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RCC, SOU discuss future of downtown Medford building By Kevin Opsahl Dec 12, 2022 12:45 AM A A Rogue Community College[Jamie Lusch / Mail Tribune] In their first face-to-face meeting as relatively new presidents, Southern Oregon University’s Rick Bailey and Randy Weber, of Rogue Community College, found themselves discussing ways to use the very facility they were sitting in — the RCC-SOU Higher Education Center in downtown Medford. In 2008, the building, located at 101 S. Bartlett St., was considered a higher education gem. It was both the first LEED Platinum-certified building in the Oregon University System and the first platinum-certified building in Southern Oregon. But over time, issues both SOU and RCC faced with enrollment — along with downtown challenges — led the building to lose some its stature. “When that building was dedicated, it probably was seen as one of the strong transfer partnerships and commitments in the country between a community college and a university,” Weber said. “I think as time has passed, that may not still hold true.” Weber, who came from the Midwest in July to be RCC president, manages several other campuses in Jackson and Josephine counties that are part of the community college. But his focus on downtown Medford, which includes two other RCC buildings, is in part because today, the Riverside campus contains 1,052 students, the highest enrollment of all campuses in the RCC system, according to Weber. “It’s far from a ghost town,” he said. That’s why Weber is sitting down with Bailey, who came to SOU from New Mexico in January, to explore ways to better utilize the HEC. It’s part of RCC’s Riverside campus, which also includes Building B, 227 E. Ninth St., and Building H, 114 Bartlett St. While the latter acts as the RCC library, the former provides student services, a tutoring center, computer science classrooms and labs, testing center, offices and classrooms. “We’ve demonstrated, by participation downtown of our students, that there is an ability and an interest in getting an education,” Weber said. “Now we want to expand it and see can they go from entering student to baccalaureate attainment all in the same physical location, and that’s where our conversations are going to go.’” Bailey said both SOU and RCC are committed to the HEC. “It is a visible manifestation of our commitment to each other as institutions and our commitment to the region,” he said. “That is the place where there may be opportunities for an expanded vision of what that facility does.” Even though Bailey was not in Oregon in 2008, when the Higher Education Center opened, he acknowledged a lot has changed in the higher education landscape since then, such as a proliferation of online programs. “That doesn’t mean that the HEC isn’t still useful; it clearly is,” Bailey said. “That is why SOU and RCC will remain committed to it.” When asked about Weber’s comment on using the HEC to help with baccalaureate attainment, Bailey responded, “I think what Randy is getting at is that we should never be satisfied with the status quo.” “How do we create more partnerships and pathways between our institutions?” the SOU president said. “I think he’s right to challenge both of our institution.” Going forward, Bailey envisions HEC as a “hub” for workforce partnerships. “I’ll be honest, I don’t have a complete picture or vision for what that looks like. I don’t know that Randy has that complete vision yet,” Bailey said. “We’re just talking with our team to explore how we do it.” As those conversations play out, Weber has put on hold the sale of two buildings that are owned, but not operated by RCC. Building A, 202 S. Riverside Ave., previously housed classrooms and faculty offices for Allied Health programs. Building G, 117 S. Central Ave., was a mix of student services, financial services, general classrooms, adult basic skills labs and meeting rooms. Prior operations from those buildings are now being conducted out of the HEC or at RCC’s Table Rock Campus. Weber said the sales for Buildings G and A are on hold so RCC administrators can look at “academic planning principles.” “Then once we have those in place, we will follow up with some facility planning strategies,” Weber said. “We want to make sure our physical facilities match those principles and those needs.” Reach reporter Kevin Opsahl at 541-776-4476 or [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @KevJourno.