Community Colleges to Push for 4-Year Programs

COMMUNITY COLLEGES TO PUSH FOR 4-YEAR PROGRAMS – A study, echoing the sentiments of the 2004 Cherry Commission which addressed similar issues, contends community colleges should be allowed to offer and provide baccalaureate programs. The study, conducted by the Voorhees Group—a higher education consulting firm—for the Department of Labor and Economic Growth, concludes the state should explore having community colleges offer certain bachelor’s degrees, but only in certain fields and only where the benefiting industry agrees to underwrite a portion of the educational expense. The study determined that 21 of the 28 community colleges in the state were interested in providing more advanced education with most expressing interest in being able to offer nursing or other health care related degrees.
Supporters of the concept said it was reasonable for not all of the community colleges to have an interest in expanding their program offerings, noting that those colleges located in close proximity to a university might have trouble competing. However, they noted expanded programs made sense when considering campuses such as Alpena or Northwestern Michigan Community Colleges which are several hours from the nearest four-year institution. Supporters also argued the major investment in expanding programs would be in faculty, especially as it pertains to nursing where projections predict the state will face a severe shortage in less than a decade.
Despite the two endorsements for an expanded role for community colleges, supporters also readily agreed obtaining the required legislative authority would be an uphill battle. While supporters argue a pilot program would be a reasonable option to pursue in order to review the concept, they also noted the expansion of authority would be seen as territorial interloping by advocates of traditional baccalaureate programs.