Board Chair Tiffani Penson provides statement concerning recent media on program cuts
Statement By Tiffani Penson, Board Chair.
In response to recent comments in Willamette Week, other media coverage, and ongoing public discussion about Portland Community College’s financial sustainability and program review process, PCC Board Chair Tiffani Penson wishes to offer the following clarification:
“The Board has been consistently and appropriately engaged throughout the college’s fiscal sustainability planning process. The Board’s primary role in this work is to adopt policies for the general governance of Portland Community College in a manner that emphasizes strategic leadership rather than administrative detail. Since early discussions began in 2024, the Board has received regular updates from the college’s financial and academic leadership. This includes briefings on statewide budget constraints, PCC’s structural deficit, the development of the Fiscal Sustainability Action Plan, and the phased timeline for academic program review and potential programmatic changes.
Chair Penson.
At no point during this process was the Board misled. I affirm that the administration has been forthcoming and transparent in its presentations to the Board. College administration has met its obligation to provide the Board with access to pertinent information and the ability to ask questions. The 2025-2027 biennium budget passed by the Board does not include program closures; those decisions are part of a longer-term academic review process that was clearly communicated to us on multiple occasions.
Furthermore, Portland Community College is accredited by the The Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, which requires that a teach-out plan is written to provide for the equitable treatment of students and a reasonable opportunity for students to complete their program of study. PCC will endeavor to meet our obligations to all existing students, and any indication that currently-enrolled students will be unable to finish their program of study within the Music and Sonic Arts program is false.
The Board recognizes that difficult decisions are being made to ensure the long-term health of the College and the continued success of our students. These decisions are being guided by an intentional, equitable process led by the college’s leadership and in accordance with our shared values.
While individual members of the Board may hold differing views, the Board operates collectively and through established norms. We regret any confusion caused by statements that do not reflect the full context of this process or the collective understanding of this body. As the Board has been thoroughly consulted through this process, we do not intend to re-open this decision for further discussion.
We remain committed to the mission of PCC and to upholding the integrity of the processes that guide administrative decision-making. The Board is committed to transparency, accountability, and the long-term success of our students, faculty, and community.”
With respect,
Tiffani Penson, Portland Community College Board Chair