Portland Community College (PCC) President Adrien Bennings is leaving the school, effective May 15.
In a meeting Thursday, the school’s board of directors approved a motion giving PCC’s board chair, Tiffani Penson, the authority to execute a separation agreement. Katy Ho, PCC’s executive vice president, will step in as acting president. Bennings released a statement following the vote.
“I am thankful for the opportunity to serve PCC during a period of significant change and impact. I remain proud of the work accomplished along with so many dedicated employees, students, and community partners,” Bennings said. “I leave with gratitude for the opportunity to serve PCC and with continued belief in the transformative power of community colleges.”
Bennings started as PCC’s president on July 1, 2022, making a $345,000 base salary plus benefits. Her employment contract was on a three-year, rolling basis, meaning it was automatically extended annually by one year unless either party decided to alter the contract. Bennings’ current contract would have extended to 2028.
The board approved a severance package in a 6-1 vote Thursday evening. Bennings will take a leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act beginning Friday, and her final day will be June 30. Her final check will include a full $25,000 annual retention bonus, a severance payment totaling $261,000, all remaining vacation pay, and nine months of health insurance benefits.
It also offers Bennings a parachute for future job opportunities, including a non-disparagement clause, a positive response from the human resources office, and a letter of reference from Penson.
Kien Truong, a board member, was the lone “no” vote. He said the decision is not a simple “yes” or “no.”
“A vote on this package is a vote on every line in it, not just on the question of whether a change in leadership is needed,” Truong said. He added that he felt the process was flawed, that four to six months of pay would be more reasonable, and that a non-disparagement clause could make the public believe that the board will not address concerns raised by the community over the past year.
News of the separation comes amid a challenging time for the school and its president. In March, both PCC unions—the Federation of Classified Employees and the Federation of Faculty and Academic Professionals (FFAP)—went on a historic strike that stretched over three weeks. The unions filed multiple formal complaints over unfair labor practices they said unlawfully chilled workers’ right to participate in collective bargaining. Several complaints filed against the school are still open.
The separation agreement also releases any potential future claims of fraud, theft, or embezzlement, or claims related to PCC’s use of a branded slogan trademarked by Bennings’ private company. As the Mercury reported in April, Bennings faces an Oregon Government Ethics Commission (OGEC) complaint over potential conflicts of interest. The complaint, filed March 19, alleged Bennings directed the college to use a phrase trademarked by her personal business G7 Enterprises without disclosing the potential conflict to the board.
PCC adopted the phrase “One Together, Together One” and plastered it on merchandise, other advertisements, and branding on and off campus. The complaint said that could violate ethics law as it may benefit a private interest through the use of a public position. OGEC is currently in a preliminary review process to determine whether it should open a full investigation, and is expected to issue a report to OGEC commissioners within 60 days of the March 19 complaint.
Truong said he was concerned that while the agreement allows the school to continue using the phrase, Bennings still owns the trademark.
“Regardless of how any of my colleagues may feel, this is in fact a serious legal matter for the college that continues to be under active consideration by the Oregon Government Ethics Commission,” Truong said.
That complaint isn’t the only one Bennings faces at the ethics commission. Another separate complaint filed in April and obtained by the Mercury alleges Bennings used imagery, including professional photos paid for by PCC on her personal website, and images of magnets developed by PCC staff on a web store for her business Stuck Up Studio. That could violate the same Oregon ethics laws, the complaint said.
OGEC spokesperson Casey Fenstermaker confirmed the existence of more than one complaint, but could not confirm further details. Under Oregon law, all ethics complaints and relevant materials are confidential during OGEC’s preliminary review phase.
“I can confirm that we’ve received more than one complaint regarding Adrien Bennings, though I cannot confirm how many, when they were filed, or what they are regarding,” Fenstermaker said.
The FFAP issued a statement Friday saying it strongly opposed the terms of the agreement, adding that the non-disparagement clause continues to undermine transparency and accountability. (FFAP is not subject to the terms of the agreement.)
“At a time when students and employees struggle to afford basic needs, and PCC programs are fighting for crumbs under the Fiscal Sustainability Action Plan, this payout is shocking and unacceptable,” the statement said.
PCC has faced financial challenges in recent years, and administrators are restructuring curriculums to account for $11.2 million in reductions during the 2025-2027 budget biennium. The school is likely to face roughly $21 million in further cuts in 2027-2029, according to its fiscal sustainability framework and action plan released in 2024.
That has meant programmatic changes, like cuts to the Music and Sonic Arts program, which students say is important to the community and brings options for a more diverse student body. Speakers during public testimony and various student rallies have repeatedly called on Bennings to resign.
Jessica Bernards, a PCC faculty member, told the Mercury she thinks the acting president, Katy Ho, will do a “phenomenal job.”
“She’s been at the college for a very long time and is here for the best interest of PCC and its students,” Bernards said. “I’m really excited that we can finally begin to rebuild trust at PCC and get back to the amazing community we used to be.”
In a statement following the vote, Penson said the board is grateful for Dr. Bennings’ service and leadership at PCC over the past four years.
“We appreciate the professionalism and shared commitment to the future of PCC and the students we serve during this time of transition,” Penson said. “We know that Dr. Bennings will continue to effect change for the better in her next endeavor.”
