Our View: Zachary Mulholland needs to resign. Now

The five-month disruption of the work of the Lane Community College Board of Education is nearing an end. Its board has censured Zachary Mulholland.

Now, for the college — a key institution in Lane County’s life and economy — to move forward, Mulholland must do the right thing by the wider community and resign now.  That’s what the board and the community need, if LCC and its president are to move forward quickly to address real issues.

We understand that public service is often a thankless job and elected officials do it for little or no pay. Regardless, they must be held accountable. 

We are not talking about holding elected officials to a higher standard — though that could be argued.

We are talking about holding our elected officials to a basic standard of decency: How they act in their official capacity. And Mulholland failed, repeatedly, to meet standards that in Oregon, in 2025, are clear as day.

In his role as chair of the LCC board, Mulholland failed to meet any standard of decency in his interactions with LCC President Stephanie Bulger and with a student.

His behavior was egregious, demeaning, racist and misogynistic. It was not befitting of anyone and certainly not an elected official. 

That’s why it’s time for Mulholland to resign immediately and let the board get back to focusing on what is important: the future of an institution fundamental to educating Lane County residents.

This week, the board made a unanimous decision to censure Mulholland after an investigation showed his conduct “created an unsafe and hostile environment for the President based upon the Board Chair swearing and raising his voice at the President and is consistent with institutional discrimination.”

In addition, it found Mulholland used a “hostile, aggressive and intimidating tone” with the student and got “uncomfortably close” to her during a break at the board’s April 2 meeting.

The board’s censure follows calls for his resignation from the Eugene-Springfield NAACP, along with current board member Julie Weismann and former college presidents Margaret Hamilton and Mary Spilde.

Mulholland issued multiple apologies Wednesday, including one directed at Bulger for his “harsh use of language during our leadership meeting and lack of proper consideration.” Even in those apologies, he appeared to fall short of understanding what is expected of public officials in our community.

The process has played out. It found he failed to live up to a basic standard of decency.  The board agreed and censured him.

It’s time for Mulholland to bring this to a close. Let the board tasked with doing the work you say you care about get back to focusing on that work.

Zachary Mulholland: Resign. Now.