Dear Lane community,
We are writing together to share an important update about Lane Community College's accreditation and the work ahead.
People across Lane County care deeply about our institution and the success of the students and communities we serve. We see this commitment every day. We are approaching a recent decision from the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) with that same sense of responsibility.
Lane has received formal notice that the NWCCU has accepted a Spring 2026 Special Report from the college and has issued a Warning related to board governance.
Lane remains accredited and ready to serve our community and students.
NWCCU issues a warning when an institution is not yet in full compliance but shows the capacity to make needed improvements and to sustain itself over the long term. In other words, a warning identifies a problem to fix on a set timeline and is not a threat to the college's accreditation itself. Further, it does not change students' enrollment, financial aid eligibility, classes, degree progress, graduation, or transfer plans. Our programs and services continue, and the work of supporting students and serving our community continues across the college — full stop.
NWCCU found the Board out of compliance with standards related to conducting its governance activities effectively, maintaining clearly defined authority and roles, and exemplifying high ethical standards, including the fair and equitable treatment of students, faculty, administrators, staff, and others who engage with the college. The Commission also asked the Board to continue improving its policies and practices related to conflicts of interest.
We take the findings seriously and accept the responsibility that comes with them. As the LCC Board Chair and President, we know that how the Board governs affects the campus beyond Board meetings. It shapes how decisions are made, how clearly roles are understood across the college, and how effectively the institution can respond to challenges. When Board governance is working well, employees across Lane can spend more of their time and attention on students. We want Lane's Board governance to support that work: clear roles, a productive working relationship between the Board and the college's leadership, and decision-making that keeps the institution focused on its mission and on students.
The March 2026 peer evaluation special report recognized the progress Lane has already made, including additional Board training and improvements in meeting conduct. We are encouraged by that progress. The warning also tells us that more is required and that the improvements need to hold over time. We are committed to moving that work forward together.
Lane employees and students will have opportunities to contribute where this work intersects with college culture and participation in governance.
Lane will submit an Ad Hoc Report and host a NWCCU visit in Fall 2027, giving us a defined near-term milestone to demonstrate progress. NWCCU has also set August 2030 as the outer deadline for fully resolving the governance recommendation, so the college has both a nearer checkpoint and a clear long-term horizon for this work.
For more than 60 years, Lane has served this community by helping people build new opportunities for themselves and their families. That purpose has not changed. Our responsibility is to make sure that the way the Board governs the college supports that work.
We have made progress, and we have more to do. We will keep the Lane community informed along the way.
The Commission's letter, the peer evaluation report, and future updates will be available at www.lanecc.edu/about-lane/accreditation under the Accreditation Documents section.
Sincerely,
Jesse Maldonado Stephanie Bulger
Chair, Board of Education President
Lane Community College Lane Community College
Lane Community College educates over 17,000 students annually at six locations across Lane County and online. Students and alumni from all 50 states and 79 countries create more than an $816.2 million dollar impact on the local economy, helping to support more than 9,700 local jobs. Lane provides affordable, quality, professional technical and college transfer programs; business development and employee training; academic, language and life skills development; and lifelong personal development and enrichment courses