Dr. Joe Olson - Photo by Michael Sullivan, The News-Review

A COMMUNITY COLLEGE IS MOST successful when it exists in symbiosis with its community. Living together for mutual benefit.

There is considerable recent hard data to show that Umpqua Community College benefits Douglas County; that our students appreciate what we do for them, and that the voters, by a growing margin, support our future needs.

We recently made public the findings of a study of the College’s economic impact on Douglas County. “Altogether,” this study found, “the
average annual added income due to the activities of UCC and its former students equals $196.5 million. This is approximately equal to 7.7 percent of the total Douglas County economy.”

The study concluded that UCC “plays a significant role in the local economy and is a sound investment from multiple perspectives.” It showed:

• Students benefit from improved lifestyles and increased earnings.
• Taxpayers benefit from a larger economy and lower social costs.
• The community as a whole benefits from increased job and investment opportunities, higher business revenues, greater availability of public funds and an eased tax burden.

A study of student sentiment, the Community College Survey of Student Engagement or CCSSE, found UCC to be above average in four of five national benchmarks. Ninety-five percent said they would recommend UCC to a family member or friend. Students report the College works hard to connect with and serve them and that faculty challenges them -- and
they like it.

Voters were asked whether they would approve a bond to pay for the construction of a building on campus for allied health and science programs, a second one to house industrial technology programs, and to buy or lease a site in South County to make UCC more accessible to students and the public there. More than half of those polled said they would vote to approve the bond. Two-thirds of  the sample said they had attended either a class or activity at UCC, indicating a high interest in the College and its offerings.

With the economy as uncertain as it is, with the workplace changing as rapidly as it does, with the demand for workers with advanced degrees so important to our county, UCC has an important role to play. Whatever your aspirations, they begin here. We’re committed to the education and quality of life of the people in our community.

Dr. Joe Olson
   UCC President