Austerity at Linn Benton Community College

The innovative thinking that has come to define Linn Benton Community College(LBCC), continues to evolve in the Reclaiming The American Dream focus, and in the way of "...community education playing a larger role, one that is designed for economic opportunity," said LBCC President Greg Hamann. The focus on "completion and economic stability", will be more direct, Hamann added.

 LBCC Courtyard ensemble. Spur of the moment.

But the cost of education, specifically running an education business, can be restricting. Less federal money, less state money, and less tax revenue has spelled doom for education in America's poor economy. The budget crisis has hit everywhere, and in March of 2013, that crisis summoned the Grim Reaper from the dark depths and onto the diamond at LBCC.

Baseball is over at the school. Along with Women's Basketball, English Speakers of Other Languages(ESOL), Turning Point Transitions(TPT), and reductions in Graphic Arts and General Adult Diploma programs, budget cuts across the board hit LBCC hard this spring.

The Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence has been eliminated. The program employed one faculty staff and one support staff. Both those positions are history. In a letter to LBCC staff, President Hamann stated, "...this program provides valuable services...and will need to be revisited."

 LBCC President Greg Hamann chats with a student in the courtyard.

The LBCC Nursing Program, one of the most recognizable in the state, is losing one staff. Math faculty will be reduced by one. Another position in Student Affairs, gone. Art Department, one staff reduction. One support position in Administration and two in Business, Healthcare, and Workforce, have been eliminated.
All of these cuts add up to less education for students, and more workload for an underpaid LBCC staff. In all, 23 people lost jobs. Many more lose much more...

Many of these programs were successful and helpful curriculum for the community, but were no longer cost effective in the way of "graduation and completion" visions. Restructuring some of these course studies, is of high priority. In the Graphic Arts Department, expansion is simply on hold while the staff  refocuses. "The goal is to rebuild and redesign," said a staffer("no name, please"). That LBCC staff also said "No current students will be affected, as our goal is always graduation."

The state of the union, in the sense of our youth, has been dealt with harshly, like the Oregon Spring, a howling wind of budget cuts and opportunity lost, that seem less like nature...and more like a man-made travesty.

LBCC spring blossoms and dark clouds.