Browning opposes centralizing community colleges

By Terry Murry on Tuesday, January 10th, 2023 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories

PENDLETON – An audit of Oregon’s Higher Education Coordinating Council by the secretary of state’s audits division resulted in several suggestions for improvement last month. One of the major ones was having the Oregon Legislature grant the HECC more power in controlling the state’s 17 community colleges.

When asked if he supports that proposal, Blue Mountain Community College President Mark Browning answered with a firm “no.”

“I think the people that live in Morrow, Umatilla, and Baker counties have a much better idea of what’s happening here in our region versus somebody who might be only sitting in Salem or Portland,” he said. “I’ve never seen it where a centralization of governance like that works really well, especially in the far-off lands.”

Browning said he’s spoken with his peers at other community colleges not along the I-5 corridor and finds they have similar feelings about protecting local control.

“I think that’s an easy solution that comes out of kind of Government 101 and it doesn’t work, at least in my opinion,” he said.