Curriculum Development:



Running head: COMMUNITY COLLEGES OFFERING BACHELOR'S DEGREES

Curriculum Development: Community Colleges Offering Bachelor's Degrees

Bruce M. Sabin

University of Central Florida

Abstract

This article examines the expansion of bachelor degree-granting community colleges. The

reasons why the movement began, along with concerns about potential flaws are analyzed.

Recommendations are made as to why the movement should continue to grow, and how to

address the legitimate concerns.

Curriculum Development: Community Colleges Offering Bachelor’s Degrees

A strange phenomenon has been occurring at some community colleges. During the last several years, people have begun debating the idea of whether community colleges should start offering bachelor’s degrees. The idea seems to defy so many long-held assumptions about the community college, and yet, the idea is gaining ground. Of course, a strong opposition has emerged, both from within the community colleges and from without. Nevertheless, legislatures and college executives across the country are considering what was previously unimaginable to many.

The Bachelor’s degree granting community college is an idea whose time has come. Educators must be careful to address the legitimate concerns raised by opponents of expanding community college curriculum. However, fear of the unknown, and battles over ‘turf’ should not override the need for many community colleges to increase access to higher education. With a little caution, extending the role of the community college could be as revolutionary and monumental for our country as the creation of community colleges was in the 20th century.

History

Throughout the history of two-year colleges, there have been random examples of those who have become four-year colleges. Utah Valley State College began as a vocational school, eventually becoming a community college and then a four-year school. Many of the nation’s universities began as two-year ‘normal schools’ created to prepare teachers (Manzo, 2001). However, the contemporary movement began in Arkansas. Westark Community College was asked by local business to develop a bachelor’s degree which would meet the unique needs of the local economy. Legislative approval was needed for such a change, and those businesses became the greatest lobbyists for the new community college curriculum. In 1997, the legislature overwhelmingly approved of Westark’s plan (Evelyn, 1999).

Soon, colleges and legislatures in several states were considering similar changes. In February of 2001, the Community College Baccalaureate Association was created to promote the cause of the community college bachelor’s degree. The association now claims dozens of member colleges from across North America (Evelyn, 1999).

Reasons to add bachelor's degrees

Springfield Technical College in Massachusetts has recently considered creating a Bachelor of Science in Engineering Technology. The reason STC is considering this new degree is simple – local industry is demanding it (Drumm, 2000). Just as Westark Community College’s four-year degree plan was proposed by industry needs, community colleges across the country are being asked by employers to create applied baccalaureate degrees. In Virginia, it was a businessman serving on the Governor’s Blue Ribbon Commission on Higher Education who first proposed the community college baccalaureate as a way to meet industry needs (Evelyn, 2000). Kellogg Community College in Michigan also felt the tension from industry (Manzo, 2001).

The problem industry is facing is a desperate need of well-educated workers and managers who are prepared for immediate work. Employers have come to recognize the community college as the leader in developing applied degree programs, which are sensitive to local needs, while being highly adaptable. While universities usually stress theory, community college technology programs are designed for immediate application. Consequently, community college Associate of Science graduates have had great success in their careers. Naturally, the satisfied employers are looking for the next level of education to come from the community college. The Florida State Board of Community College has declared that industry needs ‘workforce bachelor’s degrees’ and the community college could supply them (Walker, 1999).

Beside industry leaders advocating the four-year programs, many community college leaders see four-year degrees as a natural progression. The president of Florida’s Edison Community College, Kenneth P. Walker, has expressed that community colleges could be the answer to many of the most troublesome problems in higher education. Walker believes the community college can fulfill the increasing demand for bachelor’s degrees by increasing access, and keeping costs down (Futurist, 1998). When Florida’s Postsecondary Education Planning Commission investigated the increased demand for higher education, the Commission concluded that the state presently does not have the resources to meet the need. The Commission recommended that community colleges be permitted to offer bachelor’s degrees in select, high-demand fields. Jobs requiring bachelor’s degrees are the fastest growing segment of the workforce (Walker, 1999). Some believe that community colleges could dramatically increase access to the bachelor’s degree in much the same way they increased access to higher education in the 1940s through 1960s (Pedersen, 2001).

The community college is the logical location for increasing access. A growing percentage of those seeking higher education are non-traditional students. Today, 21% of under graduates are at least 24 years old (Walker, 2001). Many of those returning students attend community colleges. Many of them have families and careers. Such students cannot easily relocate to attend a university. The local community college is the most realistic option for many non-traditional students. Additionally, a growing number of community college students are people who already have degrees and are returning to further develop work skills. It makes sense to offer such students upper-level courses at their community colleges.

Failures of universities

State universities are often vocal opponents have four-year community college programs. However, these programs would not be necessary if universities were more responsive to changing economic and social needs. Employers have been turning to for-profit companies to provide corporate training because universities are too often uninterested in adapting to the needs of employers (Walker, 1999). Likewise, adult learners are being attracted to schools like the University of Phoenix because these schools offer education in formats universities have been reluctant to try. Accelerated classes, distance education and similarly innovative approaches to education have made the University of Phoenix the largest educational institution in America.

The reason state universities oppose four-year community college programs may be that university officials fear the success community colleges will assuredly have. Community colleges are among the most successful educational institutions ever created. Entering community college student tend to be less prepared for college work. However, by the time those students graduate, they have usually overcome any educational shortcomings. Community college graduates actually do better in upper-level work than those who began their college careers at universities. Schools with such a record of success undoubtedly pose a threat to university administrators who seek to maintain their ‘elite’ status in academia.

Adam W. Herbert, the chancellor of Florida’s State University System, has announced his antagonism toward four-year community colleges (James, 1999). The state universities have used their political influence to attempt to prevent legislation from authorizing bachelor’s degrees at community colleges (Evelyn, 2000). While legislation did pass allowing the degrees, in theory, the state universities were successful in declawing the true potential of the idea. According to Florida’s law, community colleges that find a need for a bachelor’s program in their community must first seek a state university to offer the program (Evelyn, 1999). Only if no university is willing to offer the degree may the community college petition to start a bachelor’s program (Walker, 1999). The community colleges are further restricted to only offering degrees in areas the legislature has deemed in critical need, which is nursing and education (Manzo, 2001).

Many of Florida’s community colleges have worked with state universities for years. The University of Central Florida offers select programs on the campus of Daytona Beach Community College. However, those university/community college partnerships are still the exception, rather than the rule. Community colleges have a unique local mission which universities rarely share; yet the current legislation still places the needs of the local economy at the mercy of university administrators.

If community colleges persist in seeking four-year programs, some analysts believe the universities will react even more strongly. John Garmon, the Executive Dean of the Open Campus of Florida Community College at Jacksonville, has voiced concern that universities will use their political power to halt funding for community colleges which seek upper-level classes (Evelyn, 2000). Community colleges have a long history of difficulty in gaining the level of funding that states give to their universities.

Katherine Boswell, of the Center for Community College policy, has conveyed that “it’s far better to force universities to develop these programs [that industry demands].” She considers legislation threatening to permit community college bachelor’s programs a form of “blackmail”(Evelyn, 1999). However, while states can require universities to create programs, the states cannot force the universities to create the sort of programs employers want. A university which is legislated into action is unlikely to create a curriculum of ‘applied’ degrees like community colleges design. If universities are not interested enough to voluntarily create these programs, they cannot be counted on to create effective programs. Industry leaders want the community colleges running these programs, because these are the sort of programs community colleges are good at. While Boswell considers the threat of a four-year community college to be “blackmail,” her idea of forcing new programs into universities is a “strong-arm” tactic which is unlikely to succeed.

Potential pitfalls

In creating these new programs, there are pitfalls which will have to be avoided. Issues such as accreditation and the potential loss of the community college mission are valid. However, these situations can be avoided with some time and effort.

Accrediting agencies are beginning to grapple with four-year community colleges. The North Central Association of Colleges and Schools is considering a separate accrediting category for such schools. On the other hand, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools requires a community college offering just one bachelor’s program to meet all the requirements of traditional four-year colleges (2). Accrediting issues are bound to arise when innovation occurs in higher education. There were accreditation concerns with on-line degrees. However, those issues were resolved and today we have virtual universities. Regardless of the alarms of many naysayers, this new idea for community college curriculum cannot be abandoned simply because the traditional higher education establishment has not yet adjusted.

Others may be concerned that community colleges which add bachelor’s programs will abandon their community college mission in favor of the more prestigious bachelor’s degrees. In order to maintain the original mission, it is vital that community colleges continue under local governance, and that all bachelor’s degrees be locally focused (Walker, 1999). America’s Founding Fathers believed that it was only with constant vigilance that the American system of government could survive. Similarly, it will take the same vigilance to maintain the community college mission even while it expands to include bachelor’s degrees.

Summary

Community colleges have a long history of increasing access to higher education while meeting the economic and social needs of the local people. Adding bachelor’s degrees to the equation is a logical step in the progression of the community college mission. America has changed in the last century. Community colleges have done an excellent job of changing with the times, and they must be permitted to continue.

There are serious and valid concerns being raised about this new endeavor. However, innovation and experimentation is never simple. The bachelor’s degree granting community college represents a product evolution. Like all evolutions, there are branches that succeed and branches that do not. However, the end product is one which is more likely to survive.

References

Drumm, K. (2000) A higher degree of community involvement. Community College

Week, 12, Retrieved July 11, 2002, from Professional Development Collection database.

Evelyn, J. (1999). The bid for the bachelor's. Community College Week, 12, Retrieved

July 11, 2002, from Professional Development Collection database.

Evelyn, J. (2000) Mission creep. Community College Week, 12, Retrieved July 11, 2002,

from Professional Development Collection database.

Garmon, J. (2000) No need for war with four-year institutions. Community College Week,

12, Retrieved July 11, 2002, from Professional Development Collection database.

James, J. (1999). Florida rivalry. Community College Week, 12, Retrieved July 11, 2002,

from Professional Development Collection database.

Manzo, K. K. (2001) Community colleges: breaking on through to the other side.

Community College Week, 13, Retrieved July 11, 2002, from Professional Development

Collection database.

Pedersen, R. P. (2001) You say you want an evolution? read the fine print first.

Community College Week, 13, Retrieved July 11, 2002, from Professional Development

Collection database.

Walker, K. P. (1999) The emergence of the university college. Community College Week,

12, Retrieved July 11, 2002, from Professional Development Collection database.

Walker, K. P. (2001) Opening the door to the baccalaureate degree. Community College

Review, 29, Retrieved July 11, 2002, from Professional Development Collection database.

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