College Boards Fight to Keep Learning Affordable

The people who run Portland Community College’s board are looking at a tough problem: the college is spending more than it earns, and that gap keeps growing. They say they care a lot about the school’s job of opening doors for people in the community, but that caring comes with a hard look at money. The board’s members say they are volunteer, elected officials who want to make sure the college keeps offering chances for students. They say they must be honest about how much money the college has and how that compares to what Oregon can give. Last year, the college spent about $26 million more than it made. Over three years, it lost a total of $52 million. To try to fix this, the college already cut almost $15 million from its current budget. The board warns that future budgets could see another $21 million cut by 2029 if things stay the same. The state added a little money to community colleges, but that help isn’t enough for higher salaries or better support services. Every time the college talks with its unions about pay raises, that adds more cost on top of an already tight budget.The board says the college’s leaders still want to do the right thing for students, but they can’t do it alone. Community colleges train nurses, techs, teachers and other skilled workers that Oregon needs. The board says the college must balance paying its staff well with keeping money in check. They admit that when the economy is good, the college should give employees competitive wages. But now, when expenses are higher than income, they have to decide how to pay people fairly while not overspending. The college says it can’t promise raises that won’t last, yet the people who run the school deserve good pay. In 2024, full‑time teachers earned about $100 k a year on average. Academic staff made around $85 k and other employees earned about $74 k. Those numbers are high for the area, but they still feel short compared to rising living costs. The board says that fixing this balance needs more money from the state. They ask Oregon’s governor and lawmakers to help solve the long‑term funding problems that keep community colleges from being powerful chances for students and towns.