Iowa (RI) — A report from Iowa’s community college presidents suggests their institutions could address gaps in training Iowa’s workforce by offering four-year degrees, but the group warns there could be hurdles to the expansion. Emily Shields, executive director of Community Colleges for Iowa, says over 200 community colleges in 24 other states offer bachelor’s degrees.
In January, the chairman of the Iowa House Higher Education Committee asked Iowa’s community colleges to study how it could work here. The group’s initial report indicates community colleges in other states are offering some four-year degrees that aren’t widely available and charge tuition rates that are more affordable. Shields says it probably wouldn’t impact students who transfer their two-year degrees to a four-year institution where they intend to get a four-year degree.
The report concludes the move would help students who live in “higher education deserts.”
In five of the 15 community college districts in Iowa, there is no nearby four-year college or university for low-income, rural students who need to commute.
The community college presidents say it would be a culture shift to begin offering bachelor’s degrees. And they’d have to balance that with the community colleges’ mission to give students an affordable way to gain technical skills through a certification program or two-year degree. Shields says after conversations with staff and students on Iowa’s 15 campus communities, a final report in October will answer some basic questions.
The initial report suggests the state would have to spend more money on lab space as well as student services required for four-year programs. It also concludes that based on accreditation standards, about 63 percent of instructors at Iowa’s community colleges would be qualified to teach students seeking four-year degrees.
