It is Oregon's 2nd oldest community college, founded in 1961.

[1] On July 9, 2022, it was reported that SWOCC was ordered to pay $1.7 million in damages to Nicole Gililland.

This came as a result of SWOCC professor Melissa Sperry arbitrarily changing Gililland’s grades, singling her out for punishment and shortening her assignment deadlines, stemming from Gililland’s past involvement in the adult industry.

[3] Court documents from Nicole Gililland’s case also revealed a pattern of toxic behavior from the Southwestern Oregon Community College faculty with some of their lecturers openly ridiculing students for their physical appearance and one student being mocked by a member of faculty for her Eastern European accent.

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