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About Eugene weekly. (Eugene, Oregon) 1993-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 18, 2007)
BY ROB SPOONER How to Grow LCC Internal factors are part of the problem L ane Community College is undergoing an- other of the budget crises that have af- fected five out of six fiscal years. While it is true that the first two were precipitated by the sudden reduction in state funding during Oregon’s budget crisis, the college would have the public believe that all the blame lies on external factors and that it has acted prudently in the best inter- ests of students. It’s not quite that simple. In the middle of its last fiscal year (FY06, end- ing June 30, 2006), LCC was surprised to discover that its budget was falling millions of dollars in the red. FY06 ate up much of LCC’s cash cushion and FY07 was balanced through the elimination of dozens of employees who provided support services. FY08’s budget, now being de- veloped, appears to need about $3 million in fresh cuts. LCC’s problem has been made worse by the state’s latest policy, termed “equity,” under which total tax revenue, local and state, is being made roughly equal per stu- dent across Oregon. If you’re “rich” in local property taxes, you’ll get less from Salem. It’s the same calculation they use for K-12. This means that no college can spend substantially more per student than other colleges. LCC recently gave its faculty raises to bring them close to the top range of faculties in Oregon. It also has an unusually large proportion of faculty on full-time status. A full-time instructor costs about twice as much as a comparable part-time in- structor per class. LCC has a high cost structure. Discussions aimed at fixing the budget have focused on cuts in expenses. Further cuts are likely to impact enrollment, which leads to revenue losses. The easiest solu- tion is just the reverse. There are many classes where direct costs are far below di- rect revenues. Significant growth in these areas could lead Lane back to solvency. There are many ways for LCC to grow, but right now I’ll only discuss one. Lane has two satellite campuses (Florence and Cottage Grove) and seven Community Learning Centers (CLCs) at area high schools. It has never done much with them and has de- cided to do still less. It should instead do more than ever. LCC argues that there hasn’t been enough demand, but in fact there haven’t been enough classes. Students won’t take a few classes at a CLC and the rest at the main campus. It doesn’t make economic sense. But the advantages of doing 100 percent at a CLC are immense. For an Elmira student, for instance, the cost of commuting to the main campus for a full-time load could be equivalent to about $40/credit. Since total tuition is only about $70/credit, the benefits to such students would be huge. There are significant social considerations. Classes at CLCs would increase the number of students who could walk, bike or take public transportation to classes. The remainder would have much shorter commutes in their cars. And of course, educat- ing more students is exactly the sort of thing Lane is supposed to being doing. Finally, the college’s finances would improve. These classes would be simple, in- volving little overhead, and would be taught by part-timers. The benefits would phase in over a period of years, but they would contribute to a permanent budget solution. Unfortunately, there is also the option of self-delusion. This has been the pre- ferred technique for years. Since state cash is not for current instructional expenses but comes in subsequent years as “reimbursement,” it’s possible to pretend that the current budget is balanced when FTE enrollment is lost and the damage to state re- imbursement doesn’t show up until later. This leads to a death spiral. The time has come for LCC instead to discard the illu- sions, accept whatever short-term pain is required and begin to grow back into finan- cial health. Rob Spooner of Florence is a former candidate for the LCC Board. He is co-publisher of Oregon Coast and Northwest Travel magazines. TO THE EDITOR Not that he cares. If he did, he might actually take the advice of his military commanders, who argued in 2003 that the Rumsfeld plan of war was undermanned. Now that it’s too late, he takes the cautionary 2003 advice over the vehement 2007 advice, a sure sign of the megalo- mania of an Adolf Hitler and other delusional commanders-in- chief who lost wars they should- n’t have started. For those types, receiving authoritative advice is simply a preliminary for adoles- cent disobedience, the one thing Bush has always done well. But for those of us who have always suspected psychosis, Bush’s speech on Wednesday served as sad confirmation. His last-ditch attempt at redemption will re- quire more sacrifice, more maiming, more killing and more killed. From his viewpoint, his historical legacy is worth more lives. Of course. Psychotics do think that way. Now we face two more years of this sad little man taking matters into his own little hands. If Pelosi and Reid and other Democrats do not see that as intolerable, we are, indeed, a de- feated nation. Not militarily, as that’s already happened. But ethically, perhaps there are a few scraps left. We could start by impeaching him. The Founding Fathers would approve. Tom Erwin Eugene our tax money makes while being squan- dered by our lovely transit district. Those spe- cial buses weren’t cheap, nor were the revi- sions to Franklin Boulevard, and now it ap- pears they also have an overly large advertis- ing budget. I know a lot of business owners who would love to be able to run TV ads on such an epic scale but the cost is proportion- ate, read that prohibitive. All this to save a whopping six minutes on a 22-minute run from station to station (which they still are unable to accomplish). For what? Are we trying to cut ride time or in- crease capacity? Wouldn’t additional regular buses on express routes have cured either ill? Does anyone actually believe bus riders will arrive at their destinations early because of this and somehow make an extra contribution to society? More likely they’ll sleep in a bonus snooze cycle, then ride the new buses/route for free — or should I say cour- SIX-MINUTE WONDER Zamma Zamma Zoom, the new advertis- ing ditty from LTD, apparently is the sound /05*$&501"3&/54 TDIPPMTPQFO 7JTJUZPVSOFJHICPSIPPETDIPPMoBOENPSF i>ÀÊ>LÕÌÊ Õ}iiÊ-V Ê ÃÌÀVÌÊ{ÊÃV ðÊ-Ì>ÀÌÊLÞÊÛÃÌ}Ê ÞÕÀÊi} LÀ `ÊÃV °Ê7Ì ÊÌ iÊ`ÃÌÀV̽ÃÊÃV ÊV ViÊ «VÞ]Ê«>ÀiÌÃÊ>ÞÊÃi`ÊÌ iÀÊV `ÀiÊÌÊ>ÞÊÃV ÊÜÌ ÊÌ iÊ `ÃÌÀVÌ]Ê«ÀÛ`i`ÊÌ iÀiÊÃÊë>ViÊ>Û>>Li°ÊÊ{ÊÃV ÃÊvVÕÃÊÊ ÕÀÌÕÀ}ÊÌ iÊÃÕVViÃÃÊvÊi>V ÊV `° 9ÕÊV>ÊiÀÊÊÞÕÀÊi} LÀ `ÊÃV Ê>ÌÊ>ÞÊÌi°Ê/ÊÊ iÀÊÊ>Ì iÀÊ`ÃÌÀVÌÊÃV ]ÊÌ iÊÃV ÊV ViÊ«iÀ`ÊÃÊvÀÊ "7ÊÕÌÊ>ÀV ÊÓÊvÀÊÌ iÊÓääÇqänÊÃV ÊÞi>À°Ê/ iÊ{Ê-V ÃÊ Õ`iÊpÊ>Û>>LiÊ>ÌÊ>ÞÊÃV ]Ê>ÌÊÌ iÊ{Ê `ÕV>ÌÊ iÌiÀÊÀÊÊ >ÌÊÜÜÜ°{°>i°i`ÕÊpÊvviÀÃÊ>ÊÛiÀÛiÜÊvÊi>V ÊÃV ° -V ÃÊÌ ÀÕ} ÕÌÊÌ iÊ`ÃÌÀVÌÊÜÊLiÊ«iÊvÀÊÛÃÌÃ\ *i>ÃiÊ« iÊ> i>`ÊÀÊÛÃÌÊÜÜÜ°{°>i°i`Õ]Ê>ÃÊi>V ÊÃV Ê vviÀÃÊ`vviÀiÌÊ>VÌÛÌiÃÊ>`ÊÌiÃÊÜ iÊ«>ÀiÌÃÊV>ÊÛÃÌ° WHO YOU GONNA BLAME? EDITORIAL Editor Ted Taylor BUSINESS Director of Sales and Marketing Bill Shreve News Editor Alan Pittman Arts & Music Editor Molly Templeton Performing & Visual Arts/Copy Editor Suzi Steffen Calendar Editor Chuck Adams Contributing Editor Anita Johnson Reporter Kera Abraham Contributing Writers Jason Blair, Martha Calhoon, Brett Campbell, Rachael Carnes, Michael Cockram, David Constantin, John Dooley, Rachel Foster, James Johnston, Sarah Mazze, Sharleen Nelson, Mary O’Brien, Aaron Ragan-Fore, Vanessa Salvia, Steven Sawada, Sally Sheklow, Lance Sparks, Adrienne van der Valk Interns Amanda Burhop, Nicole Fancher Circulation Manager Danica Stiles Controller Paula Hoemann Distributors Bob Becker, Matt Bryson, Margaret Garrison, Tobin Herrera, Susan and David Lawson, Tim Risch, Quick Draw, Pedalers Express Printing Signature Graphics ART DEPARTMENT Art Director/Production Manager Kevin Dougherty Graphic Artist/Webmaster James Bateman Graphic Artists Todd Cooper, Barbara Cooper Contributing Photographers Kurt Jensen, Paul Neevel ADVERTISING National Sales Manager Mark Frisbee Display Marketing Consultant Jennifer Donohue, Nate Krusi, Rob Weiss Advertising Traffic Coordinator Drew Harrison Classified Manager Jennifer Donohue Classified Marketing Consultant Janus Brezsny, Aspen Rosen (letters): editor@eugeneweekly.com (advertising): ads@eugeneweekly.com (classifieds): classy@eugeneweekly.com (personals): personals@eugeneweekly.com (calendar): cal@eugeneweekly.com HOW TO REACH US BY E-MAIL: (music/clubs/special shows): music@eugeneweekly.com (art/openings/galleries): visualarts@eugeneweekly.com (performance/theater): performance@eugeneweekly.com (literary arts/readings): books@eugeneweekly.com ÀiÊvÀ>ÌÊÃÊ>Û>>LiÊ>ÌÊ (movies/film screenings): movies@eugeneweekly.com &VHFOF4DIPPM%JTUSJDU+ (circulation): distribution@eugeneweekly.com Eugene Weekly • 1251 Lincoln Street • Eugene, OR 97401 • 541.484.0519 • fax 541-484-4044 6 JANUARY 18, 2007 /.POSPF4USFFU&VHFOF 03to5%%otXXXKMBOFFEV
