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Volume 41, Issue 12
April 6, 2004
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April 6, 2004
Legend's View:
4-Year degree talks keep student in mind
While some argue that a four-year degree program is not right for MCC
and other schools in its district, the idea is reasonable and should be
discussed.
The idea was proposed by state Rep. Russell Pearce, R-Mesa. Community
colleges would have the opportunity to award bachelor’s degrees
in fire science, nursing, law enforcement and education – four key
areas of need in Arizona.
However, the Maricopa Community College District has an agreement set
up with state universities to allow students to transfer easily to those
universities after completing a program at a community college, argued
Chris Bustamante, director of government relations and external affairs
for MCCD. The agreement is already a viable option, he has said.
Others worry that making the four-year degree available to community college
students would blur the line between community colleges and state-run
institutions. The focus of two-year colleges has traditionally been geared
toward workforce development.
However, the issue should still be open for discussion, keeping the students
– not the politics – in mind.
Two-year colleges are cheaper. It’s no secret that community colleges
cost far less than a universities do. Workforce development is still crucial
in the areas discussed for the bachelor’s degrees, but the cost
and advantage to students is better and it puts more qualified employees
in Arizona’s strong-need areas. Many smart and talented students
simply can’t afford the rising cost of state universities. Recently,
costs have gone up once again and university presidents still talk about
raising tuition year after year. Lower prices just make sense.
Also, it’s reasonable to assume that these degrees would not jeopardize
the agreements between MCCD and state universities. There are still thousands
of students who major in other areas – like engineering, journalism,
art history or biology – and would take advantage of the easy transfer,
paying higher prices at Arizona State University, University of Arizona
or Northern Arizona University.
The importance of the current agreement cannot be downplayed. It is still
there, and still vital to making the community college system work effectively,
but other options that may benefit students should be explored, even at
the risk of what works. Particularly in education, leaders should never
be satisfied with what works, they should always look for what could be
better or more effective. This bill does just that – it looks at
options for possible improvement.
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