerings that break even or are self-supporting
- Equity and student access considerations
The goal is not contraction for its own sake; it’s focus, clarity, and long-term sustainability so Lane can keep delivering strong outcomes.
Acknowledging the Human Impact
Budget adjustments are challenging for us all. They affect individuals, teams, and programs we care deeply about. Behind every FTE and every dollar figure is a colleague and a contribution.
At the same time, Lane is not alone. Community colleges and universities across Oregon are implementing organizational reductions and cost containment strategies in response to enrollment shifts, state funding volatility, and rising costs. While that context does not lessen the impact locally, it reinforces the importance of acting now, thoughtfully and deliberately, rather than through crisis-driven measures later. That is what Lane is doing.
Continued Engagement
College input has shaped the development of this budget and will continue to do so. In March, we will launch a new Thought Exchange opportunity focused specifically on the mitigation areas under consideration. Your reflections will inform refinement and implementation.
I encourage you to attend or view the March 4th Board meeting and to participate in the upcoming engagement opportunity.
This is difficult work. And we can do difficult work well. By making disciplined, strategic adjustments now, we are doing more than stabilizing a budget; we are building a Lane that is stronger, more focused, and better prepared to serve our students and community for decades to come. There is a lot to look forward to, and I'm proud to be doing this work alongside you.
Thank you for your engagement, professionalism, and commitment to Lane.
Stephanie