For more than half a century, Lane Community College has opened doors to opportunity for Lane County to prepare people for university transfer, skilled careers, personal enrichment, and meaningful work. Our mission remains constant: excellent, accessible education that changes lives and lifts communities.
Lane has chosen a path of prosperity, relevance, and growth. Looking ahead, our strategic vision is clear: Lane is the workforce and talent development hub of Lane County and beyond. We will remain responsive to community needs, providing excellent university transfer pathways and stellar career programs. Local employers will continue to rely on Lane graduates, and the community will find opportunities to build career skills, engage with the arts and sciences, and benefit from thriving health sciences and trades programs. Lane’s differentiator will continue to be workforce readiness and experiential learning. Internally, we will be even more focused and nimble, investing in what matters most: programs with strong student outcomes, high-impact services, and infrastructure that supports learning and innovation.
To secure that future, the Board of Education approved a Fiscal Year 2026 budget that includes reductions to close a projected multi-year shortfall. Acting now prevents depletion of reserves and avoids crisis-driven cuts later, as a nearly $10 million structural imbalance looms over the next four years. These are planned, deliberate decisions designed to protect the student experience and sustain our core mission—not a retreat from our values. Budget reductions are part of a longer-term transformation that positions Lane to thrive.
Our approach to aligning resources is transparent and principled. Decisions are guided by four commitments:
- Protect Student Success: Limit impacts on high-impact programs and services whenever possible.
- Align with Strategic Priorities: Support fiscal health, enrollment growth, and a positive climate.
- Use Data and Evidence: Apply the Board’s values of fiscal stability, student success, employee well-being, and community responsiveness.
- Ensure Equity: Consider potential disproportionate effects on underserved students and employees.
Future budget planning will continue to include campus forums, listening sessions, written feedback from departments and individuals, regular briefings with the College Council, and data analyses to minimize harm to our mission. The Board sets fiscal direction and approves the overall framework; the President implements it with care and urgency, consistent with our mission and governance model.
Change is never easy, and we recognize the people and programs behind every number. By facing challenges directly and staying student-centered, Lane will emerge stronger, more focused, and ready to serve this community for the next sixty years.