Oregon Chapter 341

Chapter 341 — Community Colleges

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Chapter 341 — Community Colleges

 

2007 EDITION

 

COMMUNITY COLLEGES

 

EDUCATION AND CULTURE

 

GENERAL PROVISIONS

 

341.005     Definitions

 

341.009     Policy

 

341.015     Guidelines for districts

 

DIRECT AND CONTRACT SERVICES

 

341.019     All areas in state to be served by district; procedure; responsibility; rules; local advisory committees; duties

 

341.021     Provision of service outside districts; proposals; costs

 

341.022     Maximum reimbursable enrollments in nondistrict areas

 

341.024     Rules

 

COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICTS

 

(Formation)

 

341.025     Petition for formation of district

 

341.039     Community college service district; petition; powers; question for electors; method of change

 

341.041     Conversion of certain community college service districts to community college districts

 

341.045     Feasibility study; hearing

 

341.055     Hearing; alteration of proposed boundaries

 

341.065     Dismissal of petition

 

341.076     State board recommendation to legislature; appeal; revision of recommendation; hearing; effect of legislative action

 

341.085     Election for formation of district

 

341.095     Election shall include question of rate limit for operating taxes and may include question of organizational expense

 

341.102     Payment of formation election expenses

 

341.105     List of electors

 

341.115     Effect of election results

 

341.125     First board

 

(Zones)

 

341.175     Adjustment of zone boundaries

 

341.185     Review of zone boundaries

 

BOARD OF EDUCATION

 

(Composition)

 

341.275     Community college district board; qualifications

 

(Organization)

 

341.283     Organization; meetings; quorum; rules; journal; expenses

 

(Status)

 

341.287     Status; official title of board

 

(Powers)

 

341.290     General powers; rules

 

341.300     Traffic control; conditions on parking privileges; rules; penalty

 

341.305     Tax levy

 

341.308     Authority to certify operating taxes

 

341.309     Establishment of interstate taxing authority

 

341.311     Eminent domain

 

341.312     Self-insurance program

 

341.315     Contract for educational services

 

341.317     Educational services to inmates at correctional institutions; reimbursement

 

341.319     Intellectual property

 

341.321     Reserve fund; establishment and termination procedures

 

(Nomination and Election)

 

341.326     Qualification

 

341.327     Mode of election of board

 

341.331     Change in method of nominating and electing board

 

341.335     Vacancy; filling of vacancy; term of appointed member

 

341.339     Position numbers required for at-large positions

 

341.341     Assigning position numbers

 

ELECTIONS GENERALLY

 

341.356     Election laws applicable

 

341.357     Publication of notices

 

341.369     Special elections

 

341.371     Board resolution required to submit question to electors

 

341.379     Eligibility of electors following certain events

 

ESTABLISHMENT AND OPERATION OF COMMUNITY COLLEGES

 

(Establishment)

 

341.405     Establishment of community college

 

341.415     Official name of college

 

341.420     Procedure for name changes for district or college

 

(Programs and Courses)

 

341.425     Approval required to commence or change program and for transfer credits

 

341.440     Contracts with other districts, state department, university or private schools for educational services

 

341.450     Two-plus-two programs and other related programs

 

341.455     Credit for private career school courses; transcripting fee

 

341.460     Credit for traffic safety education course not permitted

 

341.463     Courses in American Sign Language

 

341.465     Certificates and associate degrees

 

(Students)

 

341.475     Student loan fund

 

341.485     Scholarships

 

341.505     Admission of students

 

341.525     Contracts for reimbursement between college districts; effect of high school student’s enrollment on school funding

 

341.527     Admission of nonresident students at resident tuition rate under certain conditions; exchange procedures; rules

 

341.528     Residency for purpose of distribution of state aid

 

341.529     Admission of members of Armed Forces, spouses and dependent children; fee and tuition rate

 

341.531     Rights of student in military ordered to active duty; rules

 

341.532     Credit for room, board, tuition and fees for student ordered to active duty; rules

 

341.533     Credit for education and training received in Armed Forces

 

(Employees)

 

341.535     Qualifications of faculty; appraisal

 

341.541     Affirmative action plans, goals when faculty, staff reductions required

 

341.547     Notice of reasonable assurance of continued employment; effect of failure to give notice

 

341.551     Optional retirement plan for administrative employees

 

BOUNDARY CHANGES

 

341.565     State board as boundary board; petition, hearings; legislative approval required; effective date of change; filing of change

 

341.569     When election on change required

 

341.573     Division of assets and liabilities

 

341.575     Liability of annexed or merged territory

 

341.577     Procedure when district annexes new territory that is greater in population than original district

 

341.579     Vote on proposed boundary change subject to ORS 341.577; state board’s order

 

EXPANSION OF COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICTS

 

341.601     “District” defined

 

341.604     Classification and designation of service areas

 

341.608     Service area financing; bonded indebtedness

 

341.611     Election on bonded indebtedness

 

341.613     Bonded indebtedness restrictions

 

341.616     Levy of direct ad valorem tax to pay bonds

 

341.618     Application of ORS 341.675 to 341.715 to bonds

 

341.619     New territory in Blue Mountain and Columbia Gorge Community College Districts not liable for existing debt

 

Note          Provisions governing annexation of new territory into Blue Mountain Community College District--1999 c.1027 §4

 

AID FOR OPERATION

 

341.620     Community College Support Fund

 

341.626     Distribution of state aid; rules

 

341.635     Effect on state aid of scholarships and of certain admissions

 

341.655     Distribution of federal funds for professional technical education

 

341.660     Treatment of public library costs in computing state aid

 

341.665     Receipt of funds for apprenticeship programs

 

FINANCE

 

(Bonds Issued by Districts)

 

341.675     Authority to incur bonded indebtedness; aggregate amount

 

341.678     Election on bonded indebtedness

 

341.681     Issuance of bonds

 

341.685     Registration of bonds; disposition of proceeds

 

341.690     Tax levy to meet annual bonded indebtedness; bond sinking fund

 

341.693     Payment of bond principal and interest

 

341.695     Bond redemption procedure

 

341.697     Refunding bonds

 

341.702     Laws governing issuance of bonds

 

(Custody and Expenditure of Funds)

 

341.703     Custodian of funds; depositories; signature on checks; warrants as checks

 

341.705     Warrant procedure

 

(Audits)

 

341.709     Annual audit required

 

(Short-Term Bonds)

 

341.715     Short-term bonds

 

(Bonds Issued by State)

 

341.721     Issuance by State Treasurer

 

341.725     Community College Capital Construction Fund

 

Note          Columbia Gorge Community College Facilities Account--2005 c.787 §26

 

Note          Oregon Coast Community College Facilities Account--2005 c.787 §27

 

Note          Rogue Community College Medford Instructional Facility Account--2005 c.787 §28

 

Note          Clatsop Community College Facilities Account--2005 c.787 §29

 

Note          Tillamook Bay Community College Facilities Account--2005 c.787 §30

 

Note          Klamath Community College Facilities Account--2005 c.787 §31

 

Note          Southwestern Oregon Community College Curry County Facilities Account--2005 c.787 §32

 

Note          Central Oregon Community College Facilities Account--2007 c.761 §20

 

Note          Chemeketa Community College Facility Account--2007 c.761 §21

 

Note          Clackamas Community College Facilities Account--2007 c.761 §22

 

Note          Lane Community College Facilities Account--2007 c.761 §23

 

Note          Linn-Benton Community College Facilities Account--2007 c.761 §24

 

Note          Mt. Hood Community College Facilities Account--2007 c.761 §25

 

Note          Portland Community College Facilities Account--2007 c.761 §27

 

341.728     Community College Bond Building Fund

 

341.731     Community College Bond Sinking Fund

 

341.735     Grant agreements for distribution of funds to community college districts; fees

 

341.739     Bond counsel services; financial advisory services

 

AID FOR CONSTRUCTION

 

341.933     Distribution of state funds for capital construction; standards; limitations; rules

 

341.937     Capital improvements for access for persons with disabilities

 

GENERAL PROVISIONS

 

      341.005 Definitions. As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise requires:

      (1) “Academic year” means the year beginning July 1 of each year and ending June 30 of the following year running concurrently with the fiscal year.

      (2) “Board” means the board of education of a community college district.

      (3) “Board member” means a member of the board of education of a community college district.

      (4) “Commissioner” means the Commissioner for Community College Services appointed under ORS 326.375.

      (5) “Community college” means a public institution operated by a community college district for the purposes of providing courses of study limited to not more than two years’ full-time attendance, with the exception of technical programs in which the curriculum may require more than two years of attendance but less than four years, and designed to meet the needs of a geographical area by providing educational services, including but not limited to professional technical education programs or lower division collegiate programs.

      (6) “Community college district” or “district” means a district formed under this chapter to operate one or more community colleges or to secure educational services available at a community college. “Community college district” includes a community college service district.

      (7) “Full-time equivalent student” means a student or combination of several students who carries or carry among them, within a single academic year, a minimum number of clock hours of instruction, in any program, to be specified by rule by the State Board of Education.

      (8) “Operating expenses” means the sum of the expenditures of a community college district for administration, instruction, necessary student services, operation and maintenance of plant and fixed charges, as determined in accordance with the rules of the State Board of Education.

      (9) “Paying agent and registrar” means the county treasurer or county fiscal officer of the county in which the chief administrative officer of the community college district maintains the administrative office.

      (10) “Petitioning territory” means a community college district petitioning to have an area outside the district included in the district or to have an area inside the district excluded from the district, or an area outside the district petitioning to be included within the district.

      (11) “Principal county” means the county in which the chief administrative officer of the community college district maintains the administrative office.

      (12) “State board” means the State Board of Education. [Formerly 341.510; 1971 c.513 §1; 1981 c.173 §52; 1987 c.474 §4; 1993 c.45 §§127,128; 1995 c.67 §1; 1997 c.271 §3]

 

      341.009 Policy. The Legislative Assembly finds that:

      (1) The community college is an educational institution which is intended to fill the institutional gap in education by offering broad, comprehensive programs in academic as well as professional technical subjects. It is primarily designed to provide associate or certificate degree programs for some, serve a transitional purpose for others who will continue baccalaureate or other college work, provide the ability to enter the workforce immediately and serve to determine future educational needs for other students. It can provide means for continuation of academic education, professional technical training or the attainment of entirely new skills as demands for old skills and old occupations are supplanted by new technologies. It may also provide the means to coordinate courses and programs with high schools to accommodate successful transition to college degree programs.

      (2) Each community college should be so located as to be within commuting time of a substantial majority of its students. As an economical method of providing education close to the student’s home, the community college should remain a commuting institution.

      (3) The community college should establish its organizational patterns to maintain a unique quality of flexibility and the ability to change to meet changing needs.

      (4) The community college is a post-high-school institution under the general supervision of the State Board of Education. It should not be a “starter” institution intended to evolve into a four-year baccalaureate institution. It should be concerned with programs terminating before reaching the baccalaureate degree.

      (5) The community college should continue to be prohibited by law from becoming a baccalaureate degree granting institution.

      (6) Admission to the community college should be open to high school graduates or to non-high school graduates who can profit from the instruction offered.

      (7) There should be close cooperation between those directing the community college program and those responsible for higher education, so that lower-division college transfer programs of the community college will provide adequate preparation for entering baccalaureate degree granting programs, and so that students will be able to transfer with a minimum of difficulty.

      (8) The community college should offer as comprehensive a program as the needs and resources of the area which it serves dictate. Cost to student and quality of instruction in established private institutions should be among the factors in determining necessary duplication of effort.

      (9) It should be the policy of the community college to open its facilities and make available its resources to the high schools of its area on a sound contractual basis, for appropriate secondary or transitional courses, either academic or professional technical, when it is within its ability to provide facilities and it is determined that the high school cannot or does not offer them.

      (10) Programs designed to meet the needs of the area served should be based on the actual educational and service needs of the district. Specific professional technical courses should be related not only to the employment opportunities of the area but of the state and nation as well. Such determination should be made in consultation with representatives of labor, business, industry, agriculture and other interested groups.

      (11) The State Board of Education should be responsible for coordinating the community college program of the state and should have general supervisory responsibilities for that program. The State Board of Education should prepare estimates and make the requests for legislative appropriations for a reasonable and consistent basis of support and establish standards for the distribution of that support.

      (12) The initiative for the establishment of new community colleges should come from the localities to be served, as a response to demonstrated educational needs of an area. However, these localities must not only be willing to assume the responsibility for the institutions but must be able to provide resources needed for an adequate educational and service program.

      (13) The governing board of the community college should be charged with the policy-making function. With respect to educational programming, the governing board should in cooperation with the State Board of Education:

      (a) Identify educational needs of the district; and

      (b) Bring together the resources necessary to meet the needs.

      (14) The state should maintain a policy of substantial state participation in community college building costs and the maintenance of an adequate level of state support for operation. However, no state funds should be appropriated for buildings such as dormitories or athletic facilities for spectator sports. The district should provide a substantial portion of the funds for capital improvement as well as for operation of a community college.

      (15) State appropriations for community colleges shall be made separately from those for other segments of education.

      (16) The formula for the distribution of funds for operating costs should reflect the heavier operating costs and capital outlay for certain professional technical courses. Federal funds received for professional technical training, adult basic education, workforce development or other federal initiatives should be used for those purposes only and be distributed separately from funds appropriated by the state and should be exempted from the computations of the present distribution formula for operating costs.

      (17) The cost of education to the individual should be sufficiently low to permit students of low-income families to attend. This is particularly true of tuition costs. However, students should pay an amount sufficient to provide an incentive to profit from the instructional program offered.

      (18) Any eligible Oregon resident should have the right to attend a community college even though not residing in a district operating one, subject to the right of the governing board to limit the size of classes and to give preference to students residing in the district. Local school districts and education service districts should have the authority to negotiate the terms and conditions with the governing boards for the enrollment of students residing in such areas. [1971 c.513 §97; 1993 c.45 §130; 1995 c.67 §2; 2007 c.858 §36]

 

      Note: The amendments to 341.009 by section 36, chapter 858, Oregon Laws 2007, first apply to the 2008-2009 school year. See section 41, chapter 858, Oregon Laws 2007. The text that applies prior to the 2008-2009 school year is set forth for the user’s convenience.

      341.009. The Legislative Assembly finds that:

      (1) The community college is an educational institution which is intended to fill the institutional gap in education by offering broad, comprehensive programs in academic as well as professional technical subjects. It is primarily designed to provide associate or certificate degree programs for some, serve a transitional purpose for others who will continue baccalaureate or other college work, provide the ability to enter the workforce immediately and serve to determine future educational needs for other students. It can provide means for continuation of academic education, professional technical training or the attainment of entirely new skills as demands for old skills and old occupations are supplanted by new technologies. It may also provide the means to coordinate courses and programs with high schools to enhance the Certificate of Advanced Mastery and to accommodate successful transition to college degree programs.

      (2) Each community college should be so located as to be within commuting time of a substantial majority of its students. As an economical method of providing education close to the student’s home, the community college should remain a commuting institution.

      (3) The community college should establish its organizational patterns to maintain a unique quality of flexibility and the ability to change to meet changing needs.

      (4) The community college is a post-high-school institution under the general supervision of the State Board of Education. It should not be a “starter” institution intended to evolve into a four-year baccalaureate institution. It should be concerned with programs terminating before reaching the baccalaureate degree.

      (5) The community college should continue to be prohibited by law from becoming a baccalaureate degree granting institution.

      (6) Admission to the community college should be open to high school graduates or to non-high school graduates who can profit from the instruction offered.

      (7) There should be close cooperation between those directing the community college program and those responsible for higher education, so that lower-division college transfer programs of the community college will provide adequate preparation for entering baccalaureate degree granting programs, and so that students will be able to transfer with a minimum of difficulty.

      (8) The community college should offer as comprehensive a program as the needs and resources of the area which it serves dictate. Cost to student and quality of instruction in established private institutions should be among the factors in determining necessary duplication of effort.

      (9) It should be the policy of the community college to open its facilities and make available its resources to the high schools of its area on a sound contractual basis, for appropriate secondary or transitional courses, either academic or professional technical, when it is within its ability to provide facilities and it is determined that the high school cannot or does not offer them.

      (10) Programs designed to meet the needs of the area served should be based on the actual educational and service needs of the district. Specific professional technical courses should be related not only to the employment opportunities of the area but of the state and nation as well. Such determination should be made in consultation with representatives of labor, business, industry, agriculture and other interested groups.

      (11) The State Board of Education should be responsible for coordinating the community college program of the state and should have general supervisory responsibilities for that program. The State Board of Education should prepare estimates and make the requests for legislative appropriations for a reasonable and consistent basis of support and establish standards for the distribution of that support.

      (12) The initiative for the establishment of new community colleges should come from the localities to be served, as a response to demonstrated educational needs of an area. However, these localities must not only be willing to assume the responsibility for the institutions but must be able to provide resources needed for an adequate educational and service program.

      (13) The governing board of the community college should be charged with the policy-making function. With respect to educational programming, the governing board should in cooperation with the State Board of Education:

      (a) Identify educational needs of the district; and

      (b) Bring together the resources necessary to meet the needs.

      (14) The state should maintain a policy of substantial state participation in community college building costs and the maintenance of an adequate level of state support for operation. However, no state funds should be appropriated for buildings such as dormitories or athletic facilities for spectator sports. The district should provide a substantial portion of the funds for capital improvement as well as for operation of a community college.

      (15) State appropriations for community colleges shall be made separately from those for other segments of education.

      (16) The formula for the distribution of funds for operating costs should reflect the heavier operating costs and capital outlay for certain professional technical courses. Federal funds received for professional technical training, adult basic education, workforce development or other federal initiatives should be used for those purposes only and be distributed separately from funds appropriated by the state and should be exempted from the computations of the present distribution formula for operating costs.

      (17) The cost of education to the individual should be sufficiently low to permit students of low-income families to attend. This is particularly true of tuition costs. However, students should pay an amount sufficient to provide an incentive to profit from the instructional program offered.

      (18) Any eligible Oregon resident should have the right to attend a community college even though not residing in a district operating one, subject to the right of the governing board to limit the size of classes and to give preference to students residing in the district. Local school districts and education service districts should have the authority to negotiate the terms and conditions with the governing boards for the enrollment of students residing in such areas.

 

      341.010 [Repealed by 1965 c.100 §456]

 

      341.015 Guidelines for districts. The State Board of Education shall adopt guidelines for the orderly development and management of community college districts, including guidelines for personnel policy formulation, accounting procedures and student record keeping and privacy procedures. [1971 c.233 §§1,2; 1987 c.474 §5; 1995 c.67 §3]

 

      341.018 [1975 c.553 §10; 1993 c.45 §131; repealed by 1995 c.67 §42]

 

DIRECT AND CONTRACT SERVICES

 

      341.019 All areas in state to be served by district; procedure; responsibility; rules; local advisory committees; duties. (1) All areas within this state shall be served by a community college district. Such services may be provided either:

      (a) Directly by formation of a community college district; or

      (b) Indirectly by contract with an existing community college district.

      (2) The Department of Community Colleges and Workforce Development shall fix responsibility for serving each area that is not within a community college district. Where feasible, each area shall be a whole county or a group of counties or that part of a county not already in a community college district.

      (3) In order to obtain the services described in subsection (1)(b) of this section, residents of a nondistrict area must indicate their interest in receiving services by requesting formation of a local advisory committee and seeking the advice and counsel of the Department of Community Colleges and Workforce Development.

      (4) The State Board of Education by rule shall establish standards for determining when there is sufficient interest among the residents of a nondistrict area to warrant appointment of a local advisory committee.

      (5) When the Department of Community Colleges and Workforce Development has made the determination under subsection (4) of this section, the department and the interested residents of the nondistrict area shall apply jointly to the governing body of the county for the appointment of a local advisory committee.

      (6) Upon application, the governing body of the county shall appoint a local advisory committee and shall insure that the committee is broadly representative of the nondistrict area.

      (7) If the nondistrict area involves two or more counties, the governing body of each county shall appoint members to the local advisory committee in proportion to the number of county residents within the nondistrict area.

      (8) The governing body of a county making appointments under subsection (6) or (7) of this section shall not be obligated to fund any part of the budget described in ORS 341.021 (3).

      (9) The duties of the local advisory committee shall include, but need not be limited to, advising the officials of the community college district serving the nondistrict area on the educational needs of the area.

      (10) As used in ORS 341.019 to 341.022, “community college district” includes a community college service district. [1987 c.191 §2; 1991 c.757 §3]

 

      341.020 [Repealed by 1965 c.100 §456]

 

      341.021 Provision of service outside districts; proposals; costs. (1) The Department of Community Colleges and Workforce Development shall invite existing community college districts to submit proposals for the provision of service to an area that has officially indicated its interest in receiving service.

      (2) The responsibilities of the host community college district shall include:

      (a) Preparing a written agreement for services to be provided to nondistrict areas using a format specified by the Department of Community Colleges and Workforce Development; and

      (b) Acting as the fiscal agent for agreements including establishing tuition and fees for services offered under terms of an agreement.

      (3) Agreements between the community college district and nondistrict entities as listed in ORS 341.315 shall include an annual budget setting forth both revenue and expenditures. The budget shall be based upon the following conditions: