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State audit demands greater authority of commission to help institutions like RCC By Kevin Opsahl Updated: Dec 20, 2022 10:35 AM A A Rogue Community College [Jamie Lusch / Mail Tribune] The Oregon Secretary of State’s second audit of the Higher Education Coordinating Commission since it was founded in 2015 said improvements still need to be made in the way it oversees its system of community colleges, which include Rogue Community College. Aside from those challenges, Secretary of State Shemia Fagan’s report, released Monday, called on the governor and the Legislature to give HECC “the necessary staff and a clear mandate to monitor the colleges.” In response to the audit, Ben Cannon, HECC’s executive director, told Fagan’s office that implementing the audit’s recommendations is “a shared responsibility,” that HECC doesn’t have the staff to implement them alone and that doing so “would likely require expanding the HECC’s authority.” RCC President Randy Weber told the Mail Tribune Monday that he agrees with what the report says. “The findings, in particular, were a pretty accurate assessment of the state of education in Oregon,” Weber said. The findings are contained in the report “Oregon Must Improve Community College Performance, Student Support and Sustainability Amid Persistent Enrollment Declines.” Fagan addressed the audit in a news conference Monday, referencing her mother’s struggles with drugs before turning to community college to gain basic computer skills. “The auditors are always looking to make services better to build that trust with Oregonians — and did find some substantial deficits,” Fagan said. Audits Director Kip Memmott added, “where there’s also work to do, there’s also been progress made — and it is a complex community. It takes a lot of consensus building.” A companion press release from Fagan’s office made clear that HECC has “limited statutory authority” and “cannot force colleges to make operational changes” — the board for each community college does that. However, HECC’s role does include “working with the colleges and state leaders to address problems that arise.” Weber, who dealt with a body similar to HECC when he was a community college president in the Midwest, noted one of the commission’s duties is to disburse state funds to its colleges, universities and community colleges. A workforce development program that works in conjunction with institutions like RCC is also led by HECC. “I think HECC is a great partner for RCC and other community colleges,” Weber said. “Currently, they are advocating for increased financial aid supports for students as well as operational budgets to help meet the needs of community colleges moving forward. They are championing those requests at the state level.” Fagan’s audit noted that since 2015, colleges have focused more on “equity and effective data use,” students are earning certificates and associate degrees at “higher rates” and equity gaps have “narrowed.” But the audit says community college student performance “still lags,” data systems are still not in place to guide improvements, student support services “continue to be inadequately monitored and supported” and college “stability monitoring is minimal.” “I think it’s important to note that both in the audit’s findings and HECC’s response, it was clear that, to move forward, all stakeholders are going to have to be part of the conversation,” Weber said. “I think that is 100% true.” The audit issued five actions HECC could take, including upgrading the community college system’s use of data; considering adopting performance-based funding; evaluating student support programs and academic advising; improving Oregon’s financial aid efforts; and biennially analyze and report to the public and Legislature on community college sustainability With an interest in sustaining RCC’s efforts in student success, Weber said he is “most interested” in working with the governor and lawmakers to improve Oregon’s financial aid efforts. Specifically, he hoped RCC and state officials would work to hone the Oregon Opportunity Grant and Oregon Promise. “(Those programs) provide support to students in different populations to attain post-secondary education. However, there’s not enough support in those funds to meet need,” Weber said. “Eligible students don’t receive support because there aren’t funds for them. Increasing the pool would allow the students to get the financial support.” Reach reporter Kevin Opsahl at 541-776-4476 or [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @KevJourno.