Iowa community college leaders are asking lawmakers for some start-up funding and a bill that would allow the schools to offer bachelor’s degrees. They say the degrees would be focused on helping people advance in high-demand fields like health care, education and advanced manufacturing.
Iowa Western Community College President Dan Kinney said southwest Iowa residents face the choice of going hours away for a bachelor’s degree or not getting one at all.
“Look at the numbers of adult learners that are undereducated because they don’t have access to something like this,” Kinney said. “I look at my area — ‘I wish I could get my bachelor’s degree but I’m working full-time, I can’t get to a university.’”
Community college leaders said the experience of other states has shown that these programs don’t really affect enrollment at universities because they’re attracting different students.