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Rogue Community College president touts enrollment rebound and 'opportunity college' designation
Summary
Randy Weber told Medford council that Rogue Community College earned a Carnegie Foundation 'opportunity college' designation—the only public institution in Oregon with that label—and reported strong enrollment growth and community partnerships.
Rogue Community College President Randy Weber updated the Medford City Council Sept. 17 on enrollment growth, new programs and stronger ties with Medford.
Weber said the Carnegie Foundation reclassified institutions and identified "opportunity colleges"—those representative of their communities whose former students earn wages at least 25 percent higher than the median for non-graduates. "We are the only public college or university in Oregon to earn that distinction," Weber said. He also reported RCC enrollment growth (community colleges averaged about 13% growth the past two falls while RCC was up about 36%) and stronger on-site numbers at the Riverside campus, which had rebounded after the pandemic.
Weber described program expansions focused on workforce needs—machining, welding and transportation technology—some hosted at a higher-education tech center in White City, and noted partnerships with local employers, Northern Oregon educational leaders and city staff to address parking and campus safety. He said RCC is exploring program locations to match instruction with appropriate facilities (for example, diesel technology in White City). Councilors asked about vacant college-owned buildings downtown, dual-credit options and employer-driven credentialing; Weber said the college is adapting programs to employer needs.
