Students and faculty are fighting planned cuts to programs at Portland Community College. Appeals, petitions and protests are among the tactics to fight cuts the school says are necessary to balance a nearly $15 million budget deficit.
Sections of the Gerontology and Music & Sonic Arts programs will be absorbed into the sociology and music programs, respectively, and the next two school years will include pathways to allow those already in the program graduate. Russian will also not be offered anymore.
In June, the Legislature approved $854.4 million for Oregon’s Community College Support — a 6.9% increase from the previous budget. Despite the increase, Oregon Community College Association reported they would have needed $920 million to sustain all programs, services and student support.
Simultaneously, the federal government has paused funding for community college programs throughout the United States.
PCC is anticipating budget restrictions and reductions until 2029, according to James Hill, PCC’s director of public relations.
Some students and faculty aren’t happy. About 50 gathered July 17 to protest the changes at the college’s Cascade campus in Northeast Portland.
“Cutting the arts is cutting opportunity,” said Tara Murino-Brault, a part-time instructor in the art department. “It’s cutting off pathways for students who don’t see themselves in STEM or business.”
Learning in context
PCC is mostly funded by the state of Oregon. In 2023-2025, half the college’s budget came from the state. A little less than one-third came from tuition and fees, with 17% of the college’s funding coming from property taxes. Oregon’s Community College Support Fund oversees state funding for community colleges.
The Higher Education Coordinating Commission, meanwhile, oversees funding for all public and community colleges in Oregon, as well as Oregon Health and Science University. HECC is funded through a combination of federal, lottery, general and other funds.
According to the Legislative Fiscal Office 2025-2027 budget review, federal funding for colleges and universities in Oregon largely supports workforce programs like job training for dislocated workers.
PCC’s federal funding comes in the form of grants, including Federal Pell Grants for low-income students, which support one-third of currently enrolled students, and the CARES Act, which contributed over $6 million in emergency financial aid for students.
In addition to cutting programs, PCC will raise tuition by $5 per credit hour for in-state students and $10 for non-resident students in 2025 and 2026.
PCC President Adrien Bennings announced in February that her office and the office of the vice president will work to reduce the administrative budget by nearly $6 million. The office of student and academic affairs, meanwhile, is responsible for cutting $8.8 million.
PCC’s Fiscal Sustainability Action Plan, which states how the college plans to create this financial buffer, does not explain how the president and vice president will reduce spending.
Bennings became president of PCC in 2022 and was originally hired with a three-year contract and a base salary of $293,880. In 2023, the board of directors gave her a 5% raise. In 2024, the board approved another increase, raising Bennings’ salary by 6%, plus a 3% cost of living increase. The board credited Bennings’ “exemplary” performance.
The school’s fiscal sustainability plan directs administrators to prioritize majors that lead to living wage jobs, while cutting non-essential programs and classes with low enrollment.
The Music & Sonic Arts program review process didn’t present data showing that a degree or certificate is essential to a living-wage job in this field, Hill said. He added that sections of the program will be absorbed into the school’s larger music program.
A college community
Central Oregon Community College lost $3 million in federal funding, forcing it to dip into reserves to finish the construction of a campus in Madras.
The University of Oregon is currently facing a $25 to $30 million deficit overall. It recently laid off 42 employees from the College of Arts and Sciences. UO relies on federal funding largely for research and faces larger scrutiny from the federal government for its diversity, equity, and inclusion practices.
PCC remains the largest community college in Oregon with over 50,000 students enrolled.
Amidst this uncertainty, many described Thursday’s protest as a way to share grievances for the loss of these programs and shared positive experiences with the programs.
Rachel Brashear, a part-time instructor in the Music & Sonic Arts program, said she was frustrated by the seemingly arbitrary nature of the cutting of programs. The administration likely does not understand the alternative pathways provided by the music industry, according to Brashear.
Former student Darren Newland, who hopes to go into music therapy, says the benefits came in the form of networking during class, and the breadth of music-related skills he learned — including sound engineering, coding, production, music theory and more.
“It’s made for today’s world,” Newland said. “It’s a lot easier to jump into the industry.”
Brashear and other faculty members in the Music & Sonic Arts program circulated a petition that has nearly 700 signatures and testimonies.
“For some, art is the difference between being in school and being out of school,” said Yvette Rosales, a composition instructor at PCC.
Street Roots is an award-winning weekly publication focusing on economic, environmental and social justice issues. The newspaper is sold in Portland, Oregon, by people experiencing homelessness and/or extreme poverty as means of earning an income with dignity. Street Roots newspaper operates independently of Street Roots advocacy and is a part of the Street Roots organization. Learn more about Street Roots. Support your community newspaper by making a one-time or recurring gift today.
© 2025 Street Roots. All rights reserved. | To request permission to reuse content, email editor@streetroots.org or call 503-228-5657, ext. 40.
This article appears in July 23, 2025.