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OCCA Board of Directors Handbook - 2015
Community College Board Member Handbook
Oregon Community College Association
July 2015
To advocate, communicate and collaborate in order to strengthen community colleges for the benefit of Oregonians.
OCCA Board of Directors Handbook
Table Of Contents
About OCCA ..................................................................................................................... 1
Directory College Map ......................................................................................................................... 2 College Directory ............................................................................................................. 3 OCCA Board ..................................................................................................................... 5 OCCA Executive Committee ............................................................................................ 6 OCCA Staff ....................................................................................................................... 7
OCCA Structure Board of Directors ........................................................................................................... 8 OCCA Committees ........................................................................................................... 8 Bylaws ................................................................................................................................... 9 Policies and Procedures ...................................................................................................14 Meeting and Events ..........................................................................................................21 Funding and Budget .........................................................................................................24
Board Operations Community College Boards Overview ..............................................................................25 New Board Member Learning Guide ................................................................................29 Responsibilities of a Board Member ................................................................................32 Conducting Board Meetings .............................................................................................34
Oregon Politics Education Governance .....................................................................................................40 Community College Structure/Governance Chart ............................................................41 Community College Statewide Structure Criteria ............................................................42 Community College Support Fund ...................................................................................43 OCCA 2015 Legislative Report ..........................................................................................44 Oregon Promise ................................................................................................................55
OCCA History .............................................................................................................. 57
Resources Glossary ..................................................................................................................................74 Oregon Public Meeting Law .............................................................................................84 Additional Resources ........................................................................................................93
OCCA Board of Directors Handbook Page 1
About OCCA
The Oregon Community College Association is a council of governments comprised of the
seventeen publicly chartered community colleges. OCCA represents the collective interests of
the colleges and around 350,000 students in those colleges.
A board of directors that includes the president and one board member from each of the
seventeen colleges governs OCCA. Their own local boards choose the board member
representatives and they, with the presidents, elect the association’s executive committee to
provide OCCA leadership each year. Colleges pay annual dues to OCCA based on a formula that
includes both a base contribution and a prorated fee set on enrollment.
Founded in 1962, OCCA’s purpose is to advocate for the colleges before policy-makers and
partners whose actions affect the well-being of community colleges across the state. The
association does this through a variety of services including legislative advocacy.
OCCA staff provides the services and information that support the association’s mission. Staff
members are knowledgeable about issues ranging from appropriations to governance and
educational policy. OCCA works closely with the Office of Community Colleges and Workforce
Development and the Higher Education Coordinating Commission, representing all community
college interests.
OCCA is a member of the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), Association of
Community College Trustees (ACCT), the American Association of Women in Community
Colleges (AAWCC), the Oregon School Boards Association (OSBA), the American Society of
Association Executives, and the Oregon Society of Association Management (OSAM).
OCCA Board of Directors Handbook Page 2
Oregon Community Colleges and Community College Districts
Clatsop
Tillamook Bay
Clatsop
Columbia
Portland
Columbia Gorge
Mt. Hood
Blue Mountain
Clackamas
Chemeketa
Yamhill
Multnomah
Clackamas
Hood River
Wasco
Sherman
Gilliam
Morrow
Umatilla Wallowa
Union
Oregon Coast
Linn-Benton
Lincoln
Polk
Benton
Marion
Linn
Jefferson
Wheeler
Grant
Baker
Treasure
Valley Lane Deschutes Crook
Lane
Southwestern Oregon
Umpqua
Coos Douglas
Harney
Malheur
Klamath
Lake
Curry
Josephine Jackson
Rogue
Klamath
Central Oregon
Areas in white are not represented by community college districts. These counties and municipalities do not pay taxes into the state’s Community College Support Fund.
Currently, Grant County receives community college services through Contracts Out of District (CODs) with Blue Mt. Community College.
The city of Burns receives community college services through CODs with Treasure Valley Community College.
Lake County receives community college services through CODs with Klamath Community College.
Washington
Tilla
mo
ok
OCCA Board of Directors Handbook Page 3
Directory of Oregon's Community Colleges
Blue Mountain Community College 2411 NW Carden Ave., P.O. Box 100 Pendleton, OR 97801-1000 Ph. 541-276-1260 http://www.bluecc.edu President: Cam Preus
Central Oregon Community College 2600 NW College Way Bend, OR 97701-5998 Ph. 541-383-7700 http://www.cocc.edu President: Shirley Metcalf
Chemeketa Community College 4000 Lancaster Dr. NE, PO Box 14007 Salem, OR 97309-7070 Ph. 503-399-5000 http://www.chemeketa.edu President: Julie Huckestein
Clackamas Community College 19600 S. Molalla Ave Oregon City, OR 97045 Ph. 503-657-6958 Fax 503-655-5153 http://www.clackamas.edu President: Joanne Truesdell
Clatsop Community College 1651 Lexington Ave Astoria, OR 97103-3698 Ph. 503-325-0910 http://www.clatsopcc.edu Interim President: Gerald Hamilton
Columbia Gorge Community College 400 E. Scenic Dr. The Dalles, OR 97058-3434 Ph. 541-506-6000 http://www.cgcc.cc.or.us President: Frank Toda
Klamath Community College 7390 South Sixth St. Klamath Falls, OR 97603-7121 Ph. 541-882-3521 http://www.klamathcc.edu President: Roberto Gutierrez
Lane Community College 4000 E. 30th Ave. Eugene, OR 97405-0640 Ph. 541-463-3000 http://www.lanecc.edu President: Mary Spilde
Linn-Benton Community College 6500 Pacific Blvd. SW Albany, OR 97321-3779 Ph. 541-917-4999 http://www.linnbenton.edu President: Greg Hamman
Mt. Hood Community College 26000 SE Stark St. Gresham, OR 97030-3300 Ph. 503-491-6422 http://www.mhcc.edu President: Debra Derr
OCCA Board of Directors Handbook Page 4
Oregon Coast Community College 400 SE College Way Newport, OR 97366 Ph. 541-265-2283 http://www.occc.cc.or.us President: Birgitte Ryslinge
Portland Community College 12000 SW 49th Ave, PO Box 19000 Portland, OR 97280-0990 Ph. 503-244-6111 http://www.pcc.edu Interim President: Sylvia Kelley
Rogue Community College 3345 Redwood Hwy. Grants Pass, OR 97527-9298 Ph. 541-956-7500 http://www.roguecc.edu President: Peter Angstadt
Southwestern Oregon Community College 1988 Newmark Ave. Coos Bay, OR 97420-2971 Ph. 541-888-2525 http://www.socc.edu President: Patty Scott
Tillamook Bay Community College 4301 Third St. Tillamook, OR 97141-2599 Ph. 503-842-8222 http://www.TillamookBay.cc President: Connie Green
Treasure Valley Community College 650 College Blvd. Ontario, OR 97914-3498 Ph. 541-881-8822 http://www.tvcc.cc.or.us President: Dana Young
Umpqua Community College 140 College Rd., PO Box 967 Roseburg, OR 97470-0226 Ph. 541-440-4600 http://www.umpqua.edu Interim President: Rita Cavin
OCCA Board of Directors Handbook Page 5
Oregon Community College Association Board of Directors 2015 -2016
The 2015-16 Board will be updated in August 2015 after each local board of directors appoints its representative to the OCCA board.
Blue Mountain Community College President: Cam Preus Board member:
Central Oregon Community College President: Shirley Metcalf Board member:
Chemeketa Community College President: Julie Huckestein Board member:
Clackamas Community College President: Joanne Truesdell Board member:
Clatsop Community College Interim President: Gerald Hamilton Board member:
Columbia Gorge Community College President: Frank Toda Board member:
Klamath Community College President: Roberto Gutierrez Board member:
Lane Community College President: Mary Spilde Board member:
Linn-Benton Community College President: Greg Hamann Board member:
Mt. Hood Community College President: Debra Derr Board member:
Oregon Coast Community College President: Birgitte Ryslinge Board member:
Portland Community College Acting President: Sylvia Kelley Board member:
Rogue Community College President: Peter Angstadt Board member:
Southwestern Oregon Community College President: Patty Scott Board member:
Tillamook Bay Community College President: Connie Green Board member:
Treasure Valley Community College President: Dana Young Board member:
Umpqua Community College Interim President: Rita Cavin Board member:
OCCA Board of Directors Handbook Page 6
OCCA 2015-16 Executive Committee
Marcia Jensen, OCCA President
Board Member, Southwestern Oregon
Community College
Dave Jensen, OCCA Vice President
Board Member, Klamath Community College
Cam Preus, OCCA Secretary
President, Blue Mountain Community
College
Debbie Derr, OCCA Treasurer
President, Mt. Hood Community
College
Ed Dodson, Member-At-Large
Board Member, Chemeketa Community
College
Denise Frisbee, Member-At-Large
Board Member, Portland Community College
Kevin Talbert, Immediate Past
President
Board Member, Rogue Community
College
Dana Young, OPC Chair
President, Treasure Valley Community College
OCCA Board of Directors Handbook Page 7
OCCA Staff
Oregon Community College Association 260 13th Street NE, Salem, OR 97301
Office: (503) 399-9912 / Fax: (855) 326-1537
Andrea Henderson
Executive Director
John Wykoff
Government Relations Director
Megan Jensen
Deputy Director for Operations
Karen Smith
General Counsel
Elizabeth Cox Brand
Student Success and Assessment Director
Stephanie Bobb
Office and Events Manager
Katie Archambault
Research and Communications Specialist
OCCA Board of Directors Handbook Page 8
The OCCA Board of Directors
34-member board made up of one local board member from each of the member colleges and
the president of each member college.
Each local community college board selects the OCCA board representatives.
Each college gets one vote.
The OCCA board meets at least three times a year.
The OCCA board powers are set forth in the OCCA Bylaws (Section 4.1).
OCCA Standing Committees
OCCA maintains four standing committees: The budget committee, the education committee, the
nominating committee, and the Howard Cherry Award nominating committee. OCCA and the executive
committee can also form temporary committees to work on specific issues relating to community
colleges. Once the issue has reached a conclusion or the issue can be assimilated into another
committee, the ad hoc groups are disbanded.
Budget Committee
The OCCA treasurer chairs the budget committee. The committee is comprised of two presidents, two
board members, and one college financial officer. The committee reviews and makes recommendations
to OCCA staff about the OCCA budget. The committee will also review with staff, the annual audit of the
OCCA financial statements.
Education Committee
The immediate past president of the OCCA chairs the OCCA education committee. The committee is
comprised of three board members, two presidents, one instructional administrator, and one board
assistant. The committee reviews and makes recommendations to staff about OCCA educational
programs, including board training events and the annual OCCA convention.
Nominating Committee
The nominating committee is elected two meetings prior to the meeting where the election of officers is
to occur. There are five members of the nominating committee. The nominating committee prepares a
slate of officers consisting of the vice-president, treasurer and at-large members (and, if necessary, the
president or secretary) to be presented to the OCCA board at the meeting prior to the meeting where
the election of officers is to occur. Additional nominations may be made.
Howard Cherry Award Nominating Committee
The Howard Cherry Award Nominating Committee shall include the OCCA vice-president and
secretary. Other members will be appointed by the OCCA president after all nominations are
received. Members will be selected from member districts that did not submit a nomination. The
committee shall consist of two additional president and three additional OCCA board members for
a total of seven members.
OCCA Board of Directors Handbook Page 9
OREGON COMMUNITY COLLEGE ASSOCIATION BYLAWS (Adopted April 2015)
ARTICLE I: NAME
The name of this organization is Oregon Community College Association.
ARTICLE II: PURPOSE
The mission of this organization is to advocate, communicate and collaborate in order to strengthen
community colleges for the benefit of Oregonians.
ARTICLE III: MEMBERS
Section 1. Eligibility: Any Oregon community college district shall be eligible for membership.
Section 2. Admission: Any eligible community college district may become a member by notifying the
Executive Director of its election to do so and by paying the membership dues for the current year in
advance.
Section 3. Withdrawal from Membership: Any member may withdraw from membership by executing
written notice to the Executive Director at least twelve (12) months in advance of the commencement of any
fiscal year.
Section 4. Other Membership: Such other classes of membership may be established as the Board of
Directors may determine, but such classes of membership shall carry no voting privileges.
ARTICLE IV: BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Section 1. Directors: Annually each member district shall appoint two (2) directors which include one
member from each District’s Board of Education, hereinafter referred to as the OCCA Representative, and the
District’s college president. Persons elected to the positions of president and vice-president of the
Association or serving in the position of immediate past president shall also be members of the Board of
Directors and shall have the same rights as any other Director.
Section 2. Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, Secretary, and Treasurer: The president of the Association shall
act as the chairperson of the Board of Directors, the vice-president of the Association shall act as the
vice-chairperson and the secretary of the Association shall act as the secretary of the Board. The treasurer
of the Association shall act as the treasurer of the Board.
OCCA Board of Directors Handbook Page 10
Section 3. Powers: The Board of Directors shall exercise general supervision over all of the affairs of the
Association. The powers of the Board include, but are not limited to, the ability to:
Rent, lease, purchase, receive or hold property, both real and personal and to rent, lease
mortgage, sell or otherwise dispose of same;
Employ the executive director;
Establish the annual membership dues;
Determine and implement Association policy, approve an annual budget, determine
necessary standing or special committees; and,
Enter into any kind of activity and perform contracts of any kind that may be necessary
or desirable to the accomplishment of one or more purposes of the Association.
Section 5. Substitutes: In the event a Director is unable to attend a meeting of the Board of Directors, the
Director may send a substitute who shall have the same rights as any other Director.
Section 6. OCCA Representative: The OCCA Representative will be the member of the Board of Education
selected to serve on the OCCA Board by their District Board. It shall be the duty of this individual to report
on the activities of the OCCA Board and gather feedback from their District Board on issues on statewide
impact.
Section 7. Vacancies: Any vacancy in membership to the Board of Directors except for a vacancy in one or
more of the officer positions shall be filled by appointment by the Board of Education of the member District
from which the vacancy exists and the OCCA Executive Director shall be notified of that appointment.
Section 8. Standing Committees: The President shall appoint board members, College Presidents, college
staff, and/or administrative staff to the standing committees in consultation with the Executive Director and
Board approval. Standing committees: 1) Education 2) Nominating 3) Budget.
Section 9. Special Committees: It may be necessary to form special committees to do the work of the
board. The Association President shall appoint board members, college presidents, or college staff, as
needed.
Section 10. Quorum: A majority of the member community colleges shall constitute a quorum.
Section 11. Voting: At any meeting of the Association Board of Directors, each community college
member district shall be entitled to a total of one (1) vote.
Section 12. Agenda: Issues involving substantive Association positions and changes to OCCA Board
Policies shall be placed on the agenda for discussion at one meeting and voted on at a subsequent meeting.
However, if the Board feels it is ready to act immediately on these issues the above referenced procedure can
be waived by the Board of Directors at any meeting by a two-thirds (2/3) vote. Issues involving time
sensitive legislative and agency advocacy positions may be acted upon immediately.
Section 13. Parliamentary Authority: All parliamentary questions shall be decided by Robert’s Rules of
Order Newly Revised, latest edition. The chairperson may, at any time, appoint a person to serve as
parliamentarian. That person may advise the chairperson of any questions put to him or her by the
chairperson, and after which the chairperson shall announce the ruling.
OCCA Board of Directors Handbook Page 11
ARTICLE V: OFFICERS
Section 1. Officers: The officers of the Association shall be president, vice-president, secretary and
treasurer each of whom shall be a director and elected by the Board of Directors. Election of the officers
shall be scheduled at the last Board meeting of the Association’s fiscal year. The immediate past president
also serves as an officer of the Association. The president, vice-president and immediate past president
shall be Community College Board of Education members of a member district. The secretary and Treasurer
shall each be presidents of a member district. No member district shall be represented by more than one
officer at any one time.
Section 2. President: The Association President shall , when present, preside at all meetings of the Board of
Directors and shall perform all duties incident to the office of president and such other duties as may be
prescribed by these Bylaws or by the Board of Directors from time to time. The President shall appoint all
committees in consultation with the Executive Director and with the approval of the Board of Directors.
The President shall be an ex-officio member of all committees of the Association except the nominating
committee.
Section 3. Vice-President: In the absence of the president, the vice-president shall perform the duties of
the president, and when so acting, shall have all the powers of and be subject to all the restrictions upon the
president. The vice-president shall be president-elect and shall automatically assume the presidency the
following year unless the Board votes otherwise. The vice-president shall perform such other duties as
from time to time may be assigned by the president or by the Board of Directors. The vice-president and
secretary shall supervise the selection of the winners of the Howard Cherry awards prior to each Association
convention.
Section 4. Secretary: The secretary shall review the minutes of the Board of Directors and Executive
Committee meetings; shall sign such documents with the president or vice-president as may be necessary;
and in general perform all duties incident to the office of secretary and such other duties as from time to
time be assigned by the president of by the Board of Directors. The secretary and vice-president shall
supervise the selection of the winners of the Howard Cherry Awards prior to each Association convention.
Section 5. Treasurer: The treasurer shall give the budget report at each meeting and shall advise the
Executive Director on matters relating to the Association’s budget. The treasurer shall perform such duties as
from time to time may be assigned by the president or by the Board of Directors. The treasurer shall be
secretary-elect and shall automatically assume the position of secretary the following year.
Section 6. Immediate past president: The immediate past president shall serve on the OCCA Executive
Committee. The immediate past president shall perform such duties as may be assigned by the president.
In the event that the immediate past president ceases to be a community college board member the position
will remain vacant until the current president leaves office and assumes the position of immediate past
president.
Section 7. Terms of Office: The term of each office shall be one year commencing at the start of the new
fiscal year on July 1, or until a successor is elected.
OCCA Board of Directors Handbook Page 12
Section 8. Vacancies in Office: The vice-president shall succeed to a vacancy in the office of the
presidency. Any other vacancies in office shall be filled by appointment by the president subject to
approval by the Board of Directors. If the office of president and vice-president are vacant, those positions
shall be filled by the Board of Directors. A person selected to fill a vacancy shall be appointed for the
unexpired term of his or her predecessor in office. Time worked in an appointed position will not be
counted as time served when calculating an individual’s eligibility to serve a subsequent term.
Section 9. Nominating Committee: The Nominating Committee shall be elected two (2) meetings prior to
the meeting where the election of officers is to occur. There shall be five (5) members on the Nominating
Committee. The Nominating Committee shall prepare a slate of officers consisting of the vice-president,
treasurer and two (2)at-large members (and, if necessary, the president or secretary) to be presented to the
Board of Directors at the meeting prior to the meeting where the election of officers is to occur Additional
nominations may be made from the floor.
ARTICLE VI: EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
The Executive Committee of the Board of Directors shall consist of the president, vice-president, secretary,
treasurer, and the immediate past president of the Association. Two at-large members may be elected by
the Board of Directors to serve a one-year term on the Executive committee. The two at-large members
must be elected members from their respective Districts but need not serve as the district member’s OCCA
Representative. All members of the Executive Committee must have at least one year to serve in their
elected position on the member district’s Board of Education. The functions of the Executive Committee
shall include providing direction to the Executive Director between Board meetings, annually evaluating the
Executive Director and such other functions on behalf of the Board of Directors as the Board may authorize.
ARTICLE VII: EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Section 1. Selection: The Board of directors shall hire an Executive Director on such terms as may be
determined by the Board. The Executive Director shall be the chief executive officer of the Board and The
Association to carry out the policies and directions of the Association and the Board including administration
of these bylaws.
Section 2. Duties: The Executive Director shall perform duties as established by the Board of Directors
and as designated in the Association’s Policies and Procedures. The Executive Director is an ex-officio of all
committees except the nominating committee.
ARTICLE IX: MEETINGS OF THE ASSOCIATION
Section 1. Annual Convention: An annual convention of the Association shall be held each year.
Section 2. Special Meetings: Special meetings of the Association may be called by the Board of Directors
at any time by giving ten (10) days written notice to all directors of such meeting or by a request to the
President of the Association signed by a majority of the directors. Emergency meetings may be called by
OCCA Board of Directors Handbook Page 13
the president or a member of the Executive Committee on twenty-four (24) hour notice with written consent
of the Executive Committee. Meetings may be held by teleconference provided that all directors can
communicate simultaneously.
Section 3. Regular Meetings: The Association shall meet three (3) a year, generally in the fall, winter and
spring unless the Executive Committee decides otherwise.
ARTICLE X: EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AND BOARD OF DIRECTOR’S EXPENSES
Section 1. Executive Committee: Members of the Executive Committee shall be reimbursed out of
Association funds for out-of-pocket and necessary expenses incurred while performing their official duties as
members of that committee. Spouses’ expenses are the responsibility of the committee member.
Section 2. Board of Directors: Expenses incurred by members of the Board of Directors shall be
reimbursed by their member colleges.
ARTICLE XI: INDEMNIFICATION
OCCA shall indemnify any of its officers, employees and agents, whether elective or appointive, against any
tort claim or demand, whether groundless or otherwise, arising out of an alleged act or omission occurring in
the performance of duty. The provisions of this section do not apply in case of malfeasance in office or
willful or wanton neglect of duty.
ARTICLE XII: AMENDMENTS
The Bylaws may be amended at any meeting of the Board of Directors upon giving the directors of the Board
ten (10) days advance notice of such proposed amendments, upon an affirmative vote of two-thirds (2/3) of
the Directors present and voting at said meeting. An amendment to the bylaws shall become effective and
binding upon passage.
OCCA Board of Directors Handbook Page 14
OCCA POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
The Board of Directors adopts the following policies to carry out its programs and activities as
indicated in the Oregon Community College Association (OCCA) Bylaws. These policies may be
amended or repealed with the majority vote of the Board of Directors.
PERSONNEL POLICIES 1. Hiring and Dismissal of Staff:
1.1 The Board of Directors shall hire the Executive Director.
1.2 The Executive Committee shall negotiate the terms of the contract for the Executive
Director.
1.3 Evaluation: The Executive Committee shall evaluate the Executive Director annually, prior to
the October board meeting. The evaluation will be completed in time to allow the results of
the evaluation to be mailed to the Board of Directors prior to the October board meeting.
The evaluation process shall allow opportunity for each Board member to provide input into
the Executive Director’s evaluation. The Executive Committee shall make recommendations
to the Board of Directors prior to extension of the Director's contract.
1.4 The Board of Directors delegates to the Executive Director the responsibility for
selection and dismissal of other staff. The Executive Director will advise the Executive
Committee of all new hires and terminations and any changes in office positions.
1.5 All employees, other than Executive Director, shall be considered at will and without expectation of continued employment with OCCA. Their services may be terminated for
any reason.
2. Salary Approval
2.1 The Executive Director shall advise yearly the Executive Committee of staff salaries.
3. Executive Director
3.1 Chief Executive Officer: The Executive Director shall serve as the chief executive officer
to the Board of Directors and the Association and shall assume those duties upon
appointment by the Board. Among other general executive duties, the Executive
Director shall:
3.1.1 Be expected to work as a professional to accomplish Association objectives and
perform Association obligations;
3.1.2 Be the administrator and budget officer of the fiscal affairs of the Board of
Directors and the Association. As such, the Executive Director shall take charge
of all Association funds, prepare budgets, maintain fiscal records, collect
membership dues and prepare such reports as are required or requested;
3.1.3 Prepare the agenda for all meetings in collaboration with the President; record
the minutes of all meetings and transmit copies to all members of the Board; take
charge of all records, proceedings and documents of the Board and the
Association; 3.1.4 Implement the Association's by-laws and policies by ensuring that all employees
she/he supervises have knowledge of and understands the by-laws and policies,
and for taking and/or assisting in prompt and appropriate corrective action when
OCCA Board of Directors Handbook Page 15
necessary to ensure compliance with the by-laws and policies; and any other State
or Federal regulations or laws pertaining to the Association.
3.1.5 Establish operation procedures that support the Association’s By-Laws and
Policies;
3.1.6 Establish an Employee Handbook;
3.1.7 Evaluate all staff and, at a minimum, conduct an annual appraisal of
performance with each staff member;
3.1.8 Establish a complaint procedure for employees. In the case of a complaint
against the Executive Director, the President of the Association shall be
contacted;
3.1.9 Assume such powers not set forth herein which are customarily exercised by
executives in like positions;
3.2 Advocacy and Public Relations Function: The Executive Director shall serve as chief of
staff to the Board of Directors and shall advise the Board regularly and at all times of
emergency of such state or federal policy, legislative or regulatory matters which may
affect the interests of the Association or any of its members. The Executive Director
shall be the chief spokesperson at the legislature and with state agencies and
commissions on matters adopted by the Board as legislative or other statewide policy
priorities. The Executive Director may delegate legislative and statewide policy advocacy
duties to staff as the Executive Director sees fit.
4. Sexual Harassment Policy
4.1 The Oregon Community College Association is committed to a work environment free
of inappropriate and disrespectful conduct and communication of a sexual nature.
OCCA strongly opposes sexual harassment in any form. Sexual harassment in the
workplace by a manager, employee or non-employee, including any vendor or
customer or member, will not be tolerated. Sexual harassment is against OCCA policy
and is a violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as well as the applicable
laws of the state of Oregon.
4.2 Prohibited Conduct: Harassment on the basis of sex is a violation of ORS 659.030. It is
discrimination related to or because of an individual’s gender. Unwelcome sexual advances,
requests for sexual favors and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature constitutes
sexual harassment when such conduct is directed toward an individual because of that
individual’s gender; and
4.2.1 Submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition
of an individual’s employment; or
4.2.2 Submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as a basis for
employment decisions affecting such individual; or 4.2.3 Such conduct has a
purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s work performance
or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working environment.
4.3 Enforcement procedure: The Executive Director is responsible for implementation of the
Association’s nondiscrimination policies, for ensuring that all employees she or he supervises
have knowledge of and understands the policies, and for taking and/or assisting in prompt
and appropriate corrective action when necessary to ensure compliance with the policies. All
employees are strongly encouraged to use this complaint procedure if they believe they have
been subjected to discrimination and/or harassment or have knowledge of any
discrimination and/or harassment in the workplace. The initiation of a complaint, in good
OCCA Board of Directors Handbook Page 16
faith, shall not under any circumstances be grounds for discipline.
4.4 Complaint procedure: An employee should bring any complaint to the Executive Director. In
the case of a complaint against the Executive Director, the President of the Association should
be contacted. The complaint shall be processed expeditiously and confidentially. If the
person making the complaint is not satisfied with the resolution, he/she may appeal to the
Executive Committee and then to the OCCA Board of Directors.
5. Equal Employment Opportunity
5.1 The Oregon Community College Association is committed to a policy of equal
employment opportunity and does not discriminate in the terms, conditions, or
privileges of employment on account of race, age, color, sex, national origin, physical
or mental disability, or religion or otherwise as may be prohibited by federal and
Oregon law.
6. Staff Compensatory Time and Overtime
6.1 The Executive Director shall establish compensatory time and overtime pay, within
budget, following all state and federal requirements.
6.1.1 Exempt Employees: Employees exempt from federal and state overtime
provisions shall be expected to work as necessary to perform the Association
requirements. It is understood that these positions may require work beyond
a 40 hour week.
6.1.2 Non-exempt Employees: Compensatory time shall be awarded in accordance
with the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act. Overtime must be approved
by the Executive Director in advance. Overtime may be paid to non-exempt
employees at the Executive Director’s discretion.
6.2 Executive Director Compensation and Benefits are included in the terms of the contract
negotiated by the Executive Committee.
FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT 7. Fiscal Year
7.1 The fiscal year of the Association shall run from July 1 to June 30.
8. Accounting Method
8.1 The Association shall use the modified accrual basis in reporting financial transactions.
Revenues will be recognized when earned and available and expenses when a benefit is
realized.
9. Fund Structure
9.1 General Fund: The Association's operations are accounted for in the general fund. The
primary sources of revenue are membership dues Expenses are for the Association's
operation costs.
OCCA Board of Directors Handbook Page 17
10. Audit
10.1 An audit of the financial affairs of the Association shall be performed annually by an
auditor appointed by the Board of Directors.
11. Budget
11.1 An annual budget shall be prepared before the May meeting of the Association and
submitted to the Executive Committee for its review and recommendation to the Board
of Directors.
11.2 A copy of the recommended budget shall be submitted to the Board of Directors at the
May meeting for approval and adoption.
12. OCCA Member Dues
12.1 Member institution dues to support the Association shall billed by splitting half equally
between the colleges and half based on college reimbursable full time enrollment.
12.2 On or before June 1 of each year, the Board of Directors shall determine the dues
amount required to provide Association services for the fiscal year commencing the
next July 1. The Board shall levy 50 percent per college on a flat rate, shared equally by
members, and 50 percent in an amount per member which is the product of the
number of reimbursable FTE paid by OCCS for the current fiscal year which is the
previous year's actual FTE multiplied by a uniform rate per FTE. 12.3 Dues may be increased any time in addition to the budget process upon unanimous
approval of the Board of Directors.
12.4 Dues for the period beginning July 1 of any fiscal year shall be paid in full within 30 days
of commencement of the fiscal year.
13. Insurance
13.1 The Association shall secure:
1) Fire insurance on personal property;
2) Liability insurance (bodily injury, property damage and loss);
3) Liability insurance on any auto used for OCCA business;
4) Comprehensive general liability insurance on OCCA board members, officers and
employees;
5) Fidelity bonds, in adequate amounts, shall be carried on the Executive Director
and/or the employee who is involved in handling the Association's funds.
6) Property insurance on the OCCA office building.
14. Contingency Fund (Operating Reserve)
14.1 The "Target Level" for the Contingency Fund shall be 20% of the membership dues as
approved in the annual budget. If the Contingency Fund is less than the target level, all
interest generated from the contingency fund shall be kept in the contingency fund until
such time as the Target Level is reached. In addition, until the Target Level is reached, at
least 15% of any year-end income over expenses shall be applied to the Contingency
fund.
14.2 When the Contingency Fund is diminished to 40% or less of the Targeted Level, the Board
of Directors shall develop a plan of action to bring the fund back to the Target Level.
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15. Capital Contingency Fund (Building/Land Reserve)
15.1 The 'Target Level" for the Capital Contingency Fund shall be 10% of the value of the
house and land. These funds shall be earmarked specifically for the long-term repair and
maintenance of the OCCA office building based upon a projected schedule provided by
OCCA staff. Repairs and maintenance to include but not be limited to: roof, sidewalks,
driveway, HVAC, painting, and wiring. The Board of Directors will review the Target
Level each year to assure it continues to meet the needs of the organization and reflect
fluctuations in the real estate market.
16. Expenses Reimbursement
16.1 OCCA staff will be reimbursed for reasonable expenses as outlined in the OCCA
Employee Handbook.
16.2 Cash purchase of supplies or other items for the office can be included on the claim for
reimbursement. Such purchases must be pre-approved by either the Executive Director
or Office Administrator.
16.3 The Executive Director and the Government Relations Director shall have an expense
allowance for expenses incurred in the course of meeting legislative candidates or
members. The expense allowance may be spent on expenses directly associated with
Association advocacy.
16.4 Any expense not covered by this policy may be claimed and, if circumstances so justify,
may be approved for reimbursement by the Executive Director prior to submission for
reimbursement.
16.5 The Executive Director may assign credit cards to employees as needed for appropriate
Association expenses. Employees shall not use the credit card for personal use.
17. Expense Reimbursement - Executive Committee and Board of Directors
LOCAL TRAVEL - OCCA Board and Executive Committee Meetings
17.1 Definitions a. Mileage reimbursement. Mileage costs will be reimbursed at the current IRS rate for
round trips of 50 miles or more.
b. Parking and tolls. OCCA will reimburse for parking and tolls associated with a local or
long distance trip.
c. Meals. Meal reimbursement includes cost of breakfast, lunch and dinner; plus tips not
to exceed 15% of the meal costs. Excluded are entertainment, alcohol expenses and
other types of personal expenses not relating to meals. Government guidelines related
to per diem should be used when ordering meals.
d. Lodging. Lodging should be obtained at the approved Government rate. Travelers
should use standard single room accommodations at medium range hotels.
e. Receipts. Receipts for all expenses must be attached to the expense report and
itemized by expense category (meals, parking, lodging, etc.). Providing original receipt
for all expenses is strongly encouraged and required for all items over $25.00 each.
17.2. Board President. When acting in his/her official role at an OCCA Convention or other
approved OCCA meeting, the OCCA President shall be reimbursed for local travel
expenses (lodging and meals).
17.3 Executive Committee Members. OCCA will reimburse members of the Executive
Committee for actual and necessary expenses when driven in a privately owned
vehicle (mileage, parking and tolls). Executive Committee members will be reimbursed
OCCA Board of Directors Handbook Page 19
for local travel expenses (lodging and meals) only if the travel is pre-approved by the
Board President and the Executive Director.
17.4. Board Of Directors. Expenses incurred by members of the Board of Directors shall be
reimbursed by their member colleges.
OUT-OF-STATE TRAVEL
17.5 Executive Committee
OCCA will reimburse the Board President for actual and necessary expenses for
participation in approved out-of-state meetings or conventions when the President
is acting in his/her official role. OCCA will also reimburse Executive Committee
members who attend out-of-state meetings at the request of the Executive
Director and/or the Executive Committee.
BOARD OPERATIONS 18. VALUE STATEMENT
18.1 The OCCA Board of Directors will adopt a value statement that guides the Association
and staff.
18.2 The Board will review the value statement at the first association meeting of each fiscal
year.
19. PUBLICATIONS AND RESEARCH
19.1 The Executive Director has charge of and shall oversee the preparation of and
dissemination of all Board and Association publications and communications.
20. OCCA COMMITTEES
20.1 Education: The Education Committee is chaired by the Past President of the OCCA. The
committee will be comprised of three Board Members, two presidents, one
instructional administrator, and one board assistant. The committee will review and
make recommendations to staff about OCCA educational programs, including board
training events and the annual OCCA convention.
20.2 Nominating: The Nominating Committee shall be elected two meetings prior to the meeting
where the election of officers is to occur. There shall be five members of the Nominating
Committee. The Nominating Committee shall prepare a slate of officers consisting of the
vice-president, treasurer and two at-large members (and, if necessary, the president or
secretary) to be presented to the Board of Directors at the meeting prior to the meeting
where the election of officers is to occur. Additional nominations may be made from the
floor. 20.3 Budget: The Budget Committee is chaired by the OCCA treasurer. The committee will
be comprised of two presidents, two OCCA representatives, and one college financial
officer. The committee will review and make recommendations to OCCA staff about the
OCCA budget. The committee will also review with staff the annual audit of the OCCA
financial statements.
20.4 Howard Cherry Award Nominating: The Howard Cherry Award Nominating Committee
shall include the OCCA vice-president and secretary. Other members will be
appointed by the OCCA president after all nominations are received. Members will be
selected from member districts that did not submit a nomination. The committee shall
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consist of two additional president and three additional OCCA Representatives for a
total of seven members.
21. OCCA Annual Awards
21.1 Dedicated Service Award: This award is given to long-time local board members in
recognition of their years of service. Awards are given to those board members who:
a. Will complete their second four-year term on June 30 following the annual
convention.
b. Will complete additional four-year terms (12 years or more) on June 30 following the
annual convention.
21.2 Howard Cherry Award: This award is given only to those who, by their contribution to the
community college cause in Oregon, have brought recognition to community colleges
statewide. The Howard Cherry Award Nominating Committee shall decide how many awards
and in which categories awards shall be given each year before the annual convention.
a. Presentation of the awards will be made as part of the annual convention or at a
meeting of the individual’s local board.
b. Chuck Clemans Award: The Howard Cherry Award Nominating Committee may ask
for nominations for this award to recognize the exceptional service of a local board
member to the Oregon Community College Association.
22. OCCA Board Forum
22.1 OCCA Representatives may hold informal forums in conjunction with regular meetings of the
Board of Directors to discuss current topics of interest. The OCCA past-president shall chair
the forum.
22.2 The purpose of the forum is for representatives to network with fellow local board members
in an informal manner and share issues they are discussing at their colleges. No formal
motions may be made, or action taken, during a forum meeting. If an issue should arise from
a board forum meeting for consideration by the OCCA Board, the chair shall notify the
President and Executive Director prior to presentation to the OCCA Board.
Approved: April, 2015
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OCCA Meeting and Events
Board of Directors The OCCA board of directors meets throughout the year. All official business that is not delegated to the executive committee or staff is conducted at the board meetings. Each college gets one vote on action proposals. OCCA board meetings are public and documents pertaining to those meetings and OCCA business are public records.
Executive Committee Retreat OCCA hosts an annual retreat for members of its executive committee. This meeting offers the opportunity for in-depth goal setting, development of a shared vision and planning for future events. The annual executive committee retreat also provides newly elected OCCA executive committee members with an understanding of and foundation by which to lead the OCCA board throughout the upcoming year. The executive committee is comprised of the president, immediate past president, vice president, secretary, treasurer and two members-at-large.
New Board Member Training and Board Member Training During the summer months, the OCCA holds a one day training session in a retreat setting. One year the training will be aimed at new incoming board members to acquaint them with the OCCA, issues facing community colleges, meeting law and ethics, among other topics. In alternating years, the retreat will focus on training for existing board members.
Board Forums Prior to each board of directors meeting, OCCA's president facilitates an open forum for local community college board members. These forums provide an opportunity for local board members to discuss common areas of interest ranging from dealing with difficult board members to ethics to the board's role as policy-makers.
Federal Lobbying The OCCA organizes a trip to Washington, D.C. each February. Community college presidents and board members meet with Oregon's congressional delegation and other policy makers regarding national policies that will affect community colleges across America.
All-Oregon Academic Team Oregon community college scholars are honored each year at the capitol when two students from each college are recognized by high-ranking public officials and offered scholarships to participating four-year institutions to continue their education. The students chosen represent excellence in the classroom, intellectual curiosity outside the classroom, evidence of substantial development of their talents and the ability to share this development with others.
Policy or Issue Based Assemblies As the OCCA and executive committee grapple with issues, sometimes groups or committees are formed to examine and work on specific issues relating to community colleges. Once the issue has reached a conclusion, or the issue can be assimilated into the above-mentioned groups, the ad hoc groups are disbanded.
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Legislative Summit The OCCA hosts a legislative summit in Salem during the odd-number legislative session years, general in February. This meeting provides local community college board members the chance to meet with legislators and learn about the process. It also gives legislators the opportunity to hear about issues of concern to community colleges as they prepare to work through the new session. An evening reception allows an opportunity for informal interaction between the legislators and those attending the event.
OPC Retreat The presidents of the Oregon community colleges gather annually in the summer months to discuss important issues facing community colleges. This forum allows for sharing successes, sharing of resources, and time to discuss future directions and goals. The retreat is hosted by the college of the outgoing OPC chair.
Annual Conference A statewide conference is held annually in the fall for local board members, presidents, and community college staff members. Organizations supporting specific disciplines and functions such as business managers or instructional directors often hold meetings in conjunction with the OCCA conference so that members may attend relevant sessions.
The conference also honors lifelong advocates for education and community involvement with Howard Cherry awards. The awards may be granted in any of three categories - outstanding community college advocate, outstanding community college administrator, and outstanding community college board member. The Awards are given to "those who, by their contribution to the community college cause in Oregon, have brought recognition to community colleges statewide." The late Dr. Howard L. Cherry of Portland, a.k.a. "Mr. Education," was a tireless advocate of all levels of education until his passing in 1990.
An orthopedic physician and surgeon, Dr. Cherry was a member of the Portland School Board from 1956 to 1968 and served in the Oregon Legislature from 1971 to 1982. He was a founding member of the board of trustees of Portland Community College, played key roles in establishing the PCC Cascade and Rock Creek campuses, and was Oregon Medical Association's Doctor-Citizen of the Year in 1964. He was a founding member of the Association of Community College Trustees and a trustee of the American Association of Community and Junior Colleges.
OCCA staff with input from the executive committee and the education committee plan conferences and events. Every attempt is made to hold down costs while providing valuable programming.
Other Services OCCA provides advocacy, research, policy analysis, training and facilitation for various community college functions and issues. Guidance for legislative positions is provided by OCCA board members working as a committee of the whole and through its executive committee.
There are also standing committees to address education and finances. Local board members are encouraged to become involved in OCCA committees and to exercise leadership on statewide policy issues that affect community college missions and operations. Further services are provided directly to colleges by OCCA staff on a contractual or ad hoc basis.
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Local board members will receive a number of publications from OCCA during the year. Some of these will be mailed directly to you. Others will be sent to your college for distribution to you at a board meeting.
Each month OCCA provides an emailed newsletter featuring innovations and activities in Oregon community colleges as well as updates about current issues and a calendar of activities for the coming months.
During legislative years, the emailed newsletter becomes a weekly publication detailing important bills and positions that OCCA is following on behalf of the seventeen community colleges.
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Oregon Community College Association
2015-2016 Budget
REVENUE
Membership Dues 756,282.00 Annual Conference 60,000.00 All Oregon Academic Team Event 4,550.00 President's Council 43,072.00 Legislative Assessment 6,000.00
Interest Income 2,400.00 TOTAL REVENUE 872,304.00
EXPENSES
Annual Conference 50,000.00 Board Development Session 1,750.00 Capital Outlay 2,000.00 Dues & Subscriptions 8,180.00 Insurance 5,800.00 Legislative Session 2,000.00 Office Administration 28,400.00
Personnel - Benefits 150,867.00 Personnel - Salaries 543,947.24 President's Council 10,100.00 Professional Development 7,500.00 Professional Services 16,200.00 Staff & Committee Expenses 42,000.00 Student Scholar Event 4,800.00
TOTAL EXPENSES 873,544.24
Membership Dues
Member colleges pay dues annually to the OCCA based on a formula set forth in the OCCA Policies and Practices. OCCA membership dues for the year are split in half. One-half is split and paid equally by all member institutions and one-half is prorated among the colleges based on the prior year's FTE enrollment. A college must give one year's notice to withdraw from the OCCA.
Interest Income
OCCA earns interest income from its investment in the Local Government Investment Pool and from the Standard Insurance Settlement received in 1999.
Registration Fees
OCCA earns some income from registration fees paid to attend OCCA events such as the Annual Conference and the Student Scholar luncheon.
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Community College Boards: An Overview
Community college boards of trustees are responsible for ensuring that their colleges are integral parts of their communities and serve their ever-changing needs. Boards are accountable to the community for the performance and welfare of the institutions they govern.
Effective boards consist of people who come together to form a cohesive group to articulate and represent the public interest, establish a climate for learning and monitor the effectiveness of the institution. Boards of trustees do not do the work of their institutions; they establish standards for the work through the policies they set.
Their specific responsibilities are to:
Act as a Unit The board is a corporate body. It governs as a unit, with one voice. This principle means that individual trustees have authority only when they are acting as a board. They have no power to act on their own or to direct college employees or operations.
In order for boards to be cohesive and well-functioning units, trustees must work together as a team toward common goals. Boards should have structures and rules for operating that ensure they conduct their business effectively and efficiently, board agendas are clear and informative, and board meetings are run in an appropriate manner.
The power of governance is expressed through one voice. As individuals, trustees make no commitments on behalf of the board to constituents, nor do they criticize or work against board decisions.
To be effective boards must:
Integrate multiple perspectives into board decision-making Establish and abide by rules for conducting board business
Speak with one voice, and support the decision of the board once it is made
Recognize that power rests with the board, not individual trustees
Represent the Common Good Boards of trustees exist to represent the general public. They are responsible for balancing and integrating the wide variety of interests and needs into policies that benefit the common good and the future of their region.
Therefore, board members learn as much as they can about the communities they serve. They gain this knowledge by studying demographic, economic, and social trends, by being aware of issues facing the community, and by talking with other community leaders and members of other boards. They use what they learn to make decisions that respond to community interests, needs, and values.
Boards discuss multiple viewpoints and issues in public, and have strategies to include the public in the policy-making process.
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Effective trustees and boards:
Know community needs and trends
Link with the community
Seek out and consider multiple perspectives when making policy decisions Debate and discuss issues in public
Serve the public good
Set the Policy Direction Governing boards establish policies that provide direction and guidance to the president and staff of the college. A major board responsibility is to define and uphold a vision and mission that clearly reflect student and community expectations. This responsibility challenges boards to think strategically, concentrate on the "big picture," and focus on the future learning needs of their communities. It requires that boards consult widely with community groups as well as the administration, faculty, staff, and students of the college. Trustees engage in exciting, creative, thoughtful discussions as they explore the future and envision what they want their communities to be.
They:
Are proactive, visionary and future-oriented
Learn about and communicate with many different groups
Focus on community needs and trends
Establish the vision, mission and broad institutional goals as policy
Employ, Evaluate, and Support the President Successful governance depends on a good relationship between the board and the president. The president is the single most influential person in creating an outstanding institution. Therefore selecting, evaluating and supporting the president are among the board's most important responsibilities.
The president and board function best as a partnership. The president implements board policies, while the board depends on the president for guidance and educational leadership. This occasionally paradoxical relationship works best when there are clear, mutually agreed-on expectations and role descriptions. The partnership thrives on open communication, confidence, trust, and support.
To be effective, trustees and boards must:
Select and retain the best president possible
Define clear parameters and expectations for performance Conduct periodic evaluations; provide honest and constructive feedback
Act ethically in the relationship with the president
Support the president; create an environment for success.
Define Policy Standards for College Operations Successful boards of trustees adopt policies that set standards for quality, ethics and prudence in college operations. Once policy standards are established, boards delegate significant authority to the president, allowing the president and staff the flexibility they need to exercise professional judgment.
The policies should:
Define expectations for high quality educational programs
Define expectations for student achievement and fair treatment of students
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Require wise and prudent use of funds and management of assets
Set parameters to attract and retain high quality personnel and ensure fair treatment of employees.
Create a Positive Climate Boards set the tone for the entire system or institution. Through their behavior and policies, successful boards establish a climate in which learning is valued, professional growth is enhanced, and the most important goals are student success and adding value to the community. Alternatively, boards fail their institutions when they act in such a way that they create a stifling, negative, or dysfunctional atmosphere.
Boards of trustees create a positive climate when they look to the future, act with integrity, support risk-taking, and challenge the president and college staff to strive for excellence.
Effective boards and trustees:
Model a commitment to learning for students Focus on outcomes
Support professional growth
Seek consultation in developing policy
Are ethical and act with integrity.
Monitor Performance Boards are responsible for holding colleges accountable for serving current and future community learning needs. The board adopts the college direction and broad goals as policy, and then monitors the progress made toward those goals. For instance if a board adopts a policy goal that the college programs will results in skilled employees for area business, then the board should ask for periodic reports on how that goal is being met.
Boards also monitor adherence to their policies for programs, personnel, and fiscal and asset management. They receive periodic reports from staff and review reports by and for external agencies, such as accreditation, audit, and state and federal accountability reports. All monitoring processes culminate in the evaluation of the president as the institutional leader.
A board's ability to monitor its institution is enhanced when it defines the criteria and standards to be used well in advance of when reports are required, so that the president and staff are clear about what is expected.
Effective boards and trustees:
Monitor progress toward goals Monitor adherence to operational policies
Use pre-established criteria for monitoring
Schedule a timetable for reports.
Support and Be Advocates for the College Trustees are essential links with their communities. They govern on behalf of the public and ensure that the college meets the needs of external constituents. They are also advocates and protectors of the college. They promote the college in the community, and seek support for the college from local, state, and national policymakers. They support the college foundation in seeking community contributions.
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Competent boards protect the college from undue pressure on the institution from political and special interests. They support the professional freedom of administrators and faculty to create quality learning environments that incorporate many different perspectives. They protect the ability of the college to fulfill its mission and promise to their communities.
Effective trustees and boards:
Promote the college in the community
Foster partnerships with other entities in the community
Advocate the needs of the college with government officials
Support the foundation and fundraising efforts
Protect the college from inappropriate influence.
Lead as a Thoughtful Educated Team Good trusteeship requires the ability to function as part of a team, and a team functions best when all members are encouraged to contribute their unique strengths and are committed to working together.
Effective boards are thoughtful and educated. Trustees on those boards listen well, ask good questions, analyze options, think critically, and clarify their most important values and priorities. They explore issues thoroughly and make policy decisions based on thorough deliberation and comprehensive understanding.
The best boards are future-oriented. They recognize that today's world requires flexible institutions and personnel who are willing to adapt and grow in response to the changing needs of society. Trustees who act with vision, with intelligence, with curiosity and with enthusiasm create a board that is an agent for positive change.
Effective boards and trustees:
Engage in ongoing learning about board roles and responsibilities
Are curious and inclusive
Are positive and optimistic Support and respect each other
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New Board Member Guide
LEARN ABOUT BOARD MEMBER ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Attend board member orientation workshops sponsored by the Oregon Community College Association (OCCA).
Peruse board membership materials; including those published by OCCA, ACCT's Board membership in Community Colleges: A Guide to Effective Governance, and the ACCT website.
Read the local board member handbook, if there is one.
Study the board's policies on the governing board, particularly the code of ethics or standards of practice for the board.
Meet with the president, board chair and other members of the board to discuss board member roles and responsibilities.
Seek out someone from the board to use as a resource or mentor.
Discuss with the president and other board members the difference between policy making and administration.
Be aware of the legal and ethical constraints on board members, including open meetings law requirements, confidentiality, conflicts of interest, and role in collective bargaining or setting staff salaries and benefits.
Arrange your schedule to be able to attend state and national conferences for board members.
LEARN ABOUT THE COLLEGE'S PROGRAMS, HISTORY AND CULTURE
Work through the president to arrange to talk with key people about major programs and accomplishments of the district.
Arrange to tour the college. Peruse the college catalog, accreditation self-study and team report, key planning documents, and
annual report.
Know the district and college mission, vision, and policy goal statements, and the board's policies related to educational programs and services.
Read about the history of the college. Plan to attend major district events, such as convocations, opening days and graduations.
Read about the community colleges in general.
LEARN ABOUT EXTERNAL TRENDS AND ISSUES
Read local newspapers and listen to the news for trends that might affect the college.
Strengthen links with key people and groups in the communities served by the college. Attend community events. Listen for issues that are pertinent to the college.
Read about local demographic and economic trends that affect the college.
Read about state legislative, fiscal, and other policy issues that affect the colleges.
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LEARN ABOUT BOARD MEETINGS AND BOARD OPERATIONS
Review past agendas and minutes.
Thoroughly read the agenda for each meeting. During the first few months, don't hesitate to call or meet with the president, mentors or other board
members, and/or the board chair before each meeting to seek clarification on agenda items.
Become knowledgeable about basic parliamentary procedures and other practices related to participating in effective meetings.
Be willing to observe and learn for the first few months to understand how things have been operating. Call the board chair or president when there are questions. Understand the key conditions of open meetings laws and laws and regulations related to conflicts of interest.
PRACTICE GOOD HUMAN RELATIONS SKILLS
Get to know other members of the board as individuals.
Learn and respect communication protocols with other board members, the president, and staff members.
Work to be a member of the board team. Wisely contribute ideas and opinions.
RELY ON THE FOLLOWING RESOURCES
The President
The Board Chair and other experienced board members
The Oregon Community College Association (OCCA), your state organization The Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT)
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LEARN HOW BOARD MEMBERS CAN SUPPORT STUDENT SUCCESS Over the past decade the call for increased accountability, equity in educational attainment, completion and success has become heightened. Pressure for colleges to increase student success now comes not only from state legislatures but also from policy organizations, accrediting bodies and the public. It has become increasingly clear that the future of our state and nation relies heavily on students gaining the skills and credentials needed to fuel and sustain a strong economy.
This challenge is especially daunting for community colleges. Currently over 50% of all undergraduates in the United States attend community colleges; of those, 60-70% arrives on campus needing developmental education (Jones & Ewell, 2009). Our work is certainly cut out for us.
Board members have a unique role in guiding student success initiatives on campus. To help board members better understand and engage in this work the Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT) developed the Governance Institute for Student Success (GISS). In August 2014, as part of the services provided to colleges, OCCA brought the GISS to Oregon; participants included presidents and board representatives from all 17 community colleges.
As a guide for trustees unable to attend a formal GISS training, ACCT developed the guide, Making good on the promise of the open door: Effective governance and leadership to improve student equity, success and completion. The book provides practical recommendations regarding the role of board members in regard to student success:
1. Acquire resources and integrate student success in policies and operations;
2. Gain knowledge about improving student outcomes and sustain a student success and completion
agenda;
3. Model how informed governance and leadership impact student success; and
4. Elevate understanding of board and president roles and responsibilities for implementing policies,
priorities and practices regarding student success and completion (p. viii).
As one author in the GISS book states, effective community college boards, “…foster a climate that supports monitoring of institutional effectiveness…and review progress reports on student persistence and retention goals” (Smith, 2000, p. 154). To do that successfully, trustees need to know what questions to ask and to whom those questions should be directed. Examples of guiding questions for trustees include: has there been a change in our student demographics since our last strategic plan? Does our board know how well our college is doing in improving student success? When was the last time our board looked at data pertaining to student success and completion?
There are numerous student success initiatives underway in Oregon community colleges (eg. Achieving the Dream, developmental education redesign, Survey of Entering Student Engagement). Board members are poised to help those initiatives succeed and change student lives. How will your board answer the call to increase student success, retention and completion?
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Responsibilities of the Board Member
Community college board members are faced with an increasingly important role as community colleges attempt to respond to greater challenges with fewer resources. Board members have responsibilities that include appointing the president, supporting the president, monitoring the president's performance, clarifying the institution's mission and approving long-range plans. In the material that follows, several
assumptions are made about the board member's role:
1. Board members hold and control assets and programs in trust, that is, for the benefit of others.
2. Board members are policy-makers, not managers or administrators. 3. Those who benefit from community colleges vary widely. Beneficiaries can be the general public
(open admissions), business and industry, or specialized populations, as in the case of welfare reform or dislocated worker programs.
Liability Board members are generally not personally liable for decisions made within the scope of their duties as a board member, although in some cases the college itself may incur liability. Denial of constitutional rights or certain forms of defamation can in some circumstances result in personal liability. College legal counsel or the legal staff at the Oregon Community College Association can provide more detailed information on this topic upon request.
Appointing the President Selecting the right person to direct the life of the institution is a critical matter. Faculty, administrative officers, students, alumni and others will want a voice in the decision, but even if the choice is shared it is - let there be no doubt about it - a board responsibility. Since the choice of a new president ought to depend on institutional needs, the board should look to the faculty, staff and students to analyze institutional needs and develop a list of qualified candidates. The board, however, has the final authority to select the president. No other decision will have quite so profound and far-reaching an impact on the institution.
Some institutions use an executive search service to assist with the screening process. The Association of Community College Trustees offer services that may be appropriate for Oregon community college boards. Other providers also offer the service.
Supporting the President
Since the board delegates to the president the responsibility and authority for running the institution, it is in the board's vested and moral interest to help the president succeed. In order to support him or her, it is important for the board to understand the president's role with its built-in conflicts and often unreasonable demands. A wise board chair can save a president from serious mistakes and even catastrophe by thoughtful and sensitive coaching. The board should recognize the president's strengths and shortcomings and be sensitive to the president's physical and emotional well-being. The board should insist that the president take annual vacations and short breaks, as well as take sabbatical leaves to restore institutional perspective and maintain professional competence.
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Monitoring the President's Performance Not only should the board be supportive of the president, but it must also keep a watchful eye on the
quality and performance of the institution's administration. The board must evaluate the efficiency of the college's operation and whether policies approved by the board are being faithfully carried out. However, board members must be careful not to directly interfere with management. The line between making and carrying out policy is a fine one. For instance, the board should approve a personnel policy for the institution, but it should not get involved in the selection of individual employees. The hiring process is an administrative, not a policy function. The board's role is to ratify the administration's hiring decisions if such ratification is included in the college's policies.
The purpose of evaluation should be forward-looking: to identify goals for the years ahead and set ways to determine what progress has been made toward those goals. To be most productive in the evaluation of the president, some boards have developed fairly specific criteria that address general administration, relationships, personal attributes, personnel, fiscal, facilities, and academic administration. The evaluation process addresses issues of administration and accountability, reviews whether mutually agreed upon goals are being met, identifies the president's strengths and weaknesses and continues to define the scope and
role of the office and the president's performance in that office.
Clarifying the Institution's Mission As demand for transfer education increases and technical-professional programs have become more costly, the board with administrators, faculty, and staff must review the institution's mission. Questions must center on what makes the community college distinct from other institutions. What difference would it make, and to whom, if it ceased to exist? Who is the clientele? Are the programs meeting the needs of the community? Should the college retain its original mission to have a comprehensive program that includes transfer courses, professional technical courses and basic and continuing education courses, or should that approach be reassessed?
The board should ensure that the institution has a statement of mission. Most boards do not try to write such a statement on their own, but involve administration, faculty and other interested people in the process. The board approves the final statement and the institution publishes it where appropriate in order to ensure that the public and students know what to expect and not expect from the college.
Approving Long-Range Plans Long-range plans are the strategies for achieving the institution's mission. While it is the responsibility of the administration to set short-range plans which deal with immediate projections on expenditures, revenues, capital outlays and the like, long-range plans are intended to provide direction, vision and the goals toward which the institution should be moving. Consequently, elected board members must accept responsibility for establishing long range plans even though they may ask the administration to participate in their drafting.
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Conducting Board Meetings
Under Oregon law, all meetings of a governing board, subcommittees of a board and advisory committees of a board are subject to provisions of the Public Meetings Law, ORS 192.610 thru 192.710. This includes any state or local government board, commission, council, advisory group, committee or official subcommittee consisting of two or more members.
The Public Meetings Law also applies to committees without the power of decision when they are designated to advise a public body, but not when the advice goes to individual public officials, such as presidents. For example, a committee that advises the college president on student conduct policy is not subject to the law, while the same committee is subject to the law if it advises the board.
Meetings A meeting occurs when a quorum is present to receive information or to decide or deliberate on any public matter. A quorum would mean at least four of the seven-member community college board, assuming all positions are filled.
The law specifies that:
1. All meetings of these bodies shall be conducted in public unless specially exempted;
2. No quorum of a governing body may meet in private to decide or deliberate toward a decision on any matters except those exempted by law.
On-site inspections and chance social gatherings are exempt. Attendance by members of a governing body at meetings of any national, regional or state association to which the public body or its members belong is not considered a meeting of the public body.
Where Meetings May Be Held The governing body must meet within its geographical boundaries, or at its administrative headquarters or at the nearest practical location. This does not apply to emergency meetings or to training sessions where no deliberations toward a decision are involved.
The chair should encourage full discussion of every important board decision. The chair should not dominate the discussion, but should make sure questions vital and relevant to the decision are raised. This should include withholding personal views until the other board members have had an opportunity to express themselves. Respect and consideration of the opinions of all board members is essential. This extends to respect and courtesy toward the president's recommendation, even if the board and president are in disagreement over the issue.
Throughout the meeting, the chair should keep the board's attention focused on the agenda items. Meetings that wander aimlessly off into discussions of side issues become unnecessarily long, may result in part of the board's work being left unfinished and leave a poor impression with visitors. It may also be an indication that the board is too concerned with administrative details best left to the president.
Above all else, the chair should recognize the need for statesmanship. When controversial problems arise, calm and objective leadership will influence the behavior of the rest of the board and other persons involved. A friendly tone of voice, firm control over meeting procedures, a sense of humor and willingness to give all sides an equal chance to voice their opinions can do much to keep a potential crisis from exploding.
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The Chairman's Experience and Role The board chair needs a thorough knowledge of board policy and parliamentary procedure. Meetings of the board, though they may be informal, should nonetheless follow established parliamentary procedure or similar rules and should comply with district policy and state law. It is helpful to make sure that board members are aware of which rules of procedure are to be used. (Robert's Rules is the most common.) Board members should be provided with a summary of the major motions and order of precedence. Pocket guides of rules of order are available from many commercial sources.
The chair does not have the authority to direct the staff to do things that have not been agreed upon by the entire board. The chair may, however, ask the president to prepare materials for presentation to the full board. The chair may do this in anticipation of questions board members may have about a specific issue. The president may, in turn, ask other staff members to prepare information for the board.
The chair should not presume to speak for the board unless the board has arrived at a formal decision. The chair also should be cautious about voicing personal opinions since those views may be interpreted as representing board opinion. The chair should not, for example, write where no deliberations toward a decision are involved.
Joint meetings of two or more governing bodies must be held within the boundaries of one of the governing bodies or at the nearest location. In cases of an actual emergency necessitating immediate action by the governing board, the limitations on locations where the meeting may be held do not apply.
The governing body may not meet in any place that discriminates on the basis of race, creed, color, sex, age, national origin, or disability.
Calling Meetings A community college board must provide notice for the time and place of its regular meetings. The board may adjourn such meetings until the next regular meeting or to a specified time prior to the next regular meeting.
Regular and special meetings may be convened: 1) by order of the chair; 2) upon request of three members of the board at least 24 hours before such a meeting is to be held; or 3) by common agreement of the board members.
Notice Requirements Reasonable notice of time and place is required for any public meeting. Remember, a public meeting happens whenever a majority of community college board members, or a majority of a board advisory committee, meets to deliberate toward a decision. The law requires this notice to be reasonably calculated to give actual notice to interested persons, including news media, who have requested notice of the time and place for meetings.
Twenty-four hour notice is required for special meetings. Appropriate notice is required for emergency meetings including phone calls to media. Executive session notices must cite legal authorization for the session.
The meeting notice must list the principal subjects to be considered at the meeting and must also include a list of principal subjects anticipated to be considered. However, this does not preclude discussion of other subjects at the meeting.
Conflict of Interest Oregon law defines actual conflict of interest as "any action or any decision or recommendation by a person acting in a capacity as a public official, the effect of which would be to the private pecuniary benefit or detriment of the person or the person's relative or any business with which the person or a
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relative of the person is associated," with certain exceptions. The definition of potential conflict is similar. The guidebook produced by the Government Standards and Practices Commission provides more details.
Oregon Ethics Law contained in ORS 244 prohibits the use of an official position or office to obtain financial gain for the official, a household member, or a business with which the official is associated.
When an item of business before a community college board may represent a conflict of interest for an individual board member, the board member must publicly announce the nature of that potential conflict of interest before taking any official action on the item in question. Such announcement is only required once when the matter is being discussed or debated but must be stated each time the matter is raised anew for discussion.
The member with an actual conflict of interest may not take action on the matter generating the conflict. The person announcing a potential conflict of interest may still vote on the matter, but may not use his or her position for financial gain.
Executive Sessions A board may be called together exclusively for the purpose of meeting in executive session, or a board may decide to go into executive session at any time during a regular, special or emergency meeting to discuss appropriate subject matters. In all cases, the presiding officer must identify the section and subsection of ORS 192.660 that define the subject matter for which the executive session is authorized.
For example, for an executive session dealing with labor negotiations, the presiding officer must say: "The board will now meet in executive session to discuss negotiations allowed under ORS 192.660 (2)(d)." If the discussion concerns real property transactions, the presiding officer must say, "The board will now meet in executive session to discuss a real property transaction under ORS 192.660 (2)(e)." The board must state for the record each type of item for which an executive session is called.
Called by the Presiding Officer A board may go into executive session on call of the presiding officer. The law does not require a vote of the board to go into executive session; however, in some districts local policy may require such a vote.
Purposes of Executive Session The purposes for which an executive session may be held and the correct citations for this authority are as follows. Although there are some exceptions (as listed under exceptions), a community college board may go into executive session to:
Consider the employment of a public officer, employee, staff member, or individual agent. ORS 192.660 (2) (a)
Consider the dismissal or disciplining of, or to hear complaints or charges brought against, a public officer, employee, staff member or agent, unless the officer, employee, staff member, or agent requests an open meeting. ORS 192.660 (2) (b)
Conduct deliberations with a person designated by the governing body to carry on labor negotiations. ORS 192.660 (2) (d)
Deliberate with persons designated to negotiate real property transactions. ORS 192.660 (2) (e)
Consider records that are exempt by law from public inspection. ORS 192.660 (2) (f)
Consult with counsel concerning the legal rights and duties of a public body with regard to current litigation or litigation likely to be filed. ORS 192.660 (2) (h)
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Review and evaluate the employment-related performance of the chief executive officer, or any other public officer, employee or staff member unless the person whose performance is being reviewed and evaluated requests an open hearing. ORS 192.660 (2) (i)
An executive session may deal with the performance of the individual being evaluated and the impact on the district's operation and programs, but it may not include the general evaluation of an agency goal, objective, or operation or direct personnel to change the agency goals, objectives, operations or programs.
The board must adopt standards, criteria and policy directives used in evaluating the chief executive officer prior to the evaluation. This must be done in meetings open to the public and the public must be given the opportunity to comment.
When Executive Session Does Not Apply Executive session authority does not apply to: a) the filling of a vacancy in an elective office; b) the filling of a vacancy on any public committee, commission or other advisory group; c) the consideration of general employment policies; d) the employment (hiring) of the chief executive officer and any other employee if the vacancy has not been advertised, regularized procedures for hiring have not be adopted by the board and there has been no opportunity for public input on the employment of the president. The board in an open public meeting must adopt standards, criteria, and policy directives to be used in hiring the president.
Negotiations Labor negotiations are required to be conducted in open session. However, either party may request that negotiations be conducted in executive session. Labor negotiations conducted by an individual retained by the governing body are not subject to the Public Meetings Law if that individual conducts all negotiations for the governing body. Also negotiations by representative employees and employers are not subject to Public Meetings Law because the governing body is not holding the meeting.
News Media Representatives of the news media are allowed to attend executive sessions except those convened for labor negotiations or for consideration of K-12 student expulsion or student medical records.
The governing body should specify that the information discussed at the executive session is not to be made public by the media. Representatives of the news media may report any discussions of any matters in executive session that are not within the scope of executive session authority.
No Final Action The law states that "no executive session may be held for the purpose of taking final action or making any final decision."
Violations Any person affected by a governing body decision may commence action in the Circuit Court to:
Require compliance with the Public Meetings Law
Prevent violation of the law, or
Determine applicability of the law to matters or decisions of the governing body
When a person presents evidence to the court that a governing body has violated the Public Meetings Law, it is the governing body's responsibility to prove that it complied with the law. The court is authorized to grant such equitable relief as it deems appropriate to the circumstances and award attorney fees to the successful plaintiff at the trial level and on appeal. No decision of a governing body
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shall be voided because of a violation of the Public Meetings Law unless the court can find no other equitable relief.
Members of a governing body who knowingly and willfully violate the Public Meetings Law may be individually liable for the cost of attorney fees and the equitable relief determined by the court.
Complaints that public officials have violated the executive session provisions of the law may be made to the Oregon Government Standards and Practices Commission for review and investigation.
The Commission may interview witnesses, review minutes and other records and obtain other relevant information during its investigation. The Commission may impose civil penalties not to exceed $1,000 for violating any provision of ORS 192.660. If the governing body acted upon advice of legal counsel, no civil penalty may be imposed.
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Notes
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Education Governance in Oregon
Community College Governance Ensures Flexibility and Accountability Locally elected boards which are responsive to individual community needs govern Oregon Community Colleges individually. Local boards employ presidents for their colleges and approve local budget decisions. Community colleges are regulated by the Higher Education Coordinating Commission which, through the Office of Community Colleges and Workforce Development, distribute funds and approve programs. The Oregon Community College Association is an advocacy organization governed by a board made up of the president and one board member representative from each community college.
Higher Education Coordinating Commission
Governed by a 14-member volunteer board.
Responsible for advising the legislature, the governor, and the Chief Education Office on higher education policy.
Statutory authorities include the development of biennial budget recommendations, making funding allocations to community colleges and public universities, approving new academic programs in the public system, allocating Oregon Opportunity Grants (state need-based student aid), authorizing degrees that are proposed by private and out-of-state (distance) providers, licensing private career and trade schools, and overseeing programs for veterans.
Supported by an executive director who oversees a small staff and the directors of eight units within the HECC including the Office of Community College and Workforce Development (CCWD), the Office of Research and Data, and the Office of Student Access and Completion (OSAC).
The Office of Community Colleges and Workforce Development and the HECC director provide support for the 17 community colleges.
Chief Education Office
Directed by a Chief Education Officer, appointed by the governor.
Coordinates with education stakeholders to streamline and connect public education from kindergarten through grade 12 to post-secondary education. Provides an integrated, statewide data system that contains student-level outcomes from all public education institutions in order to allow for longitudinal analysis and research.
Collaborates with education stakeholders to develop and review educational goals and reports on state progress toward achieving the educational goals.
Locally Elected Community College Boards
ORS 341.290 through 341.321 outlines statutory authority personnel policy and contracts
Set standards of admission. Set and collect tuition rates for in-district and out-of-district students; set fees.
College president hired by the local community college boards.
Community Colleges also partner with the Office of Student Access and Completion, the Economic and Community Development Department, Oregon Workforce Investment Board and other state agencies and hundreds of institutions and private businesses to provide the most efficient and effective education service delivery in the state.
Oregon Community College Structure and Governance
Elected Local Board of
Education (ORS 341)
Governor Oregon Legislature
OEIB
Director CCWD HECC
Federal Government
Statewide Community College Groups:
Council of Student Services Administrators (CSSA)
17 Community Colleges NW Commission on
Colleges & Universities
Financial Aid Directors
Council of Instructional Administrators (CIA)
Business Officers
HR Directors
Institutional Researchers (OCCIR)
Public Relations Mangers (OCMPR)
CTE Deans
OCCDLA
IT Managers
OCCA
President
Oregon Presidents
Council (OPC)
OPC Chair
OCCA Executive
Committee (7 Voting
Members)
Oregon Community College Association
(OCCA)
OCCA Executive
Director
17 District Presidents
17 Elected Board
Members (OCCA Reps)
KEY:
Ex-Officio Link
Communication
Decision-Making
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OCCA Board of Directors
(34 Members; 1 Vote/College)
Staff
Other Committee
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Community College Statewide Structure Criteria
Oregon’s community colleges are designed to serve the educational needs of their local community. Each college is governed by a locally elected seven member board that directly connects the college to the community. Community college board members are accountable to their communities for the success of their students, their ability to meet local needs, and the financial integrity of their colleges. The seventeen colleges operate under a strong ethic of collaboration on issues of statewide importance, ensuring collectively that resources are leveraged to best support the needs of all students and communities. Through these efforts, colleges are working together to advance the ideas of access, student success and completion.
A statewide structure for Oregon community colleges will:
Champion local community college’s right to respond to local needs in effective, flexible ways.
o Ensure that locally elected boards of education and the powers enumerated in ORS 341 are upheld. o Protect local authority to set priorities and policies that govern community college operations at the
local level. o Recognize the diversity of Oregon’s community colleges and avoid unfunded statewide mandates or
regulations. o Recognize the unique mission and structure of community colleges as distinct and different from
K-12 or the Oregon University System, while strengthening and deepening partnerships with both systems equally.
Support and advocate the broad, comprehensive community college mission.
o Support transfer, professional-technical, basic skills and community education programs based on local needs.
o Support student preparation, persistence and completion at all levels. o Align state finance and budget decisions with the community college mission and objectives and
make funding requests to the Governor and the Legislature that further the mission and objectives. o Create a strong partnership between the state and local colleges that clearly identifies and supports
the role and relationship of each.
Provide leadership and support to community colleges in their continual redesign of educational delivery and structural systems to serve the current, emerging and future educational needs of Oregonians.
o Convene and support statewide initiatives that are designed in partnership with the colleges to increase student access, success and completion.
o Provide assistance, research and best practice information to colleges. o Create collaborative partnerships with other educational sectors, the workforce system and
employers at the state level. o Create an information infrastructure that enables colleges to use learning analytics.
Provide policy and administrative frameworks that supports community colleges o Create targeted administrative rules to the extent necessary to address state level issues while
supporting local boards’ roles over all other policies governing the operation of the college. o Distribute state money to the colleges in an equitable manner that supports student preparation,
persistence and completion
o Provide audit functions to ensure that data from the colleges is accurate. o Approve the creation of new college degree and certificate programs proposed by colleges and
ensure that there is no unnecessary duplication of programs.
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2015 Legislative Session: Budget
OCCA worked in coalition with the public universities in advocating for funding for both sectors with community
colleges asking for $550 million and universities asking for $755 million. Advocacy efforts included a joint higher
education rally, outstanding joint representation at the Ways and Means Committee road hearings, and numerous
legislative visits with a coalition of students, administration and faculty.
In the end, the community college support fund was funded at $550 million dollars with a budget note asking the
Office of Community Colleges and Work Force Development (CCWD) to update relevant legislative committees if an
outcomes-based funding formula is adopted. No other restrictions were placed on the budget. This represents a
$100 million, or 22% increase over the 2013 session appropriation.
Community College Support Fund State General Funds (in millions)
$600,000,000 $550 M
$495 M
$500,000,000 $465 M
$428 M $428 M $431 M
$391 M $411 M $396 M
$400,000,000 $375 M
$326 M
$300,000,000
$200,000,000
$100,000,000
$0
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Session Overview
OCCA 2015 Legislative Session Highlights
The 2015 Legislative Session was the first since the recession in which legislators began to make
restorations to budgets beyond their pre-recession funding levels. It will also be remembered for a
session that began with one governor, but saw his resignation and replacement by Governor Kate
Brown, all in the first month of session.
OCCA focused much of the organization’s energy around advocating for a significant increase to the
community college support fund, with no strings attached as to how the money would be spent by
colleges. This was the first session since the 2007, when the Great Recession began, in which quarterly
economic forecasts were consistently optimistic. In fact, leading into the legislative session, one of the
biggest concerns for budget writers was whether the state kicker law would trigger the automatic
refund of over $350 million in income tax revenue. Eventually, legislators found the kicker would kick
but revenue for the upcoming biennium was projected high enough to continue making budget
restorations.
However, midway through the session, a ruling on the Public Employment Retirement System (PERS)
deal crafted in the 2013 session, was mostly struck down by the Oregon Supreme Court. The decision
upheld changes for future retirees and ended tax payments for out-of-state retirees but overturned
changes to the COLA benefits of current retirees – leaving only a fraction of the savings from the 2013
law and setting up a complicated system for determining COLAs in the future. While PERS has reserves
set aside to cover the costs of the court overturning the COLA changes in the upcoming biennium, costs
to employers will rise in the 2017-19 biennium as unfunded actuarial liabilities increase.
With John Kitzhaber resigning as Oregon’s governor on February 12, much of his signature education
policy changes were left in flux. The fate of the OEIB (Oregon Education Investment Board) changed
dramatically with Kitzhaber’s departure and left a bit of a policy vacuum for issues like free community
college gain momentum and others like the OEIB’s accelerated learning proposal to collapse and be
largely replaced.
With large majorities in both chambers after the 2014 election, democrats also had the ability to push
through legislation that had died in the Senate in previous the session. This affected legislation on a
variety of issues from the environment to education. It also meant that organized labor was able to pass
a few of their priority bills that had failed in previous sessions.
Budget
OCCA worked in coalition with the public universities in advocating for funding for both sectors with
community colleges asking for $550 million and universities asking for $755 million. Advocacy efforts
included a joint higher education rally, outstanding joint representation at the Ways and Means
Committee road hearings, and numerous legislative visits with a coalition of students, administration
and faculty. In the end, the community college support fund was funded at $550 million dollars with a
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budget note asking the Office of Community Colleges and Work Force Development (CCWD) to update
relevant legislative committees if an outcomes-based funding formula is adopted. No other restrictions
were placed on the budget. This represents a $100 million, or 22% increase over the 2013 session
appropriation.
Governance
With the departure of Governor Kitzhaber, much of his education agenda, especially the fate of the OEIB,
were left in flux. Led by Senator Arnie Roblan, the legislature convened a workgroup of members
of the legislature and stakeholders across all sectors of education. OCCA participated heavily in the
workgroup which lead to the passage of SB 215. The OEIB will now become the Chief Education Office
directed by the Chief Education Officer, who will be appointed by the Governor. The office will not be
directed by a board as the OEIB was and will have much narrower responsibilities, including playing a
coordinating role to focus on transitions between sectors and equity issues. Notably, the HECC Executive
Director will no longer report to the Chief Education Officer, except for the specific issues related to
“multi-agency” planning.
(P) = Passed (F) = Failed to Pass
Budget
(P) Aspirations to College (HB 3063) – The Aspirations to College bill continues a program through
CCWD for a grant program that distributes moneys to community colleges to increase number of
underserved, low-income and first-generation college-bound students who enroll in community college
and make progress toward degree or certificate. It was funded at $3 million.
(F) Tuition Freeze (HB 3281 INTRO) – This bill was at the request of the Oregon Student Association
placing a tuition and fee freeze on public universities and community colleges for the 2015-17 biennium.
The bill was intended to make a point more than anything else and did not receive a hearing.
(P) HECC/CCWD Budget (HB 5024 A) – This is the budget bill for HECC, OSAC, universities and the
Community College Support Fund. It includes $550 million for the support fund, a 22 percent increase
over the previous biennium. That budget included a budget not asking HECC to update the legislature
should it move to an outcomes-based funding model. Funding for the Oregon Opportunity Grant
program is increased to $140.9 million total funds, a 23.7 percent increase. At this level of funding
approximately 84,000 recipients are expected to receive grants averaging $1,650.
(P) Advising Support (SB 5507) – In last minute budget negotiations, OCCA was able to secure an
additional $1.5 million for student advising.
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Capital Construction
(P) Capital Construction Bills (HB 5005 A & HB 5006 A) – Community colleges were not included in
capital construction for the 2015 session after the legislature funded the entire community college
capital list in the 2013 session. With that funding, the Ways and Means Committee directed community
colleges not to ask for new capital projects until the 2017 session. However, language approving land
sales for two existing projects at Rogue and Tillamook Bay were included in the bill, along with an
extension for Clackamas and a substitute of projects for Mt. Hood.
Collective Bargaining
(F) Expedited Bargaining Changes (HB 2544 A) – As introduced, this bill would have changed existing
expedited bargaining provisions in the Public Employee Collective Bargaining Act and required
mediation and arbitration to implement mid-term contract changes when disputes arose. OCCA joined
other local governments in opposing this bill as it would have removed an essential tool to move
forward with mid-term contract changes when warranted. The bill died in the Senate Rules Committee.
CTE/STEM
(P) CTE Funding for School Districts (HB 3072 A) – The legislature funded $35 million for career and
technical education (CTE) through the Oregon Department of Education budget. This bill sets up a
framework for that funding. Appropriates include $2 million for post-secondary CTE for
underrepresented and women students, $5 million for stem hubs, $4.75 million for stem innovations,
$8.75 million for career pathways for K-12, and $9 million for CTE revitalization grants.
(F) CTE Revitalization Grants (SB 725 INTRO) – Republican Senator Alan Olsen introduced this bill to
appropriate $25 million to the HECC for CTE revitalization grants to community colleges. Democratic
leadership allowed a courtesy hearing on the bill, but it was never seriously considered for passage and
was outside the regular budget process.
Education Policy
(P) Non-Credit Training Certificates (HB 2410 ENB) – CCWD staff worked in the interim on this concept
to allow certification of non-credit training. OCCA strongly supported the concept and worked to
counter concerns raised by for-profit providers. The bill passed with near unanimous support.
(P) Transfer of Community College Credits (HB 2525) – This bill was to insure the transferability of
community college courses to public universities as well as establish processes that minimize the
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number of courses a student transferring with the AAOT would need to complete to earn a bachelor’s
degree. As enrolled, the bill now directs the Higher Education Coordinating Commission to convene a
work group to develop standards related to transferability of credits for community colleges and public
universities with a report due to the legislature by July 1, 2016.
(P) Community College Placement (HB 2681) – In its original form, this bill from Rep. Komp directed
community colleges to use one of four national assessments for student placement in college courses.
However after OCCA worked with the representative, the bill now directs the Higher Education
Coordinating Commission and State Board of Education to appoint a work group to examine and
recommend effective processes and strategies for placing students in courses at community colleges.
This work will be closely aligned with placement work already underway via the developmental
education redesign effort. A preliminary report is due to the legislature by February 1, 2016, with a final
report due September 15, 2016.
(F) Establish Work Group to Identify Bachelor Degree Courses (HB 2682) – This bill was sponsored by
Rep. Komp in an effort to ease the student transfer process from community college to public
university. Specifically, the bill directed the Higher Education Coordinating Commission to convene a
work group of public university presidents to identify core classes needed for a bachelor’s degree and
articulate the criteria a community college course must have in order to be counted as one of the core
classes. This bill died in committee.
(F) Parlez Vous Linux? (HB 2766 INTRO) – This bill would have allowed language-based computer coding
to satisfy any world language requirements in public schools and second language requirements in
community colleges and post-secondary institutions of education. It failed to move forward after an
initial hearing.
(P) Open Educational Resources (HB 2871) – Establishes Open Educational Resources (OERs) Grant
Program for community colleges and universities within Higher Education Coordinating Commission
(HECC). The bill requires HECC to identify OERs adopted as primary instructional material for at least 15
postsecondary courses with a report due to the legislature by December 1, 2015. HECC was also
directed and funded to hire a specialist to focus on this area. This bill appropriates $700,000 for grants
to colleges and universities to develop OERs.
(P) Establishes Affordable Baccalaureate Degree Act (HB 2973 EN) – This bill directs universities to work
toward a fixed cost baccalaureate degree that is less expensive than a traditional degree. Community
colleges are to work with the universities to provide streamlined transfer and dual enrollment
programs.
(F) Community College for High School Students (HB 3118 INTRO) – This bill would have allowed high
school aged students who have not received high school diploma to attend community college and to
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use moneys that would have paid for public school to be paid for books, tuition and fees. This bill did
not receive a hearing.
(P) Oregon Promise (Free Community College Tuition for Some) (SB 81 A) – SB 81 creates a program
administered by the Oregon Student Access Commission (OSAC) for students who have graduated from
high school with a 2.5 GPA or received their GED in the last six months. Students must file a FAFSA if
eligible. The grant is a minimum of $1000 up to the average cost of community college tuition. HECC is
given authority to direct the grant at graduates from specific high schools or districts and to promulgate
rules to design the program to help students succeed and complete. $10 million is appropriated to fund
the program in the second year of the 2015-17 biennium. OCCA worked extensively with legislative
leaders to frame the resulting legislation to ensure it is workable and meets the needs of students.
(F) Accelerated Learning (SB 84 INTRO) – This bill would have established statewide standards and
funding mechanisms for accelerated college credit programs for high school students. As introduced, it
would have banned online college courses for high school students and given HECC authority to set
faculty credentials. OCCA opposed the bill.
(F) Let’s End Poverty (SB 114 INTRO) – This bill would have directed the now defunct Oregon Education
Investment Board to work with the Early Learning Council to evaluate methods for providing
components of two-generation strategy to address poverty. The bill received a hearing but did not move
further in the process.
(F) Fifth Year High School Programs (SB 322 INTRO) – This bill would have established funding
mechanism for fifth year high school programs. However, a companion bill, SB 898, established a one
year moratorium on the expansion of five year programs pending a workgroup on the topic.
(P) Oregon Promise Support Money (SB 418 A) – The bill as passed out of the Senate Education
Committee would have implemented the language of SB 84 and the accelerated learning task force.
OCCA worked to amended it to set aside $7 million in the Emergency Board for advising and accelerated
learning for Oregon Promise students. HECC will convene a work group to make recommendations for
the use of the money prior to the 2016 session.
(F) Universities Awarding Associate Degrees (SB 518 INTRO) – This bill would have directed the
HECC to convene a work group of representatives from public universities and community colleges to
determine whether the 40-40-20 mission would be enhanced by enabling universities to award
associate degrees.
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Financial Aid
(F) Prohibits Contracts with Financial Aid Management Firms (HB 2254 INTRO) – This bill would have
prohibited public colleges and universities from entering into contracts with third-party financial
services firms like Higher One. It also would have prohibited practices such as the PIN transaction fee
charged in some Higher One contracts. This bill received a hearing but did not move any further in the
process. HB 2832 eventually became the vehicle for changes in this policy area.
(P) Changes to the Oregon Opportunity Grant (HB 2407 A) – This bill gives the executive director of the
Oregon Student Access Commission the ability to set maximum award amounts for the Oregon
Opportunity Grant and set priorities for funding if they grant is not fully funded. Priorities would include
things like low-income status and the state’s equity goals. The bill represented the work of a task force
that included members of the HECC and financial aid directors from community colleges and
universities. OCCA also participated in the task force.
(F) Pay it Forward (HB 2662 A) – This bill directs the HECC to set up the policies and rules necessary to
implement the Pay it Forward program, by which students would attend a community college or
university tuition-free but would pay the cost back later as a percentage of the salary. The program has
no funding attached but directs the HECC to set up the program should funding become available. The
program has no mandates regarding tuition for colleges and universities and would run through OSAC.
(P) Third Party Financial Services (Higher One) (HB 2832 B) – Often referred to as the “Higher One bill,”
this legislation prohibits certain practices when public colleges or universities enter into agreements
with third party financial services companies like Higher One. Practices that will be prohibited include
PIN transaction fees and profit sharing. OCCA worked with universities and other advocates to amend
the bill including the removal of language that would have granted students a private right of action in
disputes with such companies.
(F) Third Party Financial Service Contract Negotiating (HB 3184 INTRO) – This bill would have directed
the State Treasurer, in consultation with HECC, to negotiate contracts with companies like Higher One.
Ultimately the Treasurer’s Office did not want this responsibility and the bill did not move through the
process after an initial hearing.
(F) Oregon Opportunity Grant Funds for STEM Field (SB 529 INTRO) – This bill would have required that
at least 25 percent of Oregon Opportunity Grant moneys be awarded to students committed to
majoring in science, technology, engineering or mathematics fields. The bill did not receive a hearing.
OCCA Board of Directors Handbook Page 50
(P) Financial Aid for Students Qualifying for Exemption From Nonresident Tuition (SB 932 A) – This bill,
championed by the Oregon Student Association, allows students to be eligible for the Oregon
Opportunity Grant if they are undocumented but qualify for in-state tuition under Oregon law.
Governance
(P) Integrates CCWD into HECC (HB 2408 EN) – Based on recommendations from the HB 4018 task
force, this bill completes the integration of CCWD into HECC by moving CCWD into HECC as the Office of
Community Colleges and Workforce Development. It also changes the name from Commissioner to
Director.
(F) Removes Sunset on Achievement Compacts (HB 2953) – This bill was to allow the continuation of
achievement compacts beyond the 2016 academic year. It also contained language clarifying that
annual submission dates for compacts would be established by the Oregon Education Investment Board.
With the bill’s failure, achievement compacts are repealed.
(P) Reconfigures OEIB (SB 215 A) – This bill drastically changes the Oregon Education Investment Board
by eliminating the board, reconfiguring the duties of the Chief Education Office to focus on convening
and facilitation, and limits the authority for rulemaking and oversight over the HECC and the Oregon
Department of Education. The bill also extends the sunset for four more years with a continuation of the
workgroup of education stakeholders to further recommend changes at the 2016 session. OCCA played a
key role in shaping the final version of the bill.
Health Care
(P) OEBB Entity Definition Broadened to Include OCCA (SB 681 EN) – This bill revises the definition of
"local government" to allow inter-government entities established under ORS 190, including OCCA, to
gain access to health insurance through the Oregon Educators Benefit Board (OEBB). Allowing OCCA to
access OEBB plans to cover staff provides a potentially less expensive option for health benefits. OCCA
currently obtains insurance through the Small Business Insurance market.
(F) Health Insurance for Part-Time Faculty (SB 702 A) – Community colleges and universities would
have been required to pay the premium costs for part-time faculty members who qualified for health
insurance based on work at multiple institutions. Part-time faculty working at multiple institutions
already have access to Oregon Educators Benefit Board (OEBB) plans on a self-pay basis. OCCA worked
with the OEBB and the colleges to identify the potential cost of this mandate. Due to the significant cost
to universities and community colleges, the bill was referred to the Joint Committee on Ways and
Means for further consideration. While the bill did not move forward, an amendment was added to SB
113 to require HECC to form a workgroup to make recommendations before the February 2016
OCCA Board of Directors Handbook Page 51
Legislative session on how part-time hours are calculated and premiums might be subsidized in the
future.
Operations
(P) Protects Confidential Communications for Victims of Sexual Violence (HB 3476 EN) – OCCA joined
the Title IX Coordinators at Oregon’s public post-secondary institutions in support of this bill to establish
privilege in civil, criminal, administrative and school proceedings for communications between persons
seeking services related to domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking and victim services programs
and advocates. The bill was signed by the Governor and become effective June 4, 2015.
(P) Use of Preferred Name and Voluntary Identification of Students, Faculty and Staff Sexual
Orientation (SB 473 B) – OCCA worked with the bill’s proponents on an amendment to require HECC to
work with community colleges to determine the best method for collecting voluntarily provided data
related to sexual orientation and implementing policies permitting enrolled students to use preferred
names on certain college documents. HECC must also identify barriers to carrying out these
requirements including legal, cost, and data system limitations and report back to the legislature no
later than May 31, 2016.
(P) Community College Budget Information (SB 519 A) – This bill requires CCWD to select and
implement a uniform budget and accounting system to be used by community colleges and to publicly
post the information on the department’s website. OCCA worked to clarify that the system already
exists and is used by community colleges. Due to personnel changes at CCWD this information is no
longer posted on a publicly accessible web page. This bill will require that information to be available
once again.
(P) Policies to Assist Victims of Sexual Assault on College Campuses (SB 759 EN) – Community colleges
were added to this bill, which requires Oregon public and private post-secondary institutions to adopt
written protocols for victims of sexual assault to ensure that victims receive necessary services and
assistance. The requirements mirror best practices that exist in federal law related to the federal SaVE
Act, Clery Act, and Title IX. OCCA worked with the colleges and the bill’s proponents to ensure the
requirements are consistent with current efforts and can be met without additional administrative
burden. The bill was signed by the Governor and is effective January 1, 2016.
PERS
(F) PERS Police Officer Benefits for Community College Instructors Teaching in Correctional Facilities
(HB 2807 INTRO) – HB 2897 would have changed the qualification of full-time faculty members
employed by a community college to teach incarcerated persons within a secure perimeter of
OCCA Board of Directors Handbook Page 52
correctional institution as police officers under Public Employees Retirement System. This change would
have impacted PERS retirement age and benefits for full-time faculty only. A public hearing was held by
the House Business and Labor Committee and no further action was taken.
Personnel
(P) Criminal History Background Check (HB 3025 B) – As proposed this bill would have established an
unlawful practice of inquiring into or considering applicant's conviction history on application form or
prior to interview or, if no interview is conducted, prior to conditional offer of employment. Due to
concerns raised by employers, the bill was significantly amended to prohibit asking the question about
criminal convictions on an employment application or prior to an initial interview unless federal, state or
local law (including rules and regulations) provides otherwise. The bill was signed by the Governor and
becomes effective on January 1, 2016.
(F) Unemployment Benefits Payable to Faculty During Summer Term (HB 3508 INTRO) – OCCA
opposed this bill providing that unemployment insurance benefits would be payable during summer
term to community college faculty who have received assignments for previous summer term. Oregon
law and federal unemployment insurance rules prohibit the payment of benefits to faculty and staff
during breaks between terms including summer term when the faculty member has reasonable
assurances of continuing employment. A public hearing was held by the House Business and Labor
Committee and no further action was taken on this bill.
(P) Reporting of Employee Data and Health Insurance for Part-Time Faculty (SB 113 A) – This bill
requires HECC to convene work group of stakeholders to determine most appropriate method for public
universities and community colleges to report employment data for employees. The categories of
employee data to be reported is expanded considerably from the existing full-time and part-time faculty
categories. The bill was amended to include a work group to evaluate health insurance for part-time
faculty working at multiple post-secondary institutions. Reports and recommendations are due to the
Legislature by the end of 2015. See also SB 702.
(P) Mandatory Sick Leave (SB 454 EN) – This bill requires all employers to implement sick leave policies
for employees providing a minimum of five sick days per year. Under the bill sick leave accrues at a rate
of one hour of leave per thirty hours worked. Employers with policies that meet the minimum
requirements of the bill are deemed in compliance. OCCA intends to convene a work group of human
resources directors and business officers to address implementation issues and make recommendations
for changes to the statute for the February 2016 session. The bill is effective January 1, 2016.
(F) Unemployment Insurance for Classified Staff During Summer Term (SB 470 A) – After concerns
were raised by OCCA and school districts, SB 470 was amended to address a limited population of
OCCA Board of Directors Handbook Page 53
classified staff who are eligible for unemployment insurance. Due to concerns about conformity with
federal law, the bill did not move forward. The chair of the House Business and Labor Committee, Rep.
Holvey, indicated he would like to convene an informal workgroup during the interim to explore this
issue and possible options further. The workgroup will include community college representatives as
well as staff from the Oregon Employment Department.
Public Contracting
(F) Posting of Contracting Information on Oregon Transparency Website (HB 3321 INTRO) – This bill
would have required contracting agencies to provide to Oregon Department of Administrative Services,
and department to post on Oregon transparency website, certain information about public contracts.
OCCA worked with other local government entities in opposing this bill. The Department of
Administrative Services is already working to post some information related to community college and
school district contracts on the website in the least burdensome manner possible as required by HB
3035 (2013).
(F) Local Area Study Required for Public Contracts (HB 3322 INTRO) – This bill would have required a
contracting agency before conducting procurement to conduct a study concerning how the
procurement would affect the local area in which work in connection with procurement would occur
and to post results of study to contracting agency's website and to Oregon transparency website. OCCA
joined with other local and state agencies in opposing this overly burdensome requirement. The bill
died in the House Rules Committee.
(F) Public Contracting Cost Analysis (SB 414 INTRO) – This bill would have permitted an employee of a
contracting agency that conducts a cost analysis or determines the feasibility of procurement, or
exclusive representative of employee's bargaining unit, to seek judicial review of a cost analysis or
determination, and would have expanded the requirements for conducting the cost analysis. OCCA
joined with other local state and governments in opposing this bill as overly burdensome. If it had
passed, it would make it nearly impossible to contract out for services. A public hearing was held in the
Senate Workforce Committee and no further action was taken.
Students
(P) Rules for Subsidy Programs for Employment-Related Child Care (HB 2015 A) – This bill directs the
Department of Human Services, in consultation with Early Learning Division and Office of Child Care, to
adopt rules for subsidy programs for employment-related child care that, at minimum, provide for one
year of eligibility regardless of change in employment, permit students enrolled in coursework and
self-employed persons to receive subsidized employment-related child care, and provide for reduced
OCCA Board of Directors Handbook Page 54
copayments and incentive payments when child care provider meets specified minimum standards.
Unfortunately, this program continues to have a significant waiting list for eligible families.
(F) Directs HECC to Conduct Child Care Survey (HB 3407 INTRO) – This bill would have directed the
HECC to student child care needs at colleges and universities. It was strikingly similar to one passed in
the 2015 session that created a task force to study child care needs at community colleges. The bill did
not receive a hearing.
Veterans
(P) Requires Universities to Establish Priority Enrollment System for Veterans (HB 2645 EN) – This bill
requires public universities to establish a priority enrollment system for qualified students who are
active members of Armed Forces of the United States, who are qualified veterans or who receive
veterans' educational benefits as federally qualified dependents of active members or qualified
veterans. The bill requires community colleges to allow qualified students into priority registration if the
college has such a system. OCCA worked with the bill’s sponsor to draft an amendment to clarify that
the requirement applies only to colleges with existing priority enrollment systems.
(F) Veterans’ Hiring Preferences (SB 87 A) – This bill would have modified current law regarding the
requirement that a public employer grant preference to veterans and disabled veterans in the selection
process for competitive positions. It was introduced after work was done during the interim to clarify
state and federal veterans’ preferences in hiring. Unfortunately consensus could not be reached on the
clarifications prior to adjournment.
OCCA Board of Directors Handbook Page 55
FACT SHEET: THE OREGON PROMISE UPDATED 7.9.15
Senate Bill 81 (2015), the “Oregon Promise”, was passed by the Legislature and awaits the Governor’s signature; it provides a $10M appropriation targeted toward tuition payments for students who are recent Oregon high school graduates attending and pursuing a certificate or degree at one of Oregon’s 17 community colleges. The bill funds grants at a minimum of $1,000 for each community college student awarded, to be administered by the Office of Student Access and Completion (OSAC) under the Oregon Higher Education Coordinating Commission (HECC).
WHO IS ELIGIBLE?
Oregon resident for at least 12 months prior to enrolling in community college
Received a high school diploma or GED certificate, or completed grade 12
Earned a cumulative high school GPA of 2.5+ or equivalent
Within six months of high school completion, enrolls in courses at an Oregon CC required for….
o One-year curriculum for students transferring to another postsecondary institution o Associate degree o Program in career and technical education
Completed a FAFSA for each academic year
Has not completed more than 90 credit hours or the curriculums/programs noted above.
Continues to be eligible if person …
o Maintains a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or better o Makes satisfactory academic progress o Enrolls at least half time each term for at least three terms each consecutive academic year
Persons who fail to maintain a 2.5 GPA become ineligible for the term after which they fail to meet the GPA requirement unless the requirement is waived by OSAC
TUITION WAIVER/GRANT AMOUNTS
For a full-time student (12 credits or more) enrolled for the full year (three terms) in eligible courses:
Grants will begin for students beginning college in the 2016-17 academic year
Maximum grant will cover actual cost of full-time full-year community college tuition (currently approximately $4,900).
Grant will be reduced by any state or federal grant aid received (i.e. Pell Grant, Oregon Opportunity Grant) down to a minimum $1,000 annual grant for full-time study.
Grant will be prorated for person enrolled at least half time but not full time
Grant will be prorated for person enrolled at least one term but not three terms
May or may not include standard fees in addition to tuition
OTHER FACTORS
Funding under the program is meant to offset any remaining tuition after deducting any state/federal grants and the $50 per term student copay. Participating students are guaranteed at least $1000 annually (prorated), even if their tuition costs are fully covered by state/federal grants.
The program will be administered by the Higher Education Coordinating Commission’s Office of Student Access and Completion in cooperation with their Office of Community Colleges and Workforce Development.
The HECC is permitted to establish other eligibility requirements by rule, including programs or policies that improve academic success, and may give preference to graduates of certain school districts or high schools.
$10M is appropriated for the program for the 2016-17 academic year, to cover cost of waivers and reasonable administrative costs.
The Oregon Promise Program process is under development at the Office of Student Access and Completion (OSAC). Once available, it will be online at www.oregonstudentaid and www.oregon.gov/HigherEd, circulated through schools and announced on OSAC's Twitter and Facebook accounts.
High schools and community colleges will be notified of any rules or requirements established by the Commission.
Approximately 4,000-6,000 students are expected to be served in the first year of the program.
OCCA Board of Directors Handbook Page 56
Notes
OCCA Board of Directors Handbook Page 57
History of the Oregon Community College Association
Since its creation in 1962, the Oregon Community College Association (OCCA) has faced many
challenges. The recession of the 1980s, funding formula debates, unfunded enrollment growth and
property tax limitations all created obstacles for the organization and the colleges it represents.
However, in the face of these and other setbacks, OCCA has always found a way to move forward on its
strengths and common goals.
1957: The legislature enacts the first legislation providing for the formation of community college
districts. It provides the first direct state funding to community colleges. Prior to this, adult education
programs were operated out of the high schools.
1961: Howard Cherry serves as the Oregon School Board Association president during 1961-62. Mr.
Cherry is a Portland school district member, whose board jurisdiction includes the Portland Education
Center (the precursor to PCC). His dual interest in community college services and K-12 public schools
leads to discussions within OSBA on whether it should represent community colleges in addition to its K-
12 interests. Debate is centered on the conflict between OSBA’s structure as a strictly board member
association and the desire for community colleges to include administrators, faculty and students in its
statewide association. In addition, there is a strong desire to have a statewide association that is
separate from the Department of Education. Key leaders see the need for community colleges to have a
distinct voice from the Department of Education and other K-12 entities.
1962: The Oregon Community College Assembly is established. The charter members include:
Southwestern CC, Treasure Valley CC, Central Oregon CC, and Blue Mountain CC. In the beginning, OCCA
is informally structured. OCCA facilitates statewide meetings with outside experts to provide guidance to
the new community colleges. OCCA has no full-time staff; it initially relies on OSBA staff and then
employs part-time doctoral students to help organize annual meetings and do other work.
1967: By 1967, the original five colleges have been joined by five new districts: Umpqua CC, Mt. Hood
CC, Clackamas CC, Linn-Benton CC, and Lane CC. PCC is in the process of being formed into a district and
joins shortly thereafter.
Since its original state allocation in 1957, the community colleges have received limited state funding
increases for operations and construction costs. From 1961 to 1967, the legislature had increased
operational funding only once (from $200 per FTE to $433 per FTE), but it later offset this gain by
revising the definition of an FTE from 36 credit hours to 45 credit hours. During this same time period,
state support for capital construction was reduced from 75 to 65 percent of project costs.
The desire to improve state funding leads the colleges to want to work in a more uniform manner at the
state level. They decide to increase the OCCA dues, establish a Salem-based office, and hire a full-time
Executive Director. The first full-time Director (called Executive Secretary) is Don Shelton, a former
Department of Education administrator. One of his first duties is to prepare a draft legislative platform
for the OCCA members to adopt. This first legislative platform addresses the need to improve state
funding, design state statues specific to community college administration, initiate state financial aid for
community college students and create a separate state board exclusively for community colleges.
(Community colleges were mostly interested in developing their own personnel laws.
At this time, K-12 statutes governed many college operational areas such as personnel. Unfortunately,
the K-12 personnel laws mostly referred to “certified” instructors. Since community college faculty did
OCCA Board of Directors Handbook Page 58
not have to be certified, the bulk of the K-12 laws could not apply to them. This left an enormous void in
operating law for the colleges.)
Shelton also begins working with a newly formed President’s Council on the financial part of the
legislative platform. The role of the council is to make recommendations on budget issues to the OCCA
for ratification.
The 1967 session proves to be successful under this new OCCA structure. The colleges receive an extra
$2 million for the previous biennium’s unfunded FTE. The legislature implements a “tiered” formula and
increases the FTE reimbursement rates for the 1967-69 biennium. Lastly, the capital construction
formula is increased from $1,300 per FTE to $1,560 per FTE.
1969: As OCCA is preparing for the 1969 session, it suffers a setback. OCCA discovers that Dale Parnell,
the newly appointed State Superintendent of Education, is unwilling to recommend an inflationary
increase for community colleges to the State Board of Education. Upon becoming aware of this position,
OCCA holds an emergency meeting that includes board members, presidents, faculty, and students from
all the colleges. Later that day, this group attends the State Board meeting and testifies in support of
their inflationary increases. After hearing the colleges’ plea, the Board votes to support the inflationary
increases (and it has supported regular increases for the community college budget ever since). The
colleges carry the momentum from this board meeting into the legislative session. The legislature
adopts the State Board’s recommended funding increases. At OCCA’s request, it also establishes two
interim committees to study community college laws and to investigate offering state scholarships to
community college students.
1971: OCCA builds on the success of the previous session. The legislature approves the OCCA’s
recommended code changes and makes community college students eligible for state scholarships. The
statutory changes include: new policy sections; many new provisions related to the formation and
operation of community college districts; a requirement that the State Board of Education adopt
guidelines for the management of community colleges including guidelines for personnel policy and
accounting procedures; procedures for boundary changes; authority for the State Board of Education to
develop rules to implement the funding formula; authority for colleges to incur bonded indebtedness,
among other changes. The legislature also increases the FTE requirement rate and authorizes advance
payment of 25 percent of state money to colleges.
1973: OCCA wins a significant funding victory when the legislature authorizes the State Board of
Education to redistribute state operating funds from under-enrolled colleges to those colleges exceeding
the FTE allocation. Under previous law, the unused funds simply went back into the general fund.
Colleges also receive an end-of-session extra appropriation of $2.2 million for community college
construction. While the funding is welcomed, the legislature tells the colleges that this funding will serve
to “eliminate the state’s unmet obligation for community college construction.”
With OCCA support, the legislature also passes a collective bargaining bill. This legislation causes a great
division between administrators and faculty members of OCCA. As a result of this conflict, OCCA decides
to reorganize itself to scale back the student and faculty participation. It institutes several changes:
establishes a board of directors compromising only board members and presidents; institutes a one-
vote, per-college, policy and changes its name from Assembly to Association.
1974: In the fall of 1974, the colleges receive word that the newly elected Governor Bob Straub is not
going to provide the colleges the same inflationary funding as other state agencies. OCCA is able to
convince the State Board of Education staff to appeal this decision, but the appeal is not granted. The
OCCA Board of Directors Handbook Page 59
OCCA members then make a personal appeal to the Governor. Even though his budget has already been
printed, the Governor acquiesces and provides an additional $5 million to the colleges. This last minute
rewrite of the budget makes front-page news.
1975: In addition to increasing operational dollars, OCCA is successful in reversing the 1973 legislature’s
position on capital construction dollars for unmet obligation. The colleges receive $5 million for new
construction and $6.9 million for pre-1973 unmet need.
1977: OCCA secures an amendment to move community colleges out of the school districts’ PERS rate
and into the state’s rate. This means that community colleges’ rate is the same as all state agencies,
including the public universities. This proves to be a good move for the colleges. Since 1977, the state
rate has been considerably lower than the school districts’ rate. During this session, OCCA also secures a
statutory exemption from paying unemployment compensation to nine-month classified staff. In the
area of funding, colleges receive an increased FTE reimbursement rate and approximately $20 million to
satisfy unmet state obligation for capital projects.
1979: By the end of the 1970s, it becomes apparent that OCCA needs to play an even greater role in
state policy making. OCCA now represents 14 colleges with the addition of Clatsop CC, Chemeketa,
Rogue CC and Columbia Gorge (formerly Treaty Oak) CC. All the colleges are experiencing rapid FTE
growth and expanding their campus structures as well. When Don Shelton retires in 1979, OCCA loses its
first director. In the face of this transition, the OCCA Board holds a retreat at Tu Tu Tun Lodge to chart a
new course for the organization. Just prior to this retreat, the board hires Roger Bassett as its next
Executive Director. Out of Tu Tu Tun, comes OCCA’s strategic direction for the next ten years. OCCA
makes as its primary goal to raise the visibility of community colleges in Oregon in order to enhance the
colleges’ influence on state policy. OCCA concludes that increasing the participation of board members
and forging ties with education and business partners will be key to accomplishing this goal. Tu Tu Tun
also marks an important transformation in OCCA legislative strategy. From now on, the board wants to
have a more aggressive agenda that leads, rather than reacts to, legislative proposals.
1980: As a part of its more aggressive legislative strategy, OCCA takes a request to the Emergency Board
for additional funding in response to enrollment growth. The funding that the legislature allocated the
colleges for the 1979-81 biennium is not enough to reimburse all the FTE at the full amount. The
Emergency Board denies the request because the economy has begun to falter and state funding
shortages loom.
In July 1980, Governor Vic Atiyeh announces that all state agencies should prepare for budget cuts
ranging from 5 percent to 30 percent because of an anticipated state funding shortfall. He calls a special
session in August to institute the cuts. Prior to the special session, State Superintendent Verne Duncan
announces that he will propose cuts to community colleges before he will support any cuts to school
districts. Clearly the colleges are at risk for large cuts. A 30 percent cut in the budget would cause
colleges to lose reimbursement dollars for 16,000 FTE. In the face of this, the colleges rally together.
They decide to prepare budgets with only 15 percent reduction, hoping to forestall deeper cuts. They
tirelessly lobby their legislators and the Governor. In the end, they receive only 10 percent reduction in
their 1979-81 budget.
1981: Even though the recession continues, OCCA prepares an ambitious agenda that includes: a budget
request of $148 million for operations; $18 million for capital projects; and several policy changes. The
results are mixed. Because of funding shortages, OCCA has to settle for holding funding cuts to 5.4
percent in the biennium. The legislature also freezes the FTE reimbursement rates to the 1979 levels. It
OCCA Board of Directors Handbook Page 60
does pass, however, two pieces of legislation: a bill allowing the community colleges to negotiate
annuity agreements and one prohibiting employees from serving on community college boards.
1982: The economic problems persist, and another special session is called to meet a $314 million state
deficit. Again budgets are cut. Community colleges lose $4.7 million (9.1 percent) of their budget.
1983: The legislature continues to freeze the colleges’ FTE reimbursement rates and provides an
insufficient budget. After five years of preserving budgets rather than increasing them, OCCA members
resolve to create an even more aggressive agenda that moves away from strictly budget issues to more
complex concerns. The one bright spot in this session was the creation of the small Business
Development Centers. The legislature allocated $500,000 to help establish SBDCs in Oregon. Community
colleges were able to convince legislators to locate 15 of the 19 centers at community colleges. This
arrangement differed greatly from other states that sited most of these centers at universities.
1985: In 1985, community colleges finalize 16 position papers on various issues concerning community
colleges. Now that OCCA has articulated its positions on these issues, it can use these unified goals to
influence state policy. Tackling policy issues this way proves to be very successful. In the 1985 session,
OCCA successfully opposes a plan by the Oregon Board of Nursing to deny Associate Degree Nursing
graduates the chance to become registered nurses. The colleges also receive a 12 percent increase in
state funding, with a $1.5 million allocation in lottery funds.
1987: Encouraged by the successes of 1985 session, OCCA develops its most ambitious agenda ever for
the 1987 session. At the annual April convention, the OCCA board instructs the legislative committee to
take the position papers and turn them into a proposal for the 1987 session. The committee comes up
with 14 legislative proposals. OCCA estimates that it will take two or three sessions to accomplish these
proposals. To its surprise, the 1987 legislature and the Governor act on each of the 14 proposals:
Operating budget request to increase from $122.5 million to $125.2 million by legislature – a 7.2
percent increase over the previous biennium
Construction request to increase from $7.8 million to $8.5 million
Maintenance and instructional equipment request of $6.1 million declared by Governor to be a
priority for 1989-91 funding
Governor, legislature, OCCA and the Department of Education compromise on a proposal for a
separate state office and commissioner for community colleges
Targeted training network request for $3.5 million funded at $755,000 in lottery funds
Small Business Development Centers’ request for $2.75 million funded at $955,000 in general
fund
Passage of two OCCA job training initiatives: Creation of a state job training council and
establishment of a welfare training program
A funding request of $3 million for 2+2 program referred to the Emergency Board;
Legislature authorizes a leadership role for each community college in addressing literacy issues
in their districts
Telecommunications request of $7.8 million funded at $250,000 to refine proposal for next
session
Legislature declares policy of statewide access to community college services through Contracts
out of District
Delay of the two-year nursing degree issue until next session
Task of finding state funding of reciprocity is assigned to the Office of Community College
Services.
OCCA Board of Directors Handbook Page 61
In addition to these tangible achievements, OCCA learns several lessons about itself during this arduous
and productive session. The following “lessons learned” are printed in the 1987 OCCA Legislative Report:
State leadership and local choice are compatible goals, especially when local districts control the
purse strings
Independent community college districts can develop a single statewide agenda and provide the
resources for the accomplishment of that
The almost flawless credibility of community colleges in state policy and funding circles does not
suffer when we aggressively pursue state-level objectives
Community colleges can present a multiple-item agenda to the Governor and legislature
without sacrificing our collective focus and discipline
Strong legislator loyalties to individual districts contribute to our success rather than detract
from it
An association decision process based on informed individual opinions provides more solid
group for acts of leadership than does one based on rubber stamp support for what leadership
thinks is right
Properly managed opportunities for participation by district staff in state initiatives get the job
done better and provides significant recognition and professional growth to the individual
involved
The success of the 1987 session is heralded as the realization of the Tu Tu Tun goals set out eight years
earlier. OCCA has survived the state funding cuts of the early eighties intact and is stronger than ever.
1989: Although the 1987 achievements encourage OCCA members, much remains to be done. Roger
Bassett leaves in March 1988 to pursue other opportunities in the governor’s office and Karen Garst
becomes the new executive director. OCCA develops another agenda that includes ten proposals for the
1989 session. With the assistance of Sen. Joyce Cohen, OCCA decides to package these ten proposals
into one omnibus bill, the Workforce 2000 bill. The Senator, who chairs the Trade and Economic
Committee, thinks using one workforce-related bill will capture the attention of legislators who are
worried about a workforce shortage projected for the 1990s.
This strategy pays off. By the end of session, many of the components of the Workforce 2000 bill are
passed or acted upon:
Lawmakers approve the full current service level budget at $132.8 million;
Lawmakers approve $1.5 million of the $4.6 million OCCA request for additional operational
dollars;
Lawmakers approve the OCCA request for $6 million for equipment; $2 million for maintenance
is not approved;
Legislators approve $394,000 of the $855,000 OCCA request for Contract out of District funding;
Lawmakers approve the OCCA request for $743,000 to reimburse for out-of-state students;
Lawmakers approve the OCCA request for $2.36 million for 2+2 programs;
Lawmakers approve the full OCCA request for SBDCs at $1 million
Lawmakers approve the full OCCA request for targeted training at $755,000;
Lawmakers approve the full OCCA request for New JOBS at $5.2 million;
Lawmakers approve $1.75 million of the $2.22 million OCCA request for child care programs;
Legislature increases the OCCA request for financial aid of $4.2 million to $6 million;
Lawmakers approve the OCCA request for $150,000 for literacy hotline; and
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Lawmakers pass OCCA legislation related to corrections, 2+2 programs, parent education,
childcare, service districts, and property financing.
By the end of this successful session, OCCA is already focused on the 1999 legislature. Over the past ten
years and despite increased appropriation, state funding has declined from 40 percent to 29 percent of
community college funding. To remedy this situation, the OCCA board decides to move away from
programmatic funding and turn its attention to substantially increasing the base budget.
1991: OCCA’s 1991 legislative agenda, developed during the interim, makes a substantial request for
renewed state investment in community colleges. It calls for a $148 million base budget plus $50 million
in a base budget enhancement. Prior to session, board members, presidents and other college
advocates meet with every legislator to garner support for their budget request. They use an outcome-
based approach to sell the increase in base funding – promising legislators certain measurable results if
they increase the colleges’ operational funding. Momentum for this request is building when a
devastating blows is struck: the voters pass Measure 5, the property tax limitation bill, in November
1990. The legislature will now be obligated to use state dollars to replace local property taxes instead of
funding new programs. OCCA is forced to re-think its strategy. It decides to concentrate on the $148
million base budget and continue to discuss the $50 million enhancement as a long-term goal. After
Governor Roberts places only $135.5 million for the base budget in her recommended budget, the
colleges redouble their efforts at the Capitol. After a session of intense lobbying by OCCA, the legislature
funds the colleges’ budget at $141.1 million, a 4.2 percent increase. In addition, the legislature provides
$50.5 million in replacement property tax dollars. The session also provides other successes: $3.3
million increase for 2+2 programs, continued funding for childcare and literacy programs, $5 million for
dislocated workers and $1 million increase for SBDCs. As in previous sessions, the role of board
members and presidents is crucial to the advocacy process. College representatives are able to translate
statewide legislation into specifics about how the programs will meet the needs of their local
communities.
1992: In order to prepare for this post-Measure 5 environment, community college board members,
presidents and staff meet for a three-day retreat in August 1992 to discuss the “preferable future” for
community colleges.
On the final day, they draft strategies for implementing this future. These strategies involved becoming
more politically active, assuring a common vision for all 16 community colleges (Tillamook Bay CC and
Oregon Coast CC have now joined OCCA), becoming the state’s education and training leader, exploring
new and alternative ways of funding community college programs, and developing accountability
measures with uniform data collection and definitions. The theme that emerges from the retreat is
“Network 92”, a recognition that in the future community colleges must build upon their strengths in
serving local communities and must work more collaboratively in order to meet statewide needs.
1993: The 1993 legislative agenda is built in the shadow of enormous demands of Measure 5 on the
state’s general fund. Governor Barbara Roberts’ mandated budget for community colleges contains only
$110.8 million, a 26.5 percent cut, but adds $17 million in lottery dollars to support
professional/technical program capacity. Due to the lack of state funding, OCCA decides to support the
governor’s budget in hopes of avoiding even more severe cuts. In the end, after lobbying by OCCA, the
legislature supports the governor’s level of funding for community colleges, but relies more heavily on
lottery funds to do so. It also replaces $117.6 million in property taxes for the colleges. Because of their
increased reliance on state funding, the colleges begin to fight over the funding formula during session.
Legislators urge the colleges to deal with this issue themselves prior to coming to the legislature in 1995.
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1995: The 1995 session can be characterized as playing defense while looking for opportunities to gain a
few inches here and there. John Kitzhaber is elected governor in the fall of 1994. The colleges start out
the session with a recommended budget of $322 million from the governor, lower than his campaign
figure of $340 million. His budget completely eliminates funding for skill centers, OATC, the literacy
hotline and staff development. OCCA works uphill all session to get that funding put back in the budget
and succeeds in getting continued funding for the skill centers and OATC. OCCA also gets legislative
support to extend community college services to Jackson, Curry and Klamath counties.
The colleges go into the session knowing that whatever money comes from Salem will be distributed
according to a new funding formula. This new formula incorporates a three-year weighted average for
FTE, funding floors and caps and includes 50 percent of property taxes in the formula for the first time.
1996: The Central Oregon Community College Board of Directors announced its intent to begin granting
select baccalaureate degrees by the year 2002. The Board’s plan, called the “Cascadia Concept” was that
COCC would retain a community college focus but be accredited to offer both associate and
baccalaureate degrees. Hearings and discussion of the concept continued until 2001 when the State
Board of Higher Education and the COCC board reached formal agreement on a partnership between
Central Oregon and a branch campus of Oregon State University.
In 1996, Karen Garst decides to leave OCCA for another position. She is replaced by Vickie Totten
Chamberlain.
1997: In November 1996, Measure 47 passes, instituting another limitation on property taxes. Once
again state funding is diverted to replace schools’ lost property taxes. In addition, term limits have
become effective, bringing 23 new legislators to the Capitol. In light of this scenario, OCCA and the
Office of Community College Services (OCCS) bring a more modest agenda to the legislature: fund the
current service level budget, fund $14.8 million for equity, fund $9.2 million for enrollment growth, and
secure Ballot Measure 47 replacement dollars.
The results were mixed. (OCCS is now called the Department of Community Colleges and Workforce
Development or CCWD.) Early in the session, the Legislative Fiscal Office (LFO) recommends no funding
for equity be allocated to the colleges. Consequently, the legislature provides no such funding. Other
funding requests prove more fruitful: The legislature funds the current service level budget, replaces the
$36 million in Measure 47 (now Measure 50) losses; provides $14 million for annexation costs for
Jackson County and $2 million for Klamath; and allocates $3.2 million for skill centers and $1.6 million
OATC. In addition, the colleges receive $2 million out of the $9.8 million request for enrollment growth.
(During the following interim, the colleges are allowed to keep the excess replacement tax dollars that
are generated when property taxes come in higher than projected. Due to these excess replacement
dollars, most of the enrollment growth ultimately does receive funding.)
1999: For the 1999 session, OCCA and CCWD decide to devise joint legislative agenda. By this time Roger
Bassett has returned to community colleges as the Commissioner of Community College Services. Using
the successful 1987 session as a framework, OCCA/CCWD develop a multi-faceted, nine-point agenda:
Current service level budget (Request for $415.7 million)
Equity funding for formula (Request for $10.2 million)
Student Enrollment Growth (Request for $9.2 million)
Distance Learning (Request for $14.3 million)
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Capital Projects (Request for $300,000 for statewide facilities audit and $17 million Lottery
Bonds for $1 million for each campus. For 1999-2000 community colleges estimated they have
$380 million in capital needs)
Audit Literacy/Basic Skills (Request for $14.9 million)
Targeted Training (Request for $7.5 million)
Oregon Partnership Initiative (Request for $21 million)
Services to all counties (Request for $2.2 million)
The OCCA board approves the agenda as a prioritized list with current service level funding, the first
priority. (Equity is taken off the table by OCCA and CCWD after both the governor and the legislature
indicate they have no interest in funding equity. Nevertheless, equity was partially funded with formula
resources by taking $3.6 million off the top of the CCSF and allocating this funding to colleges who were
below the statewide average for FTE reimbursement.)
Unlike in 1987, this all-encompassing legislative agenda is not well received by the governor or
legislature. First, the governor not only funds $2 million for distance learning and nothing for the other
requests. Then top legislators tell the OCCA that community colleges are only going to get their current
service level budget plus $2 million additional dollars. OCCA staff is told repeatedly that community
colleges are not the priority that session.
After learning this, OCCA staff and most of OCCA members begin lobbying for the $2 million to go to
enrollment growth. Because the governor has placed this $2 million in his budget for distance learning,
CCWD has to support his agenda. Furthermore, several colleges are interested in funding their specific
college projects and have put pressure on their legislators to provide funding. CCWD learns that
legislators are receiving mixed messages from the colleges and that their efforts may put the enrollment
growth funding in jeopardy.
However, many colleges continue to lobby independently and, in the end, the $2 million is divided up
for the special college projects and distance learning programs. Enrollment growth goes without
funding.
2001: Following the 1999 session, college presidents and board members decided to take a different
approach to the 2001 session. They decide to limit their agenda to one item – increase funding for
enrollment growth. They take the unprecedented step of signing a “unity pledge.” This pledge promises
the governor and legislators that the colleges will advocate with one voice, for one statewide goal.
In July 2000, Vicki Chamberlain leaves OCCA to pursue other opportunities. Andrea Henderson is hired in
August as the new Executive Director.
In line with the new strategy, OCCA and CCWD request $76 million from the Governor for enrollment
growth. In return, the Governor asks the Community College and Workforce Development Department
to identify possible line item offsets. The Governor accepts $12.67 million in offsets and sets aside a $45
million dollar increase for enrollment growth in his budget. Because of predicted state budget shortfalls,
OCCA decides to lobby the legislature for $45 million in the Governor’s budget. Considering that many
agencies are getting cut, the $45 million is viewed as a more realistic goal than the original $76 million
target.
In January, the Ways and Means co-chair’s budget is released and their priorities also include $45 million
for enrollment growth. Over the next five months of the legislative session there are many attempts by
other parties to divert community college funding to other projects. However, with a strong presence in
the capitol from OCCA, college presidents, board members and students, none of these efforts
OCCA Board of Directors Handbook Page 65
succeeds. House Bill 5051, the budget bill for community colleges passes the House and Senate without
a single vote in opposition.
After a long and difficult session the Governor signs the community college budget into law and the
colleges achieve their goal of $45 million for enrollment growth. Because of their commitment to unity
community colleges were able to have a strong and positive impact on the legislature.
2002: Following the 2001 session, Oregon entered a period of economic slowdown. The impact to the
state was a loss of overall revenue that left the state budget in deficit.
According to the Oregon Constitution, the state budget must be balanced. To comply with the Oregon
Constitution, Governor Kitzhaber convened the Oregon Legislature in February for the first of what
would be five special sessions to rebalance the state budget shortfall. The first special session resulted in
a legislatively approved package that was vetoed entirely by Governor Kitzhaber. The cut to community
colleges from the first special session would have been $14 million. In addition, a budget note was
added to the legislatively approved budget that would have forced community colleges to take the $14
million cut entirely in the second year of the biennium.
The second special session was convened in late February. As a result of the second special session,
community colleges were cut $14 million, but were successful in removing the budget note from the
first special session. In June, the state economic and revenue forecast showed the state budget in deficit
again. The Governor convened the Legislature for the third special session that same month.
The third special session took place after the May primaries and was a contentious session as candidates
prepared for the general election. After nearly two weeks, the Legislature approved a budget to deal
with the budget shortfall. Though the community colleges were not cut, they did agree to shift their final
payment into the next budget period - $56 million (Senate Bill 1022).
The Governor vetoed Senate Bill 1022 and convened the Legislature for a fourth special session. The
fourth special session lasted two days and the Legislature voted to override the Governor’s veto of
Senate Bill 1022. This could not have happened without the strong presence of community college
advocates in the Legislature.
In September, overall revenue for the state continued to decline. As a result, Oregon experienced
another state budget shortfall. The Governor convened the fifth special session.
As candidates and incumbents geared up for the general election, the fifth special session took on a
strong partisan and contentious tone. The legislatively approved package cut $2.9 million to Self-
Improvement community college classes. The cut exempted Self-Improvement classes related to health
and workforce. In addition, the Legislature passed House Bill 5100, which made $312 million in across-
the-board cuts to public services and agencies, if voters fail to pass an income tax increase ballot
measure in January. The community college share is $14 million.
Most community colleges at the local board level decided to implement the $14 million cut at the
beginning of the 2002 academic year in case the ballot measure fails. If community colleges were to wait
and the ballot measure were to fail, the $14 million cut would have to be implemented in spring term
and would be more devastating to colleges than implementation of the cut over the academic year.
Overall, the impact of Oregon’s five special sessions was dramatic for community colleges. Community
colleges were cut $16.9 million directly; $30.9 million if ballot measure fails. In addition, the final
payment of $56 million to community colleges was shifted to the next budget period.
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2003: On August 27, the longest legislative session in Oregon’s history came to a close after 227 days
and approximately 3,000 bills.
For OCCA it was a challenging session with many issues that could impact the mission of community
colleges as well as access to a post-secondary education for hundreds of thousands of Oregonians. The
session was critical in raising the profile of community colleges within Oregon’s policy discussions. It also
provided insight to ideas and legislation that are likely to resurface in future legislative sessions.
The Governor’s balanced budget severely reduced state funding for community colleges. Under the
Governor’s Balanced Budget community colleges were appropriated $55 million below the previous
session’s Legislatively Approved Budget.
In contrast, support for community colleges was a priority in the Ways and Means Committee co-chairs’
budget. The Legislature appropriated $10.7 million above the Governor’s balanced budget based on
ongoing efforts by the community colleges and the State Board of Education to revise the distribution
formula. Under the budget for CCWD, $414 million was appropriated to the community college support
fund (CCSF) for the 2003-2005 biennium.
This included an additional $7 million in General Fund dollars to supplement the CCSF.
In addition, $10.7 million was provided to support the CCSF after January 1, 2004 based on completion
of the ongoing effort by the community colleges and the Department to revise the distribution formula
and resolve outstanding issues as stated in the following budget note. This would increase the 2003-
2005 budget for the CCSF to $417.5 million for the biennium.
Budget Note: The Subcommittee approves a $10.7 million General Fund appropriation to the Emergency
Board with the special purpose of enhancing funding to the CCSF. The Department, with the assistance of
the group of community college presidents working to develop a new distribution formula for the CCSF,
shall report to the Emergency Board no later than October 2003 on the distribution formula proposed by
the work group for the CCSF beginning in the 2004-05 fiscal year. The Department shall, after January 1,
2004, request that the Emergency Board allocate the special purpose appropriation to the CCSF, after the
proposed formula has been acted upon by the State Board of Education.
The Legislature also reduced the CCSF by an additional $7.2 million for projected PERS savings based on
the passage of PERS legislation this session under House Bill 5077.
Perhaps the largest example of the value of community colleges within the capitol was the strong bi-
chamber, bi-partisan support for the community college capital construction package. Though the 2003
Legislative Session ultimately adjourned without passing the capital construction package due to politics
in the final days of session, OCCA successfully lobbied the package onto the priority lists for both
chambers and raised support for future investment by the state in Oregon’s community colleges.
Overall, OCCA was successful in preventing further erosion of state funding levels for community
colleges as well as gaining ground in several major areas of concern for Oregon’s seventeen community
colleges, including governance, controlling costs, workforce, nursing and financial aid.
2005: On August 5, the second longest legislative session in Oregon’s history came to a close. For OCCA
it was a hard fought session, with community colleges being declared by many an overall winner among
many worthy competing interests. The session further raised the profile of community colleges within
Oregon’s policy discussions. It also was an opportunity for community colleges to gain ground in areas
ranging from academic transition to PERS. Community colleges had not been “at the table” previously
on these issues.
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The Governor’s balanced budget reduced state funding for community colleges based on an error in
calculation. Under the Governor’s balanced budget, community colleges were appropriated $388
million.
As a result, legislative leadership created their own starting point for budget negotiations and increasing
funding for community colleges became a central focus on both sides of the aisle in both chambers.
Consequently, the legislative debate centered on which chamber could offer the best deal for
community colleges.
Under the budget for CCWD, $427.7 million was appropriated to the CCSF for the 2005-2007 biennium.
This appropriation level was $39.7 million higher than the Governor’s initial recommended budget and
$17.7 million higher than the legislatively approved budget for 2003-2005. Additionally, two skill centers – one of which is at Portland Community College – received $330,000 each in general fund
appropriation.
The Legislative Approved Budget for 2005-2007 was accompanied by a budget note focused on tuition.
Throughout the legislative session the rise in tuition at public colleges and universities in Oregon
remained at the forefront of the discussion. OCCA worked to ensure that this discussion did not lead to a
mandated tuition freeze and/or tie the hands of local boards. As a result, the community college budget
received the following budget note.
Budget Note: The Subcommittee expects that community colleges will contain tuition rate increases as
much as practicable in the 2005-07 biennium, and that the approved Community College Support Fund
appropriation will minimize the need for colleges to increase tuition rates to maintain program offerings.
Perhaps the largest accomplishment for OCCA was the appropriation of funds for community college
capital construction for the first time in 26 years. Though this was a historical step forward for
community colleges, the Legislature appropriated less than half of the funds requested.
Presidents of the seventeen community colleges worked hard to establish a prioritized funding list which
was rank-ordered by CCWD and the Governor in his Balanced Budget, supported funding for the top six
projects. However, discussion of the capital construction package for community colleges quickly
became a political football haunted by concerns of debt service levels and the ability for community
colleges to go out locally for bonds. Discussions of the capital construction package were repeatedly
delayed and only surfaced publicly after the Joint Committee on Ways and Means was split apart and
budget work progressed behind the scenes by partisan leadership.
Funding for the six projects that should have totaled more than $91 million was reduced by the House
leadership to seven projects funded at $38.5 million.
The success in community college funding and the mixed success with regard to capital construction
were accompanied by great strides made in funding for financial aid by OCCA. The budget for the
Oregon Opportunity Grant program, the only state-funded, need-based program in Oregon, was
significantly increased. Even more critical, was that for the first time in the history of the grant sufficient
funds were appropriated to allow part-time students to receive the Oregon Opportunity Grant, a
significant “win” for community college students.
The Oregon Legislature appropriated $77.7 million to the Oregon Opportunity Grant program, a $31
million increase over the previous biennium. While the budget agreement for the financial aid package
was $17 million under the Governor’s Balanced Budget, the investment and included instructions
specifying access for students who are enrolled for at least half-time provided much needed relief for
community college students.
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The appropriation of $77.7 million to the Oregon Opportunity Grant program supported the following
advancements:
Expanded funding to serve all full-time eligible students at Oregon University System institutions
and community colleges beginning in the first year of the biennium;
Served 70 percent of all full-time eligible students at private institutions in the first year of the
biennium; and 100 percent of all full-time eligible students in the second year of the biennium;
Retained award sizes at 11 percent of the cost of attendance for all sectors; and
Expanded, in the second year of the biennium, eligibility to part-time students enrolled at least
half-time (six credit hours), with award levels at half the full-time student award amounts.
Overall, OCCA was successful in preventing further erosion of state funding levels for community
colleges, gained funding for community college capital construction for the first time in history,
increased funding for financial aid and for the first time in the history of the grant extended access to
part-time students as well as gaining ground in several major areas of concern for Oregon’s community
colleges including academic transition, integrated data, and controlling costs.
2006: On November 7, election night, Democrats came to power in Oregon. In a single night, the
executive and legislative branches were transformed to Democratic control. Governor Ted Kulongoski
was re-elected as Oregon Governor for a second term. In the Legislature, Democrats retained control of
the Oregon Senate picking up additional seats and the Oregon House turned Democratic for the first
time in 10 years. In addition, two senators, Senator Ben Westlund (R-Bend) and Senator Avel Gordly (D-
Portland) chose to become Independent, rejecting both parties.
This same year, OCCA ramped up efforts to work with the recently established U.S. Congressional
Community College Caucus. Established in the fall of 2005, the Community College Caucus was co-
chaired by Rep. Brad Miller (D-N.C.), Rep. Michael Castle (R-DE), Rep. Roger Wicker (R-MS), and
Oregon’s U.S. Congressional representative from District 1, David Wu (D-OR).
The official purpose of the Community College Caucus, as stated in its charter, is as follows:
“The Community College Caucus recognizes that community colleges play an important and
distinctive role in the American education system. Community colleges provide a low cost, close-
to-home education to more than 11.6 million students a year. The ability of the community
college to adapt to the needs of the community situates them to play a key role in training
workers in our evolving economy. The purpose of the CCC is to raise awareness within the
House of Representatives about the unique role of community colleges within the American
educational system. The Caucus will serve as a forum to identify and discuss current issues which
affect community colleges.”
OCCA established a working relationship and an open dialogue with Rep. Wu to carry the message of
Oregon’s community colleges from around state to Washington, D.C.
2006 also saw OCCA become property owners for the first time with the acquisition and renovation of a
house at 260 13th Street NE in Salem.
2007: The 2007 session goes down in history as the biennium when Oregon community colleges were
first approved for a state appropriation of half-a-billion dollars. It represented the largest state
investment community colleges ever received. Of additional importance was the $40 million provided
for eight capital construction projects and $106 million for student financial aid grants under the new
need-based Shared Responsibility Model.
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2009: A rapidly declining economy was the backdrop for the 2009 legislative session, necessitating
significant cuts across every aspect of state government. In the context of a deep recession, OCCA
focused much of its advocacy on the critical role colleges play in helping displaced workers obtain the
skills they need to get back into the workforce. Additionally, OCCA promoted community colleges as
“economic first responders.” With enrollment surging around the state, OCCA focused on promoting the
growth as evidence of the way unemployed Oregonians rely on the colleges. These themes were cited
repeatedly as the Legislature provided $450.5 million to fund community colleges.
Reacting to the recession, legislative leaders recognized the need for quick passage of legislation to put
Oregonians back to work by passing a public works program. With the support of House Speaker Dave
Hunt, SB 338 included an unprecedented appropriation for community college deferred maintenance
projects. A total $53.2 million in state lottery bonds and Article XI G bonds was made available for “Go
Oregon” deferred maintenance projects at all seventeen community colleges. For the third consecutive
session, funding was provided for capital construction projects. Oregon’s community colleges received
over $124 million in state support for deferred maintenance and capital construction during the 2009-11
session.
2011: The lingering impact of the recession was the backdrop for the 2011 session. The Legislature was
faced with the task of producing a budget for the upcoming biennium to bridge a $3.5 billion budget
gap. The other factor affecting their work was the 30-30 split in the Oregon House of Representatives.
Rep. Arnie Roblan (D-Coos Bay) and Rep. Bruce Hanna (R-Roseburg) were chosen as co-speakers of the
House. Proposals to reshape several facets of the way the state organizes and funds post-secondary and
higher education heavily influenced the work of both the Legislature and OCCA.
2012: In its first official even-year session, the legislative session began with a quarterly revenue
forecast showing another drop in expected revenue of $110 million. To balance the budget (SB 5701),
the legislature chose not to release the 3.5 percent of state funding that was held back in the 2011-13
biennium budgets. As a result a total of $14.5 million was held back from the Community College
Support Fund dropping biennial funding to $395.5 million. However, the Legislature set aside $10 million
for the Legislative Emergency board to have available to avoid any possible future cuts to community
colleges, Oregon Health and Sciences University and Head Start. While state economists do not forecast
further drops in revenue, should another dip occur requiring further cuts, the dollars set aside would be
used to minimize the impact to these priority areas.
OCCA worked with Rep. Dave Hunt to secure funding for $9.6 million in capital projects through lottery
bonds for science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) programs at all 17 colleges.
After prolonged negotiation, the legislature agreed to pass Governor Kitzhaber’s education reform
package in SB 1581. This legislation set up a requirement in statute for achievement compacts between
local K-12 school district, education service district, or community college boards and the Oregon
Education Investment Board (OEIB), as well as a compact with the Oregon University System and each
public university. The OEIB would define by rule the content and process for developing the compacts.
Additionally, language was added requesting associations, including OCCA, to recommend to the OEIB
by September 30 2012 “processes for collaboration in the development of achievement compacts for
their institutions, including professional development opportunities, for the achievement of student
success.” SB 1581 also clarified the authority of the soon to be hired Chief Education Officer in relation
to the Commissioner, Chancellor, Deputy Superintendent, and others.
Legislation fixing the ambiguity and conflicts between the Higher Education Coordinating Commission
(HECC) and the OEIB passed. SB 1538 clarified that HECC serves under the OEIB and may give advice on
OCCA Board of Directors Handbook Page 70
budgetary and achievement compact matters to the OEIB. Additionally, the HECC was given authority to
review and recommend on several issues, including student success, access, underserved populations,
transfer and articulation.
One of the few state agencies to have its 3.5 percent hold back restored was the Oregon Opportunity
Grant. The program received $2 million in funding back. However, the program still has less than half the
funding necessary to cover all eligible students in the 2011-13 biennium.
2013: For Oregon’s community colleges, three developments provide the backdrop for the final funding
allocation for the 2013 session. First, Governor Kitzhaber set the tone for this session by indicating that
Oregonians must have clear priorities when it comes to state spending: Invest in children and education,
focus on job creation and innovation, and reduce the cost of government. Second, legislative leaders
made it clear that community college funding was a top priority when and if additional funding could be
found. Third, OCCA and community college advocates made a strong case that additional funding is
required if the state is to meet its strategic objective to invest wisely in education and job creation.
OCCA focused much of its advocacy on the need to ensure student access for all Oregonians, limit
tuition hikes, and help displaced workers get the skills they need to get back into the workforce.
Legislators responded positively to the message that unemployed Oregonians and recent high school
graduates were turning to community colleges to learn new skills and/or secure the courses they
needed to transfer to four-year institutions. This became the session where the state finally began to
add additional resources to the community college support fund.
Capital construction was the strong exception to this session’s conservative allocations. Buoyed by an
increase in the state’s bonding capacity, the governor proposed $244,000,000 for community colleges
and the Oregon University System for capital projects designed to support the 40-40-20 goals.
Community colleges had a significant win with the funding of all 16 community college projects at the
requested levels. In addition, Clackamas and Umpqua were granted a two-year extension to expend
funds for a project each college had approved in an earlier appropriation. As a result, more than $125
million in bonding authority was authorized for community colleges for the 2013-15 biennium.
There were several limitations on future community college capital projects that will impact requests in the future. The most significant limitation is language contained in SB 5507 stating that community colleges, with XI-G projects funded in this 2013 session, have a four year window before they are able to request additional state funding for capital construction projects. However, if a college withdraws an “already funded project” then the college is permitted to request a new project. In addition, for the biennium beginning after July 1, 2015, the aggregate amount authorized for projects at a single community college may not exceed $8 million.
One error was made with regard to the project funded at Central Oregon Community College. Legislative
leaders were aware of the issue and committed to correcting the problem in the February 2014 session.
This allowed COCC to go forward with purchasing a building currently leased on their campus by Oregon
State University as a part of OSU’s plans to create their own campus.
As Oregon’s economy began to strengthen during winter and spring, the intense lobbying effort by the
supporters of Oregon’s community colleges and OCCA began to yield positive results. This began in
November when the governor proposed a balanced budget for 2013-15 and recommended $428.4
million for the community college support fund. The governor set outcomes-based budget targets on
investments designed to meet specific 10-year goals. The five guiding principles included a common
statewide vision; defined outcomes; fiscal sustainability; innovative solutions; and informed decision
making.
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Then in March, the Joint Ways and Means Committee Co-Chairs Senator Richard Devlin and
Representative Peter Buckley released the Oregon legislative budget using the Governor’s
recommended budget for community colleges as a base but emphasizing that community colleges
should receive additional funding if more revenue could be identified. Their conservative budget
proposal reflected the sober tone of the February revenue forecast, where the Office of Economic
Analysis predicted little change in the 2011-13 general fund revenue. The Office of Economic Analysis
noted that Oregon’s economy is expanding slowly, but at a glacial pace.
The May 2013 forecast finally provided some additional funding opportunities. The Office of Economic
Analysis issued a projection that Oregon’s revenue outlook would increase 1 percent in the 2011-2013
biennium and 1 percent in the 2013-15 biennium. Economic growth slowly began to pick up and
unemployment began to edge downward. This set the tone for the significant funding and capital
increases passed in June and early July to support community colleges.
After 5 years of budget cuts throughout the recession, the CCSF received a significant increase in the
2013 legislative session. With the passage of the HB 5019, the budget for the CCWD, the CCSF increased
from $395.5 million to $450 million. This was also an increase over both the Governor’s Recommended
Budget and the initial budget of the Co-Chairs of Ways and Means, both of which allotted $428 million
for the CCSF. Overall, the total budget for CCWD, which includes office operations and a few other
targeted programs, amounted to just over $465 million, for a total increase of 15.5 percent.
To advocate for such an increase, OCCA took an approach of providing legislators with three separate
budget scenarios to inform legislators what the result of funding at $428 million, $460 million, and $510
million meant to colleges and students in terms of making progress toward the state’s educational
attainment goals. $510 million was based off a model developed by the National Center for Higher
Education Management Systems (NCHEMS) showing what it would take for community colleges to reach
the state’s 40/40/20 goal by 2025. OCCA also argued that community colleges would need an increase in
similar proportion to K-12 to keep students moving through the education pipeline.
For the previous several years, the statewide structure of post-secondary education had been a major
point of discussion among legislators, policy makers, and business leaders. This session saw the largest
change in post-secondary education in decades. With the creation of institutional boards for public
universities and the move to create a single commission for all of post-secondary education, including
financial aid, the stage was set for significant educational reform and movement toward accomplishing
the goal of 40-40-20. OCCA successfully navigated the statewide conversations, and worked to create a
HECC that is focused on statewide issues while maintaining the local governance of community colleges.
HB 3120 restructured HECC by repealing the current statutory language and rewriting the mission of
HECC to provide coordination at the state level of community colleges, universities, and the financial aid
system. The new composition of HECC was a nine-member commission with five of the nine members to
be appointed by congressional district. Additional, two faculty, two students, and one staff would be
non-voting advisors. HECC was charged with creating a strategic plan for post-secondary education,
recommend budgets and distribute money, oversee data systems, and recommend policies to benefit
the movement of students through the system. Community colleges would move from under the State
Board of Education to the HECC effective July 1, 2014.
SB 270 created institutional boards for University of Oregon and Portland State University while also
providing a timeline should Oregon State University choose to have an institutional board as well.
Further, a process was identified for regional university institutional boards. The powers of the new
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institutional boards were delineated as well as the continuation of specific shared services between the
universities.
2014: The evolution of HECC created a new responsibility for the OCCA: help frame the vision for
changes to CCWD. House Bill 4018, passed in the 2014 session, set in motion a task force and the
process to absorb the department into the HECC. OCCA and community college appointees, including
work group chair Ed Dodson, of Chemeketa Community College, worked with HECC to communicate the
goals and interests of community college students and institutions. To help guide the merger and offer
expertise in the 2015 session, Jim Middleton, former COCC president, agreed to serve as interim
commissioner of CCWD.
The OCCA has continued its advocacy to protect and advance the interests of Oregon community
colleges, and evolved in response to remain an effective and influential voice. Responding to a board
request for more outreach from Salem, especially given the shifting political landscape with the CCWD,
OCCA hired a new communications director. In addition, due to changing capacity at CCWD, OCCA hired
a data expert to be the in-house director of student success.
OCCA hosted a summit in August in Silverton, bringing in speakers from the Governance Institute for
Student Success.
Three bond campaigns earned victories in November: Clackamas ($90 million); Clatsop ($8.2 million) and
Linn-Benton ($34 million).
The OCCA annual conference was held in Sunriver. The Howard Cherry Award winners were:
Outstanding Board Member: Denise Frisbee, who served on the Portland Community College
Board since 2005 and twice been board chair.
Outstanding Administrator: Dr. Connie Green, president of Tillamook Bay Community College. A
veteran of Oregon community college leadership at both the local and the statewide level, she
worked at Linn-Benton and Chemeketa community colleges before serving as the deputy
commissioner of the Department of Community Colleges and Workforce Development and
other key roles.
Outstanding Advocates: State Reps. John Huffman, R-The Dalles, and Mark Johnson, R-Hood
River. They are credited with helping Columbia Gorge Community College obtain financing to
bolster facilities and also for their advocacy for community college priorities statewide.
Through the HECC, Gov. Kitzhaber pushed for community college funding to be tied to outcomes, rather
than just enrollment. The governor’s recommended budget called for $500 million for community
colleges, which was much less than the $650 million deemed necessary to meet the tenets of the state’s
40-40-20 goals and also less than the $550 million that the OCCA sees as an aggressive but possible
budget target for 2015-17.
2015: The OCCA notched its first legislative victory before the session even began, when the co-chairs of
the Ways and Means Committee offered their own budget blueprint, which called for dedicating a
minimum of $535 million and as much as $550 million to community colleges. The session began with a
dark cloud over Gov. John Kitzhaber due to allegations that his first lady, Cylvia Hayes, had parlayed her
access to the governor and staff into personal gain, with the governor’s help. He would resign in
February and be replaced by Secretary of State Kate Brown.
The 2015 Legislative Session was the first since the recession in which legislators began to make
restorations to budgets beyond their pre-recession funding levels. It will also be remembered for a
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session that began with one governor, but saw his resignation and replacement by Governor Kate
Brown, all in the first month of session.
OCCA focused much of the organization’s energy around advocating for a significant increase to the
community college support fund, with no strings attached as to how the money would be spent by
colleges. This was the first session since 2007, when the Great Recession began, in which quarterly
economic forecasts were consistently optimistic. In fact, leading into the legislative session, one of the
biggest concerns for budget writers was whether the state kicker law would trigger the automatic
refund of over $350 million in income tax revenue. Eventually, legislators found the kicker would kick
but revenue for the upcoming biennium was projected high enough to continue making budget
restorations.
However, midway through the session, a ruling on the Public Employment Retirement System (PERS)
deal crafted in the 2013 session, was mostly struck down by the Oregon Supreme Court. The decision
upheld changes for future retirees and ended tax payments for out-of-state retirees but overturned
changes to the COLA benefits of current retirees – leaving only a fraction of the savings from the 2013
law and setting up a complicated system for determining COLAs in the future. While PERS had reserves
set aside to cover the costs of the court overturning the COLA changes in the upcoming biennium, costs
to employers would rise in the 2017-19 biennium as unfunded actuarial liabilities increase.
With John Kitzhaber resigning as Oregon’s governor on February 12, much of his signature education
policy changes were left in flux. The fate of the OEIB changed dramatically with Kitzhaber’s departure
and left a bit of a policy vacuum for issues like free community college gain momentum and others like
the OEIB’s accelerated learning proposal to collapse and be largely replaced. Led by Senator Arnie
Roblan, the legislature convened a workgroup of members of the legislature and stakeholders across all
sectors of education. OCCA participated heavily in the workgroup which lead to the passage of SB 215.
The OEIB became the Chief Education Office directed by the Chief Education Officer, who would be
appointed by the Governor. The office would not be directed by a board as the OEIB was and would
have much narrower responsibilities, including playing a coordinating role to focus on transitions
between sectors and equity issues. Notably, the HECC Executive Director would no longer report to the
Chief Education Officer, except for the specific issues related to “multi-agency” planning.
OCCA worked in coalition with the public universities in advocating for funding for both sectors with
community colleges asking for $550 million and universities asking for $755 million. Advocacy efforts
included a joint higher education rally, outstanding joint representation at the Ways and Means
Committee road hearings, and numerous legislative visits with a coalition of students, administration
and faculty. In the end, the community college support fund was funded at $550 million dollars with a
budget note asking the CCWD to update relevant legislative committees if an outcomes-based funding
formula was adopted. No other restrictions were placed on the budget. This represents a $100 million,
or 22% increase over the 2013 session appropriation.
Finally, community colleges were not included in capital construction for the 2015 session after the
legislature funded the entire community college capital list in the 2013 session. With that funding, the
Ways and Means Committee directed community colleges not to ask for new capital projects until the
2017 session. However, language approving land sales for two existing projects at Rogue and Tillamook
Bay were included in the capital construction bill, along with an extension for Clackamas and a
substitute of projects for Mt. Hood.
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Glossary
AA..................................Affirmative Action, also Associate of Arts, Alcoholics Anonymous AACC..............................American Association of Community Colleges - A national voice for two-year
associate degree granting institutions. AACJC..............................American Association of Community and Junior Colleges (now AACRAO ......................................American Association of College Registrars and Admissions
AAIR...............................American Association of Institutional Research AAOT .............................Associate of Arts-Oregon Transfer AAS ................................Associate of Applied Science AAUW............................American Association of University Women AAWCC ..........................American Association of Women in Community Colleges - An organization
whose mission is to inspire, champion and celebrate talents within each of us. AAWCC provides publications and events geared specifically to the needs of women who are community college staff or board members.
ABE ................................Adult Basic Education - Community colleges' family literacy, workplace literacy and English language programs that provide assistance to adults needing basic math, reading and computer skills. State supported Adult Skill Centers furnish additional services such as one-to-one tutoring, referrals, assessments and work-centered instruction.
ACCT ..............................Association of Community College Trustees -A national organization that represents the officials who govern community, technical and junior colleges in the United States and abroad.
ACE ................................American Council on Education ACT ................................American College Testing ACUI ..............................Association of College Unions International AD&D.............................Accidental Death & Dismemberment ADA .................................Americans with Disabilities Act, also American Dental Association ADD ......................................Attention Deficit Disorder
ADHD.............................Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity AFS ................................Adult and Family Services AFT ..................................American Federation of Teachers (see OFTEHP) AGS................................Associate of General Studies AHEAD ...........................Association of Higher Education and Disability Annexation....................Joining areas of the state not in a community college district to a community
college district. Requires votes of existing district plus new areas as well as State Board of Education approval.
AHSD .............................Adult High School Diploma ANSI...............................American National Standards Institute AP ..................................Advanced Placement, also Accounts Payable APICS .............................American Production and Inventory Control Society AR ..................................Accounts Receivable ASACC............................American Student Association of Community Colleges ASCD..............................Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development ASCII ..............................American Standard Code for Information Interchange ASE ................................Automotive Service Excellence ASL.................................American Sign Language
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ASQC ...............................American Society for Quality Control ASSET ..............................Assessment of Skills for Successful Entry and Transfer ASTD ...............................American Society for Training and Development ATE..................................Advanced Technology Education BASIS...............................Basic Adult Skills Inventory System BIS ...................................Business Information Systems BITS .................................Business and Industry Training System - A group made up of community college
faculty and staff who are engaged in providing customized training programs to business and industry.
Bonds ..............................Speculators buy bonds because they can usually get a good interest rate of return on their money. Bonds are what we sell for cash so we can build projects.
BLM.................................Bureau of Land Management BOLI.................................Bureau of Labor and Industries BOP .................................Bureau of Prisons BPS ..................................Bits Per Second BPSST ..............................Bureau of Police Safety Standards Training CAA .................................College Association Alliance (formerly College Action Alliance)
CAD .................................Computer-Aided Design CAI...................................Computer-Assisted Instruction CAMP ..............................College Assistance Migrant Program Capital projects ..............Capital construction projects include instructional equipment, maintenance,
construction, ADA compliance and remodeling. CAO .................................Chief Academic Officer CASAS..............................Comprehensive Adult Student Assessment System CASE................................Council for the Advancement and Support of Education CAUSE .............................College and University Systems Exchange CBE..................................Competency-Based Education CBI...................................Campus-Based Instruction CBO .................................Community-Based Organization CCC ...................................Chemeketa/Clackamas/Clatsop Community College, also Community College
Consortium CCLP ................................Community College Leadership Program CCOSAC...........................Community Colleges of Oregon Student Association and Commissions (now
OCCSA) CCOSACA ........................Community Colleges of Oregon Student Association and Commissions Advisors CCWD..............................Office of Community Colleges and Workforce Development - Formerly known as
the Department of Community College Services. CCWD works under HECC and operates the central department office in the interest of the 17 colleges, OEIB and HECC priorities, and the state.
CELSA ..............................California English Language Student Assessment CEU .................................Continuing Education Unit CFO .................................Chief Financial Officer CIA...................................Council of Instructional Administrators/ Chief Academic Officers - The group of
community college instructional deans and vice presidents from both the transfer and technical programs. The group is concerned with planning and exchanging information about these activities.
CIL ...................................Center for Independent Learning CIO.................................Chief Information Officer CIP ...................................Classification of Instructional Program
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CIR .................................Council of Institutional Researchers CIS ...................................Career Information System, also CompuServe Information Service CLEP ..............................College-Level Examination Program CMA...............................Certified Management Accountant CMC...............................Computer-Mediated Conferencing or Communication COBRA ...........................Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (of 1985) COCC .............................Central Oregon Community College COD ...............................Contracted out-of district services - COD services are provided by community
colleges to people living outside of a community college district. COG ...............................Council of Governments COMPASS........................Computer-Adaptive Placement Assessment Support System COP................................Certificate of Participation COPs ..............................Certificates of Participation COSA..............................Confederation of Oregon School Administrators CPA ................................Certified Public Accountant CPB..................................Corporation for Public Broadcasting CPL.................................Credit for Prior Learning CPS ................................Characters per Second CRC ................................Curriculum Resource Center CRD................................Council for Resource Development CRLA ..............................College Reading and Learning Association CRT ................................Charitable Remainder Trust CSSA ..............................Council of Student Services Administrators -The group of community college
deans and vice presidents concerned with student services. The group is concerned with planning and exchanging information about these services.
CSSD ..............................College Support Services Division CWE...............................Cooperative Work Experience CWS ...............................College Work Study D&H Grant.....................Disadvantaged and Handicapped Grant DCCWD..........................Department of Community Colleges and Workforce Development (See CCWD) DD..................................Developmentally Disabled, also Doctor of Divinity DDS................................Doctor of Dental Science, also Doctor of Dental Surgery DE ..................................Developmental Education, also Distance Education DHHS .............................Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services DHS .................................Department of Homeland Security(US); also Department of Human Services (OR) DLW...............................Dislocated Worker DOC ...............................Department of Corrections (OR) DOD ...............................Department of Defense (US) DOE .................................Department of Energy, also Depends of Experience DOL................................Department of Labor (US) DPH ...............................Displaced Homemaker DSS ................................Disabled Student Services DVA ...............................Department of Veterans' Affairs (US) ECS.................................Education Commission of the States E3 ....................................Enterprise for Employment and Education ED....................................Employment Division (OR) EDE..................................Electronic Distance Education EDI...................................Electronic Data Interchange Ed-Net.............................Educational Network
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EEOC ...............................Equal Employment Opportunity Commission ELI....................................English Language Instruction EMT.................................Emergency Medical Technology ENL..................................English as a Non-Native Language EOE..................................Equal Opportunity Employer EOSC ...............................Eastern Oregon State College EOU.................................Eastern Oregon University Equalization ....................The Board of Education has developed a funding formula to equalize the
distribution of state funds to community colleges ES ....................................Emergency Services ESD..................................Education Service District ESL...................................English as a Second Language EVOC ...............................Emergency Vehicle Operation Course FAF ..................................Financial Aid Form FAFSA..............................Free Application for Federal Student Aid FASB................................Financial Accounting Standards Board FATS ................................Firearms Automated Training System FBM.................................Farm Business Management FCC ..................................Federal Communications Commission FCI ...................................Federal Correctional Institution FedEx ..............................Federal Express FERPA..............................Family Educational Rights to Privacy Act FICA.................................Federal Insurance Contribution Act FIPSE ...............................Fund for the Improvement of Post-Secondary Education FLSA ................................Fair Labor Standards Act FMLA...............................Federal Family Medical Leave Act (of 1993) FPC ..................................Federal Prison Camp FRC ..................................Family Resource Center FSA ..................................Family Support Act FT ....................................Full-Time FTE....................................Full-Time Equivalent (or Equivalency) Used to describe the workload of staff (one
regular full-time employee equals 1 FTE; one half-time employee equals .5 FTE FTE student.....................Used to measure student enrollment for purposes of state reimbursement. One
FTE student equals 510 student contact hours in CCWD designated courses. FTP ..................................File Transfer Protocol Funding formula.............The formula that distributes most state funding and local property taxes to
community colleges. The formula is an administrative rule approved by the State Board of Education.
FWS.................................Federal Work Study GAAP...............................Generally Accepted Accounting Principles GAAS ...............................Generally Accepted Auditing Standards GASB ...............................Government Accounting Standards Board GED .................................General Educational Development GIF...................................Graphics Interchange Format GUI ..................................Graphical User Interface HazMat ...........................Hazardous Materials HC....................................Head Count HCNW .............................Hunter Communications Northwest HD ...................................Human Development
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HECC..............................Higher Education Coordinating Commission – HECC is responsible for advising the Legislature, the Governor, and the Oregon Education Investment Board on higher education policy. HECC also oversees CCWD and OSAC.
HEGIS ..............................Higher Education General Information System HEP..................................High School Equivalency Program HHS .................................Health and Human Services Department (US) HMO ...............................Health Maintenance Organization HOSA...............................Health Occupations Students of America HR ...................................Human Resources HSC..................................High School Completion HSM ................................Hospitality Systems Management HTM ................................Hospitality and Tourism Management HTML ..............................Hypertext Markup Language HTR .................................Hospitality, Tourism, and Recreation HVAC...............................Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning ICBO ................................International Conference of Building Officials IE .....................................Institutional Effectiveness
ILC ...................................Instructional Load Credits IMA .................................Institute of Management Accounting IMMACT..........................Immigration Act (of 1990) IP .....................................Internet Protocol, also Instructional Point, Instructional Package IPEDS...............................Integrated Post-Secondary Educational Data System IR .....................................Institutional Research IRC...................................Institutional Research Council IRCA ................................Immigration and Reform Control Act IS .....................................Instructional Services ISA ...................................Instructional Service Agreement ISDN ................................Integrated Services Digital Network ISS ...................................International Student Services ISTC .................................Industrial Skills Training Center IT .....................................Information Technology ITC ...................................Instructional Telecommunications Consortium ITFS .................................Instructional Television Fixed Service JAS...................................JOBS Automated System JCAR ................................Joint Commission on Accountability Reports JCU ..................................JOBS Coordination Unit JOBS ................................Job Opportunities and Basic Skills JTPA Job Training Partnership Act - Federal law that generates funding for workforce-
related programs in each state. In Oregon, JTPA staff is part of the Department of Community Colleges and Workforce Development.
KSA..................................Knowledge, Skills, Aptitude LAN..................................Local Area Network LBCC................................Linn-Benton Community College LCC ..................................Lane Community College LD ....................................Learning Disabled LDC..................................Lower Division Collegiate LDT ..................................Lower Division Transfer LEA ..................................Local Education Agency LEARN .............................Learning Excellence Institutional Resource Network
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LEP ..................................Limited English Proficient Local option....................Local option authority is the ability for a taxing district to levy over the Measure 50
permanent rate limits and below the Measure 5 limits of $5 per $1,000 of market value. Since Measure 50 limits growth of assessed value of property, the gap between the two rates will increase significantly over the years. Measure 50 gave local option authority, or the ability to access that gap, to all local governments except school districts and Education Service Districts (ESDs). The legislature limited community colleges' local option authority.
LPN..................................Licensed Practical Nurse LRC ..................................Learning Resource Center LTD ..................................Long-Term Disability LTHT ................................Less Than Half-Time MaPS...............................Marion and Polk Schools (credit union) MAT ................................Miller Analogy Test MBWA ............................Management By Walking Around MCC ................................Marion County Corrections MD ..................................Medicinae Doctor (Doctor of Medicine)
MEd.................................Masters in Education MET.................................Manufacturing Engineering Technology MFA ................................Master of Fine Arts MGIB...............................Montgomery GI Bill MHCC..............................Mount Hood Community College MOA................................Memorandum of Agreement, also Medical Office Assisting MR...................................Mentally Retarded MS...................................Media Services, also Master of Science MSDS ..............................Material Safety Data Sheet MSW ...............................Master of Social Work MWEC.............................Mid-Willamette Education Consortium MWJC..............................Mid-Willamette Jobs Council MWWN...........................Mid-Willamette Workforce Network MWWQC ........................Mid-Willamette Workforce Quality Committee NACA...............................National Association of Campus Activities NACAS.............................National Association of College Auxiliary Services NACS ...............................National Association of College Stores NACUBO .........................National Association of College and University Business Officers NACUFS...........................National Association of College and University Food Service NAEYC .............................National Association of Education for Young Children
NCBA...............................Northwest College Bookstore Association NCIA ................................National Council of Instructional Administrators NCMPR............................National Council for Marketing and Public Relations NCN.................................Network Connect Northwest NCRD...............................National Council for Resource Development NCRP ...............................National Council of Research and Planning NCSR ...............................Northwest Center for Sustainable Resources NEA .................................National Education Association NILD ................................National Institute for Leadership Development NODA ..............................National Orientation Directors Association NOV.................................Notice of Vacancy NPRM..............................Notice of Proposed Rule Making
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NSBA..............................National School Boards Association NSD................................No Show/Drop NSF ................................National Science Foundation, also Non-Sufficient Funds NWAACC .......................Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges NWASC ..........................Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges NWC ..............................Northwest Center NWES.............................Northwest Event Services NWHS ............................Northwest Hospitality Services NWI ...............................Northwest Innovations, Inc. NWICS ...........................Northwest Innovations For Consulting Services NWMM..........................Northwest Multimedia NWPA ............................Northwest Placement Association OACE .............................Oregon Association of Classified Employees - subset of OEA OAR ...............................Oregon Administrative Rule - These are the regulations issued by state agencies in
order to implement or define statutes. (see also ORS) OATC .............................Oregon Advanced Technology Consortium - A facility operated by a consortium of
Oregon community colleges. OATC provides training and equipment access for high-tech manufacturing enterprises.
OC..................................Opportunity Center OCCA .............................Oregon Community College Association - a membership organization of the 17
community colleges whose mission is to advocate, communicate and collaborate to strengthen community colleges for the benefit of all Oregonians. OCCA is not a state agency.
OCCC .............................Oregon Coast Community College OCCDEC .........................Oregon Community College Distance Education Consortium OCCIR ............................Oregon Community College Council of Institutional Researchers -
The statewide association of community college institutional research staff. It meets to exchange information and plan for future needs.
OCCPA ...........................Oregon Community College Placement Association OCCS..............................Oregon Community College Services (now CCWD) OCCSA ...........................Oregon Community College Student Association - The statewide ......................................association of student government leaders. It meets to exchange ......................................information and to engage in advocacy for student interests.
OCCURS ..........................Oregon Community College Unified Reporting System - The Statewide community college data collection and storage system based in the Department of Community Colleges and Workforce Development.
OCE................................Oregon College of Education (now WOSC) OCMPR ...........................Oregon Council for Marketing and Public Relations - The community college
marketing and public affairs staff organization. It meets regularly to plan events nd exchange information. As a group, it was formerly known as PIOs.
OCZMA ..........................Oregon Coast Zone Management Association OD .................................Organizational Development ODE.................................Oregon Department of Education - Regulates K-12 and Education Service Districts. ODOT.............................Oregon Department of Transportation ODSO.............................Oregon Department of Studies Organization ODVA.............................Oregon Department of Veterans' Affairs OEA ...............................Oregon Education Association - A statewide union for public school teachers
includes some community college instructors. The OEA is an affiliate of the Nation
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Education Association (NEA). OED .................................Oregon Employment Department OEDD ..............................Oregon Economic Development Department OEIB ................................Oregon Education Investment Board OFLA................................Oregon Family Leave Act (of 1995) OFTEHP ...........................Oregon Federation of Teachers, Education and Health Professions - A statewide
union for teachers, classified employees, health professional and community college faculty. AFTEHP is the state affiliate of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT).
OHSU ..............................Oregon Health Sciences University OICA ................................Oregon Independent Colleges Association OILD ................................Oregon Institute for Leadership Development OJSS ................................Oregon Job Selection System OJT ..................................On-The-Job Training OMB................................Office of Management and Budget (US) ONE.................................Oregon Network for Education - Web site that serves as an educational mall with
"doorways" to Oregon's on-line educational institutions, programs, and services. OPB .................................Oregon Progress Board - Responsible for monitoring and setting 0 region's
benchmarks. OPC .................................Oregon Presidents Council consists of all 17 Oregon Community College District
presidents and campus presidents from PCC. OPI ..................................Organizational Process Improvement OPTE ...............................Office of Professional-Technical Education - Located with the Oregon Department
of Education (ODE). OrACRAO ........................Oregon Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers ORAHEAD .......................Oregon Association of Higher Education and Disability ORS .................................Oregon Revised Statutes - The compilation of state laws, generally followed by a
number, as in ORS 341.009 (a reference to community college policy established by the Legislature.)
OSAC Office of Student Access and Completion – Formerly Oregon Student Assistance Commission – Formerly Oregon State Scholarship Commission. OSAC is responsible for administering the state's student financial aid programs.
OSBA ................................Oregon School Boards Association - OSBA represents more than 1400 locally elected school board members for K-12, ESDs and the 17 community colleges, as well as the Board of Education members. OSBA provides information, training, legal assistance and advocacy services.
OSBHE.............................Formerly Oregon State Board of Higher Education - OSBHE governed the state's seven state-supported universities. The board is closed as of June 30, 2015. Universities created their own boards and work with HECC.
OSCI ................................Oregon State Correctional Institute OSEA ...............................Oregon School Employees Association - A statewide union that represents
classified employees in local school districts and community colleges. OSHA...............................Occupational Safety and Health Administration OSL ..................................Oregon Student Lobby OSP..................................Oregon State Penitentiary OSSC................................Renamed Oregon Student Assistance Commission (OSAC). OSSHE .............................Oregon State System of Higher Education (also OUS) OST..................................Occupational Skills Training OSU .................................Oregon State University
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OUS ..................................Formerly Oregon University System - State agency that included Oregon's seven state-supported universities and was governed by OSBHE, also defunct. Both closed June 30, 2015. Universities created their own boards and now work with HECC.
OWAC .............................Oregon Workforce Advisory Committee - Renamed Oregon Workforce Investment Board (OWIB) Implements the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) in Oregon.
OWCC .............................Oregon Women's Correctional Center OWHE .............................Oregon Women in Higher Education OWIB...............................Oregon Workforce Investment Board OWO ...............................Oregon Workforce Option PACRAO ..........................Pacific Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers Pell Grant........................Pell is a form of federal financial assistance for college students, directed primarily
to serve low-income students. PBL ..................................Phi Beta Lambda PBS ..................................Public Broadcasting Service PCC..................................Portland Community College PERS ................................Public Employees Retirement System - The public retirement system for state,
county, municipal and other public employees, including community college employees.
PIC ...................................Private Industry Council - The local board for the eight JTPA Service Delivery Areas (SDAs).
PIO .................................Public Information Officer - A generic term describing the person responsible for public and media relations. As a group, PIOs was replaced by OCMPR.
PhD .................................Philosophiae Doctor (Doctor of Philosophy) PLU..................................Pacific Lutheran University PLUS................................Project Literacy-United States PNAIRP............................Pacific Northwest Association of Institutional Research and Planning PO ...................................Purchase Order POSSLQ ...........................Persons of the Opposite Sex Sharing Living Quarters PPP..................................Point to Point Protocol PRC..................................Placement Resource Center PST ..................................Professional Skills Training PSU..................................Portland State University PT ....................................Part-time, also physical therapist PTE ..................................Professional-Technical Education PTK ..................................Phi Theta Kappa RAM ................................Random-Access Memory
RCC..................................Rogue Community College REC..................................Regional Education Consortium RES ..................................Regional Education Services RESPECT...........................Regional Education Services: Professional Excellence in Community Training (now
RES) RFI ...................................Request for Information RFTE ................................Reimbursable Full-Time Equivalent - Those community college courses approved
by CCWD as eligible for reimbursement by the state under the FTE funding formula.
RIF ...................................Reduction in Force RN ...................................Registered Nurse ROM................................Read-Only Memory
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RPF ..................................Request for Proposal
RWQC .............................Regional Workforce Quality Committee SAIF .................................State Accident Insurance Fund SAS ..................................Statistical Application Systems SBDC ...............................Small Business Development Center - Local small business development centers,
operated mainly by community colleges but also at some other institutions for the purpose of assisting small businesses.
SBE ..................................[Oregon] State Board of Education - A seven-member board, appointed by the Governor, the State Board of Education is responsible for setting broad, general state policies for guiding programs in public elementary, secondary and community college districts.
SBHE................................State Board of Higher Education SCANS .............................Secretary's Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills SDA .................................Service Delivery Area - A geographic region for JTPA services. SEA ..................................State Education Agency SEDCOR...........................Salem Economic Development Corporation
SEVIS ...............................Student and Exchange Visitor Information System SEYA ................................Summer Experience for Young Adults SGID ................................Small Group Instructional Diagnosis SI .....................................Supplemental Instruction SKD..................................Skills Development SLIAG...............................State Legalization Impact Assistance Grants SME.................................Society of Manufacturing Engineers SNO .................................Student Nurses' Organization SOL ..................................Scholarships for Oregon Latinos SOSC................................Southern Oregon State College SOU .................................Southern Oregon University SPACE..............................Strategic Partnerships for Academic and Community Effectiveness (now SPIR) SPIR .................................Strategic Partnerships and Information Resources SPOCCDL.........................Strategic Plan Oregon Community Colleges for Distance Learning SPROUT ........................................Sustainable Plant Research and Outreach SPSS.................................Statistical Package for the Social Sciences SRF ..................................Student Record Form SRI ...................................Student Retention Initiative SRTK ................................Student Right to Know SSD ..................................Services for Students with Disabilities
SSN..................................Social Security Number Stafford Loan ..................A federal program for financial assistance to college students. Local banks actually
loan the funds; the federal government guarantees them. (Formerly Guaranteed Student Loan)
STWOA............................School to Work Opportunities Act SWOCC............................Southwestern Oregon Community College SWOT ..............................Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats TAC..................................Technical Assistance Center TALN................................Technology Access for Life Needs TANF ...............................Temporary Assistance for Needy Families TCP ..................................Transmission Control Protocol TCP/IP .............................Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol
OCCA Board of Directors Handbook Page 83
TDD .................................Telecommunication Device for the Deaf
TOEFL ..............................Test of English as a Foreign Language TOC .................................The Oregon Consortium Sometimes referred to as the "balance of state.” The
Oregon Consortium is a service delivery area for JTPA services. It consists of 23 counties.
TOPS................................Teaching Outcome for Programs and Students TPAD ...............................Tech-Prep Associate Degree TPIC .................................The Private Industry Council TQM ................................Total Quality Management TRIF .................................Temporary Reduction in Force TVCC................................Treasure Valley Community College U of 0 ..............................University of Oregon UBC .................................Uniform Building Code UCC .................................Umpqua Community College UP ...................................University of Portland URL..................................Universal Resource Locator
USFS ................................United States Forest Service USPS................................United States Postal Service VA....................................Veterans' Administration (US) VEDS................................Vocational Education Data System VHS .................................Video Home System VRD .................................Vocational Rehabilitation Division WACAS............................Western Association of College Auxiliary Services WACUBO ........................Western Association of College and University Business Officers WAN................................Wide-Area Network WCET ..............................Western Cooperative for Educational Telecommunications WDET ..............................Workforce Development, Education, and Training WIA .................................Workforce Investment Act - Federal legislation to encourage workforce
collaboration for the consumer. WIC .................................Workforce Integration Council WICHE.............................Western Interstate Commission on Higher Education - A 13-state commission
created by the Western Regional Higher Education Compact, dedicated to cooperation in the sharing of higher education facilities, programs, and information among cooperating states.
WOSC..............................Western Oregon State College (now WOU) WOU ...............................Western Oregon University
WQC................................Workforce Quality Council WSO ................................WorkSource Oregon WU ..................................Willamette University WWW .............................World-Wide Web WYSIWYG .......................What You See Is What You Get
OCCA Board of Directors Handbook Page 84
OREGON REVISED STATUTES – 2009 PUB LIC MEETINGS
192.610 Definitions for ORS 192.610 to 192.690. As used in ORS 192.610 to 192.690:
(1) “Decision” means any determination, action, vote or final disposition upon a motion, proposal,
resolution, order, ordinance or measure on which a vote of a governing body is required, at any meeting at
which a quorum is present.
(2) “Executive session” means any meeting or part of a meeting of a governing body which is closed to
certain persons for deliberation on certain matters.
(3) “Governing body” means the members of any public body which consists of two or more members,
with the authority to make decisions for or recommendations to a public body on policy or administration.
(4) “Public body” means the state, any regional council, county, city or district, or any municipal or public
corporation, or any board, department, commission, council, bureau, committee or subcommittee or
advisory group or any other agency thereof.
(5) “Meeting” means the convening of a governing body of a public body for which a quorum is required
in order to make a decision or to deliberate toward a decision on any matter. “Meeting” does not include
any on-site inspection of any project or program. “Meeting” also does not include the attendance of
members of a governing body at any national, regional or state association to which the public body or the
members belong. [1973 c.172 §2; 1979 c.644 §1]
192.620 Policy. The Oregon form of government requires an informed public aware of the deliberations
and decisions of governing bodies and the information upon which such decisions were made. It is the intent
of ORS 192.610 to 192.690 that decisions of governing bodies be arrived at openly. [1973 c.172 §1]
192.630 Meetings of governing body to be open to public; location of meetings; accommodation for
person with disability; interpreters. (1) All meetings of the governing body of a public body shall be open to
the public and all persons shall be permitted to attend any meeting except as otherwise provided by ORS
192.610 to 192.690.
(2) ) A quorum of a governing body may not meet in private for the purpose of deciding on or
deliberating toward a decision on any matter except as otherwise provided by ORS 192.610 to 192.690.
(3) ) A governing body may not hold a meeting at any place where discrimination on the basis of race,
color, creed, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age or disability is practiced. However, the fact that
organizations with restricted membership hold meetings at the place does not restrict its use by a public
body if use of the place by a restricted membership organization is not the primary purpose of the place or
its predominant use.
(4) Meetings of the governing body of a public body shall be held within the geographic boundaries over
which the public body has jurisdiction, or at the administrative headquarters of the public body or at the
other nearest practical location. Training sessions may be held outside the jurisdiction as long as no
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deliberations toward a decision are involved. A joint meeting of two or more governing bodies or of one or
more governing bodies and the elected officials of one or more federally recognized Oregon Indian tribes
shall be held within the geographic boundaries over which one of the participating public bodies or one of
the Oregon Indian tribes has jurisdiction or at the nearest practical location. Meetings may be held in
locations other than those described in this subsection in the event of an actual emergency necessitating
immediate action.
(5)(a) It is discrimination on the basis of disability for a governing body of a public body to meet in a place
inaccessible to persons with disabilities, or, upon request of a person who is deaf or hard of hearing, to fail to
make a good faith effort to have an interpreter for persons who are deaf or hard of hearing provided at a
regularly scheduled meeting. The sole remedy for discrimination on the basis of disability shall be as
provided in ORS 192.680.
(b) ) The person requesting the interpreter shall give the governing body at least 48 hours’ notice of the
request for an interpreter, shall provide the name of the requester, sign language preference and any other
relevant information the governing body may request.
(c) If a meeting is held upon less than 48 hours’ notice, reasonable effort shall be made to have an
interpreter present, but the requirement for an interpreter does not apply to emergency meetings.
(d) If certification of interpreters occurs under state or federal law, the Oregon Health Authority or other
state or local agency shall try to refer only certified interpreters to governing bodies for purposes of this
subsection.
(e) As used in this subsection, “good faith effort” includes, but is not limited to, contacting the
department or other state or local agency that maintains a list of qualified interpreters and arranging for the
referral of one or more qualified interpreters to provide interpreter services. [1973 c.172 §3; 1979 c.644 §2;
1989 c.1019 §1; 1995 c.626 §1; 2003 c.14 §95; 2005 c.663 §12; 2007 c.70 §52; 2007 c.100 §21; 2009 c.595
§173]
192.640 Public notice required; special notice for executive sessions, special or emergency meetings. (1)
The governing body of a public body shall provide for and give public notice, reasonably calculated to give
actual notice to interested persons including news media which have requested notice, of the time and place
for holding regular meetings. The notice shall also include a list of the principal subjects anticipated to be
considered at the meeting, but this requirement shall not limit the ability of a governing body to consider
additional subjects.
(2) If an executive session only will be held, the notice shall be given to the members of the governing
body, to the general public and to news media which have requested notice, stating the specific provision of
law authorizing the executive session.
(3) No special meeting shall be held without at least 24 hours’ notice to the members of the governing
body, the news media which have requested notice and the general public. In case of an actual emergency, a
meeting may be held upon such notice as is appropriate to the circumstances, but the minutes for such a
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meeting shall describe the emergency justifying less than 24 hours’ notice. [1973 c.172 §4; 1979 c.644 §3;
1981 c.182 §1]
192.650 Recording or written minutes required; content; fees. (1) The governing body of a public body
shall provide for the sound, video or digital recording or the taking of written minutes of all its meetings.
Neither a full transcript nor a full recording of the meeting is required, except as otherwise provided by law,
but the written minutes or recording must give a true reflection of the matters discussed at the meeting and
the views of the participants. All minutes or recordings shall be available to the public within a reasonable
time after the meeting, and shall include at least the following information:
(a) All members of the governing body present;
(b) All motions, proposals, resolutions, orders, ordinances and measures proposed and their disposition;
(c) The results of all votes and, except for public bodies consisting of more than 25 members unless
requested by a member of that body, the vote of each member by name;
(d) ) The substance of any discussion on any matter; and
(e) Subject to ORS 192.410 to 192.505 relating to public records, a reference to any document discussed
at the meeting.
(2) ) Minutes of executive sessions shall be kept in accordance with subsection (1) of this section.
However, the minutes of a hearing held under ORS 332.061 shall contain only the material not excluded
under ORS
332.061 (2). Instead of written minutes, a record of any executive session may be kept in the form of a sound
or video tape or digital recording, which need not be transcribed unless otherwise provided by law. If the
disclosure of certain material is inconsistent with the purpose for which a meeting under ORS 192.660 is
authorized to be held, that material may be excluded from disclosure. However, excluded materials are
authorized to be examined privately by a court in any legal action and the court shall determine their
admissibility.
(3) ) A reference in minutes or a recording to a document discussed at a meeting of a governing body of
a public body does not affect the status of the document under ORS 192.410 to 192.505.
(4) ) A public body may charge a person a fee under ORS 192.440 for the preparation of a transcript from
a recording. [1973 c.172 §5; 1975 c.664 §1; 1979 c.644 §4; 1999 c.59 §44; 2003 c.803 §14]
192.660 Executive sessions permitted on certain matters; procedures; news media representatives’
attendance; limits. (1) ORS 192.610 to 192.690 do not prevent the governing body of a public body from
holding executive session during a regular, special or emergency meeting, after the presiding officer has
identified the authorization under ORS 192.610 to 192.690 for holding the executive session.
(2) ) The governing body of a public body may hold an executive session:
(a) To consider the employment of a public officer, employee, staff member or individual agent.
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(b) To consider the dismissal or disciplining of, or to hear complaints or charges brought against, a public
officer, employee, staff member or individual agent who does not request an open hearing.
(c) To consider matters pertaining to the function of the medical staff of a public hospital licensed
pursuant to ORS 441.015 to 441.063 including, but not limited to, all clinical committees, executive,
credentials, utilization review, peer review committees and all other matters relating to medical competency
in the hospital.
(d) To conduct deliberations with persons designated by the governing body to carry on labor
negotiations.
(e) To conduct deliberations with persons designated by the governing body to negotiate real property
transactions.
(f) To consider information or records that are exempt by law from public inspection.
(g) To consider preliminary negotiations involving matters of trade or commerce in which the governing
body is in competition with governing bodies in other states or nations.
(h) To consult with counsel concerning the legal rights and duties of a public body with regard to current
litigation or litigation likely to be filed.
(i) To review and evaluate the employment-related performance of the chief executive officer of any
public body, a public officer, employee or staff member who does not request an open hearing.
(j) To carry on negotiations under ORS chapter 293 with private persons or businesses regarding
proposed acquisition, exchange or liquidation of public investments.
(k) If the governing body is a health professional regulatory board, to consider information obtained as
part of an investigation of licensee or applicant conduct.
(L) If the governing body is the State Landscape Architect Board, or an advisory committee to the board,
to consider information obtained as part of an investigation of registrant or applicant conduct.
(m) To discuss information about review or approval of programs relating to the security of any of the
following:
(A) ) A nuclear-powered thermal power plant or nuclear installation.
(B) Transportation of radioactive material derived from or destined for a nuclear-fueled thermal power
plant or nuclear installation.
(C) Generation, storage or conveyance of:
(i) Electricity;
(ii) Gas in liquefied or gaseous form;
(iii) Hazardous substances as defined in ORS 453.005 (7)(a), (b) and (d);
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(iv) Petroleum products;
(v) Sewage; or
(vi) Water.
(D) Telecommunication systems, including cellular, wireless or radio systems.
(E) Data transmissions by whatever means provided.
(3) ) Labor negotiations shall be conducted in open meetings unless negotiators for both sides request
that negotiations be conducted in executive session. Labor negotiations conducted in executive session are
not subject to the notification requirements of ORS 192.640.
(4) ) Representatives of the news media shall be allowed to attend executive sessions other than those
held under subsection (2)(d) of this section relating to labor negotiations or executive session held pursuant
to ORS 332.061 (2) but the governing body may require that specified information be undisclosed.
(5) ) When a governing body convenes an executive session under subsection (2)(h) of this section relating
to conferring with counsel on current litigation or litigation likely to be filed, the governing body shall bar any
member of the news media from attending the executive session if the member of the news media is a party
to the litigation or is an employee, agent or contractor of a news media organization that is a party to the
litigation.
(6) No executive session may be held for the purpose of taking any final action or making any final
decision.
(7) ) The exception granted by subsection (2)(a) of this section does not apply to:
(a) The filling of a vacancy in an elective office.
(b) ) The filling of a vacancy on any public committee, commission or other advisory group.
(c) The consideration of general employment policies.
(d) ) The employment of the chief executive officer, other public officers, employees and staff members
of a public body unless:
(A) The public body has advertised the vacancy;
(B) The public body has adopted regular hiring procedures;
(C) In the case of an officer, the public has had the opportunity to comment on the employment of the
officer; and
(D) In the case of a chief executive officer, the governing body has adopted hiring standards, criteria and
policy directives in meetings open to the public in which the public has had the opportunity to comment on
the standards, criteria and policy directives.
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(8) ) A governing body may not use an executive session for purposes of evaluating a chief executive
officer or other officer, employee or staff member to conduct a general evaluation of an agency goal,
objective or operation or any directive to personnel concerning agency goals, objectives, operations or
programs.
(9) Notwithstanding subsections (2) and (6) of this section and ORS 192.650:
(a) ORS 676.175 governs the public disclosure of minutes, transcripts or recordings relating to the
substance and disposition of licensee or applicant conduct investigated by a health professional regulatory
board.
(b) ORS 671.338 governs the public disclosure of minutes, transcripts or recordings relating to the
substance and disposition of registrant or applicant conduct investigated by the State Landscape Architect
Board or an advisory committee to the board. [1973 c.172 §6; 1975 c.664 §2; 1979 c.644 §5; 1981 c.302 §1;
1983 c.453 §1; 1985 c.657 §2; 1995 c.779 §1; 1997 c.173 §1; 1997 c.594 §1; 1997 c.791 §9; 2001 c.950 §10;
2003 c.524 §4; 2005 c.22 §134; 2007 c.602 §11; 2009 c.792 §32]
192.670 Meetings by means of telephone or electronic communication. (1) Any meeting, including an
executive session, of a governing body of a public body which is held through the use of telephone or other
electronic communication shall be conducted in accordance with ORS 192.610 to 192.690.
(2) When telephone or other electronic means of communication is used and the meeting is not an
executive session, the governing body of the public body shall make available to the public at least one place
where, or at least one electronic means by which, the public can listen to the communication at the time it
occurs. A place provided may be a place where no member of the governing body of the public body is
present. [1973 c.172 §7; 1979 c.361 §1; 2011 c.272 §2]
192.672 State board or commission meetings through telephone or electronic means; compensation
and reimbursement. (1) A state board or commission may meet through telephone or other electronic
means in accordance with ORS 192.610 to 192.690.
(2)(a) Notwithstanding ORS 171.072 or 292.495, a member of a state board or commission who attends a
meeting through telephone or other electronic means is not entitled to compensation or reimbursement for
expenses for attending the meeting.
(b) A state board or commission may compensate or reimburse a member, other than a member who is a
member of the Legislative Assembly, who attends a meeting through telephone or other electronic means as
provided in ORS 292.495 at the discretion of the board or commission. [2011 c.272 §1]
Note: 192.672 was enacted into law by the Legislative Assembly but was not added to or made a part of
ORS chapter 192 or any series therein by legislative action. See Preface to Oregon Revised Statutes for
further explanation.
192.680 Enforcement of ORS 192.610 to 192.690; effect of violation on validity of decision of governing
body; liability of members. (1) A decision made by a governing body of a public body in violation of ORS
192.610 to 192.690 shall be voidable. The decision shall not be voided if the governing body of the public
OCCA Board of Directors Handbook Page 90
body reinstates the decision while in compliance with ORS 192.610 to 192.690. A decision that is reinstated is
effective from the date of its initial adoption.
(2) Any person affected by a decision of a governing body of a public body may commence a suit in the
circuit court for the county in which the governing body ordinarily meets, for the purpose of requiring
compliance with, or the prevention of violations of ORS 192.610 to 192.690, by members of the governing
body, or to determine the applicability of ORS 192.610 to 192.690 to matters or decisions of the governing
body.
(3) Notwithstanding subsection (1) of this section, if the court finds that the public body made a decision
while in violation of ORS 192.610 to 192.690, the court shall void the decision of the governing body if the
court finds that the violation was the result of intentional disregard of the law or willful misconduct by a
quorum of the members of the governing body, unless other equitable relief is available. The court may
order such equitable relief as it deems appropriate in the circumstances. The court may order payment to a
successful plaintiff in a suit brought under this section of reasonable attorney fees at trial and on appeal, by
the governing body, or public body of which it is a part or to which it reports.
(4) If the court makes a finding that a violation of ORS 192.610 to 192.690 has occurred under subsection
(2) of this section and that the violation is the result of willful misconduct by any member or members of the
governing body, that member or members shall be jointly and severally liable to the governing body or the
public body of which it is a part for the amount paid by the body under subsection (3) of this section.
(5) Any suit brought under subsection (2) of this section must be commenced within 60 days following the
date that the decision becomes public record.
(6) ) The provisions of this section shall be the exclusive remedy for an alleged violation of ORS 192.610
to 192.690. [1973 c.172 §8; 1975 c.664 §3; 1979 c.644 §6; 1981 c.897 §42; 1983 c.453 §2; 1989 c.544 §1]
192.685 Additional enforcement of alleged violations of ORS 192.660. (1) Notwithstanding ORS 192.680,
complaints of violations of ORS 192.660 alleged to have been committed by public officials may be made to
the Oregon Government Ethics Commission for review and investigation as provided by ORS 244.260 and for
possible imposition of civil penalties as provided by ORS 244.350.
(2) ) The commission may interview witnesses, review minutes and other records and may obtain and
consider any other information pertaining to executive sessions of the governing body of a public body for
purposes of determining whether a violation of ORS 192.660 occurred. Information related to an executive
session conducted for a purpose authorized by ORS 192.660 shall be made available to the Oregon
Government Ethics Commission for its investigation but shall be excluded from public disclosure.
(3) If the commission chooses not to pursue a complaint of a violation brought under subsection (1) of
this section at any time before conclusion of a contested case hearing, the public official against whom the
complaint was brought may be entitled to reimbursement of reasonable costs and attorney fees by the
public body to which the official’s governing body has authority to make recommendations or for which the
official’s governing body has authority to make decisions. [1993 c.743 §28]
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192.690 Exceptions to ORS 192.610 to 192.690. (1) ORS 192.610 to 192.690 do not apply to the
deliberations of the Oregon Health Authority conducted under ORS 161.315 to 161.351, the Psychiatric
Security Review Board, the State Board of Parole and Post-Prison Supervision, state agencies conducting
hearings on contested cases in accordance with the provisions of ORS chapter 183, the review by the
Workers’ Compensation Board or the Employment Appeals Board of similar hearings on contested cases,
meetings of the state lawyers assistance committee operating under the provisions of ORS 9.568, meetings
of the personal and practice management assistance committees operating under the provisions of ORS
9.568, the county multidisciplinary child abuse teams required to review child abuse cases in accordance
with the provisions of ORS 418.747, the child fatality review teams required to review child fatalities in
accordance with the provisions of ORS 418.785, the peer review committees in accordance with the
provisions of ORS 441.055, mediation conducted under ORS 36.250 to 36.270, any judicial proceeding,
meetings of the Oregon Health and Science University Board of Directors or its designated committee
regarding candidates for the position of president of the university or regarding sensitive business, financial
or commercial matters of the university not customarily provided to competitors related to financings,
mergers, acquisitions or joint ventures or related to the sale or other disposition of, or substantial change in
use of, significant real or personal property, or related to health system strategies, or to Oregon Health and
Science University faculty or staff committee meetings.
(2) Because of the grave risk to public health and safety that would be posed by misappropriation or
misapplication of information considered during such review and approval, ORS 192.610 to 192.690 shall not
apply to review and approval of security programs by the Energy Facility Siting Council pursuant to ORS
469.530. [1973 c.172 §9; 1975 c.606 §41b; 1977 c.380 §19; 1981 c.354 §3; 1983 c.617 §4; 1987 c.850 §3;
1989 c.6 §18; 1989 c.967 §§12,14; 1991 c.451 §3; 1993 c.18 §33; 1993 c.318 §§3,4; 1995 c.36 §§1,2; 1995
c.162 §§62b,62c; 1999 c.59 §§45a,46a; 1999 c.155 §4; 1999 c.171 §§4,5; 1999 c.291 §§25,26; 2005 c.347 §5;
2005 c.562 §23; 2007 c.796 §8; 2009 c.697 §11; 2011 c.708 §26]
192.695 Prima facie evidence of violation required of plaintiff. In any suit commenced under ORS
192.680 (2), the plaintiff shall be required to present prima facie evidence of a violation of ORS 192.610 to
192.690 before the governing body shall be required to prove that its acts in deliberating toward a decision
complied with the law. When a plaintiff presents prima facie evidence of a violation of the open meetings
law, the burden to prove that the provisions of ORS 192.610 to 192.690 were complied with shall be on the
governing body. [1981 c.892 §97d; 1989 c.544 §3]
Note: 192.695 was added to and made a part of ORS chapter 192 by legislative action but was not added
to any smaller series therein. See Preface to Oregon Revised Statutes for further explanation.
192.710 Smoking in public meetings prohibited. (1) No person shall smoke or carry any lighted smoking
instrument in a room where a public meeting is being held or is to continue after a recess. For purposes of
this subsection, a public meeting is being held from the time the agenda or meeting notice indicates the
meeting is to commence regardless of the time it actually commences.
(2) As used in this section:
OCCA Board of Directors Handbook Page 92
(a) “Public meeting” means any regular or special public meeting or hearing of a public body to
exercise or advise in the exercise of any power of government in buildings or rooms rented, leased
or owned by the State of Oregon or by any county, city or other political subdivision in the state
regardless of whether a quorum is present or is required.
(b) “Public body” means the state or any department, agency, board or commission of the
state or any county, city or other political subdivision in the state.
(c) “Smoking instrument” means any cigar, cigarette, pipe or other smoking equipment. [1973
c.168 §1; 1979 c.262 §1]
OCCA Board of Directors Handbook Page 93
Additional Resources
Electronic Resources
2015 OCCA Basic Info Guide
http://www.occa17.com/assets/documents/BasicInfoGuide/2015%20basic%20info%20guide.pdf
Oregon Community College Overview: Facts, Figures, and Funding For Oregon's Community Colleges
http://www.occa17.com/assets/documents/Issues/occa%20facts%20and%20figures%202015-2.pdf
2015 OCCA Legislative Report
http://www.occa17.com/assets/documents/Legislature/2015%20occa%20legislative%20report.pdf
HECC Organizational Structure
http://www.occa17.com/assets/documents/Issues/hecc%20agency%20organizational%20structure
%20graphic.pdf
HECC PowerPoint Presentations
http://www.occa17.com/2015-legislature
Books
McClenney, B. & Mathis, M. B. (2001). Making good on the promise of the open door: Effective
governance and leadership to improve student equity, success and completion.
Association of Community College Trustees: Washington D.C.
