Lane Community College has received a warning from the body that oversees community college accreditation over concerns about its governance.

In a college-wide message Wednesday, LCC President Stephanie Bulger and LCC Board of Education Chair Jesse Maldonado said the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities found the college was out of compliance in a few areas.

The warning includes a list of potential solutions and a timeline LCC can follow to help resolve the identified problems. It is not a threat to LCC’s accreditation and will not impact financial aid, classes or other day-to-day operations at LCC, according to the college’s statement.

The identified issues include clearly defined governance roles and authority, and leaders exemplifying high ethical standards, including equitable treatment of students, faculty, administrators and staff. The commission also asked the board to improve its policies and practices related to conflict of interest.

“We take the findings seriously and accept the responsibility that comes with them,” Bulger and Maldonado said in the joint statement. “We know that how the Board governs affects the campus beyond Board meetings. It shapes how decisions are made, how clearly roles are understood across the college, and how effectively the institution can respond to challenges.“

Lane will submit a report and will give NWCCU an update on their progress solving the governance issues in fall 2027.

LCC has been in the news for a few years for dysfunction on the board and discord between some board members and President Bulger. Last year, a board member was censured and others apologized for discriminatory, dismissive behavior toward the college’s president.

Lane Community College holds the license for KLCC but has no part in KLCC’s editorial process and does not review news content before publication.

Rebecca Hansen-White is a reporter with KLCC. This story comes to you from the Northwest News Network, a collaboration between public media organizations in Oregon and Washington.

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News Source : https://www.opb.org/article/2026/08/14/oregon-lane-community-college-accredition-warning-governance/