Lane Community College Faces $3.5 Million PERS Hike

The college is offering separation incentives and weighing spending cuts as it confronts revenue shortfalls and a pension cost increase for the 2027-28 academic year.

Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Financial Aid

Lane Community College Faces $3.5 Million PERS Hike

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Lane Community College faces a $3.5 million PERS rate increase in its 2027-28 budget, driven mainly by an expiring PERS side account the college holds. The college is also offering separation incentives to longtime employees who volunteer to leave.

Why it matters

Revenue is running about $1 million below budget and spending is over by about $400,000, leaving the college to trim roughly $8 million over three years. For residents of Eugene and the wider Oregon community college system, the budget pressures could affect staffing, services and enrollment capacity.

The three-year plan targets about $3 million in cuts for the next school year against a $105 million general fund budget, and the college has a target ending fund balance of 10% of the general fund. Final decisions on the separation incentive offers and additional cuts have not been announced.

The players

Stephanie Bulger

Stephanie Bulger is the president of Lane Community College, whose base salary was raised to $289,671.17 under a new three-year contract approved by the board.

Lane Community College

Lane Community College is a public community college in Eugene, Oregon, that is confronting a revenue shortfall and a $3.5 million PERS cost increase.

The details

Employees must decide whether to accept the separation incentive by the end of November. Campus workgroups are meeting to identify additional budget cuts and ways to increase revenue, while the college works to boost enrollment, which is down because students are taking fewer credits than expected.

February: The board approved a new three-year contract for President Stephanie Bulger.
Wednesday, Nov. 4: The Board of Education meeting where the budget update was shared.
End of November: Deadline for eligible employees to accept the separation incentive offer.
2027-28 academic year: Anticipated $3.5 million PERS rate increase takes effect.
2027 Legislature session: The college presents its lobbying platform seeking additional state funding.

Financial Context

Oregon's PERS side accounts let employers prepay part of their pension liability, and when one expires the employer's rate rises, as Lane Community College is now experiencing. The college's pressures therefore reflect a structural pension-cost shift rather than a one-time expense.

Students at Lane Community College may see changes in course offerings and enrollment capacity as the college trims spending and fewer credits are taken. Residents considering enrollment should watch for budget decisions that affect class availability in the coming years.

The takeaway

Students and families planning for community college should factor in that tightening public budgets can affect course availability and campus services. Checking enrollment and fee updates each term helps avoid surprises.

What happens next

The deadline for eligible employees to accept the separation incentive offer falls at the end of November, and the college's PERS cost increase is expected to take effect in the 2027-28 academic year.