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http://www.omniture.com --> Sections Home Page Local News AP News Archives Business Classifieds Event Calendar Forums Life Opinion Obituaries Photo Gallery Readers Photo Gallery Sports Tempo Weather Special Coverage 2006 Britt Festivals --> Shop Our Valley AutoFinder HomeFinder JobFinder Search Our Valley Special Sections Distinctly Northwest Readers' Choice Homelife Magazine Joy Magazine Holiday Guide Oregon Golf Info Oregon Wine Info Other Publications Local Links Ashland News eSouthernOregon Newspapers In Education Personals Moving Here Movie Listings TV Listings Volunteer Customer Service Advertise With Us Media Kit Place Classified Ad Contact Us FAQ's Home Delivery Site Map --> Email Story to a Friend January 21, 2007 Officials hope a joint RCC-SOU campus in downtown Medford will jump-start enrollment at both institutions and reduce some expenses, bringing in funding. RCC, SOU face drastic cuts Even with an increase in funding, officials wouldn't be able to stave off planned layoffs By Paris Achen Mail Tribune SALEM — Rogue Community College and Southern Oregon University likely won't be able to reverse planned layoffs and program cuts despite the state's focus on finding more money for education this legislative session. Gov. Ted Kulongoski's proposed budget earmarks about $483 million for community colleges and $827 million for the Oregon University System in the next biennium. About a 12.5 percent jump in state funding to the OUS, the increase under the governor's budget likely would not stave off the 17 planned layoffs nor restore programs at SOU, said OUS Chancellor George Pernsteiner. SOU President Mary Cullinan is expected to release more details on the university's downsizing plan on Monday. "Higher education has been chronically underfunded for the last decade," said Rep. Peter Buckley, D-Ashland, chairman of the House subcommittee on higher education. "Locally, we have some of the most challenging circumstances in the state. SOU is in the most dire situation in the OUS, and RCC is facing significant challenges even if the governor's budget is approved." Advertisement RCC officials are laying off more than 30 faculty and staff members and cutting some programs this month. The House subcommittee on higher education formed this session with the intent of refueling struggling colleges and universities across the state. Some members of Southern Oregon's legislative delegation said they plan to push for additional funding for RCC and SOU beyond what the governor has proposed. As far as RCC and SOU funding, "the governor's recommended budget is the floor for us," Buckley said. The Oregon Community College Association has proposed the state give community colleges $529 million in the next biennium, about $46 million more than the governor's proposal. "For some colleges, even $529 million is not enough," said Andrea Henderson, OCCA executive director. "Rogue Community College is one of them." An state equalization funding formula enacted last year by the state Board of Education has caused RCC to lose about $1.6 million in revenue. Funding would be reduced by a total of $3 million by the end of 2010, said RCC President Peter Angstadt. The formula is meant to give community colleges equal amounts of funding for each student by taking funds from colleges with higher amounts of revenue and divvying it up among colleges with less. The formula penalizes colleges such as RCC, which have succeeded in passing local levies specifically to support community colleges, Buckley said. Thus, taxpayers in Josephine and Jackson counties are underwriting community colleges across the state. Some Southern Oregon lawmakers, including Buckley and Rep. Sal Esquivel, R-Medford, have said they would propose overturning the new funding formula to better serve RCC, a move that would likely draw opposition from some other community colleges. In lieu of funding-formula reform, some Southern Oregon lawmakers said they would seek additional funding for RCC as well as SOU. "The governor's recommended budget certainly stops declines in state support of community colleges," Angstadt said. "But we really need to build from there." Bills to enhance financial aid and curtail tuition and fee increases to the growth rate of median family incomes could help the two schools by stabilizing or boosting enrollment. "Across the state, we have jobs that are unfilled because there are not qualified people to fill them," Henderson said. "Community colleges can help train people to fill those positions." College and university officials also hope the construction of a joint RCC-SOU campus in downtown Medford will jump-start enrollment at both institutions and reduce some expenses. Enrollment brings in more money under state funding formulas. Funded by separate capital improvement funds, construction of the joint campus will proceed regardless of the state budget, officials said. Despite the painful downsizing at both RCC and SOU, officials said they are optimistic about the tone of the legislative session so far and the increase in collaboration between all educational levels to push for more state support. "This kind of coordination didn't used to happen," said Pernsteiner, the OUS chancellor. Reach reporter Paris Achen at 776-4459 or at [email protected] Would you like to respond to this story? If so Click Here to visit our forums. Advertisement Copyright © 1997-2007 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. 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