Jackson and Josephine counties (March 11, 2024) – Rogue Community College (RCC) has been accepted as a member of the League for Innovation in the Community College board. The League is an international nonprofit organization with a mission to cultivate innovation in the community college environment. Their initiatives focus on essential topics for community colleges, including diversity, equity and inclusion, information technology, leadership development and workforce development, among others.
When the League board reviewed the dynamics of its current membership, they identified RCC as a potential board member due to its historical commitment to innovation and RCC President Randy Weber’s history with the League. The institution where he worked previously to RCC was a League board school.
“The League CEO, Dr. Rufus Glasper, reached out to me and expressed the board’s interest in RCC joining,” said Weber. “RCC was an attractive candidate because of the communities it serves, including people in rural and remote settings.”
The affirmation process included the completion of an innovation report submitted by RCC last fall, followed by a vote from current League board members made up of college chief executive officers (CEOs).
RCC will benefit in many ways from joining the League for Innovation in the Community College board. Membership elevates RCC’s reputation as a leader in innovation, helps the college become eligible for grant opportunities funded by national organizations and offers increased professional development for college employees looking to bring innovative strategies to RCC.
According to Weber, being a board member solidifies the college’s commitment to fostering a culture of innovation and requires them to remain invested in that commitment. The membership also allows RCC to learn from other board colleges about systems and implementations that could help the college provide new opportunities for its faculty, students and the community.
Additionally, obtaining board membership shows that RCC is seen as a national leader in innovation.
“Other board colleges are very forward-thinking institutions in this space. We will learn from their efforts, as well as those from other non-educational organizations that choose to partner with the League on workforce development initiatives,” said Weber.
RCC has been a pioneer in innovation through its past efforts, including developing a proprietary legacy information system (Rogue Net), program delivery strategies in Career and Technical Education (CTE) and other student success initiatives. Now they will have a platform to share their work and receive feedback on how to grow.
“A culture of innovation is critical in the foreseeable future for higher education. We must innovate to remain relevant in today’s educational landscape. This opportunity provides us access to other innovative and like-minded institutions to keep us sharp in that way,” said Weber.
About The League for Innovation in the Community College: Founded in 1968 by B. Lamar Johnson and a dozen U.S. community and technical college presidents, the League has served community college institutions for more than 50 years. They have sponsored more than 200 conferences, institutes, seminars and workshops; published more than 200 reports, monographs, periodicals and books; led more than 175 research and demonstration projects; and provided numerous other resources and services.
CEOs from 18 of the most influential, resourceful and dynamic community colleges and districts in the world comprise the League’s board of directors and provide strategic direction for its activities.
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For general media inquiries or to schedule an interview with RCC staff, please contact Director, Marketing & Communications/PIO Kelly Gonzales at 541-955-7525, kgonzales@roguecc.edu.