Message from the President

During the December 17 Treasure Valley Community College Board of Education meeting, the Board approved a resolution to support the Oregon Community College Association (OCCA) Board of Directors' six legislative priorities for the 2025 Legislative Session. These six priorities are designed to address key challenges faced by community colleges across the state, ensuring that they have the necessary resources to continue providing high-quality education and support to students.

One of the key priorities is advocating for an increase in the Community College Support Fund (CCSF) beyond the Governor’s Recommended Budget of $870.4m, which was released on December 2. OCCA is focused on securing additional funding to meet the growing demands of Oregon's 17 community colleges. Additionally, there is a push to raise the cap on community college capital construction matching funds. This cap has remained unchanged since 2005 and given the significant rise in construction costs and materials; an adjustment is necessary to support the expansion of college facilities.

Another important priority is increasing funding for the Oregon Opportunity Grant (OOG), which provides critical financial assistance to high school students and adult learners, ensuring that more individuals can access higher education. OCCA is also advocating for additional resources to support student basic needs, such as housing, food security, and transportation, which are essential to student success. Furthermore, there is a push for funding that will help colleges transition to corequisite student support models, which are designed to provide students with the academic and support services they need to succeed from day one.

Finally, OCCA is calling for the creation of an Adult Reconnect work group to help reengage learners who have some college credit but no degree or credential. This initiative will help more adults return to college and complete their education, contributing to a more skilled and educated workforce for the state.

As the 2025 Legislative Session begins on January 21, 2025, TVCC, along with the 16 other Oregon community colleges, is prepared to share our stories with lawmakers on what we are doing to assist students. The current funding for Oregon’s 17 community colleges in the 2023-25 biennium stands at $801 million and is not enough for us to provide the resources and services our students deserve. This legislative session we will be requesting an additional $120 million—$50 million more than the Governor’s Recommended Budget.