Washington and Oregon

Oregon and Washington Community Colleges

Community Colleges in Oregon and Washington are accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. The accreditation standards govern some of the basic organization and functioning of the schools – e.g. assessment and faculty professional development. However there are differences in administration between the states and a lot of variation in the instructional/faculty policies among the institutions.

Oregon

The 18 public Community Colleges in Oregon are organized administratively under the Department of Community Colleges and Workforce Development. This Department functions under the State Board of Education. The State Board of Education appoints a Commissioner for Community College Services who heads the Department. The Department is charged with distributing state aid to community colleges, approving new programs and courses, and adopting rules for the general governance of community colleges.

Each of the Community Colleges has its own Board of Directors made up of elected community representatives. The Board ensures that the College administration is following the appropriate State and College policies.

(source: http://www.oregon.gov/CCWD/pages/index.aspx)

Table 1: Annual Oregon Student Enrollment Headcount and Full-Time Equivalent Student Numbers for 2009-10 by College



Washington

The 34 community and technical colleges in Washington State are organized into 30 community college districts, each with its own governing Board of Trustees. They are organized administratively under the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC) which is responsible for administering the Community and Technical College Act and providing leadership and coordination for Washington's public system of 34 community and technical colleges. The SBCTC is governed by a nine-member board appointed by the Governor. SBCTC staff are charged with developing the system budget, allocating funds, administering Federal programs, and approving new programs.

Within the State guidelines, each College District has its own policies with respect to bargaining, professional development, and faculty working conditions. Each College's Board of Trustees is appointed by the Governor to oversee the administration of the College.

Table 2: Annual Washington Student Enrollment Headcount and Full-Time Equivalent Student Numbers for 2009-10 by College


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