SW Valley Times

The House Education Committee advanced a bill permitting Arizona community colleges to issue four-year degrees in a 7-3 vote amidst outcries from universities and educational organizations.

If passed, House Bill 2790 would allow state community colleges, including Maricopa County Community College District, to offer four-year bachelor’s degrees as opposed to simply associate’s or two-year degrees.

According to the Arizona Daily Star, HB 2790 will now undergo an official House of Representatives vote after a constitutional review is conducted.

Those in favor of the bill highlight that it is designed to mostly benefit local students who are struggling to find affordable schools or are unable to be accepted in most colleges and universities.

Rep. Becky Nutt (R-Clifton) told the Arizona Daily Star that this is a priority issue for schoolchildren in rural communities.

“They don’t have the option in their rural community to finish that four-year degree oftentimes,” Nutt said.

Community college students will also achieve bachelor’s degrees at a lower cost than at many colleges and universities. Maricopa Community College holds a $2,500 yearly tuition and students will be able to receive a four-year degree for around $10,000, whereas a single year of tuition at one of Arizona’s three universities could cost higher than that.

The bill’s introduction additionally comes at a time where Arizona struggles to accept large amounts of new higher education students. State demographics and azcentral.comconcluded that the state ranks 40th in the United States for people between 25 to 34-years-old with a bachelor degree.

An Arizona Board of Regents (ABOR) report also determined that only 17 percent of modern state ninth graders will receive a bachelor’s degree by 2028.

The bill is also facing criticism from other politicians and education officials. ABOR lobbyist Brittney Kaufmann believes the partnerships between universities and every state community college, where students can complete an on campus or online program for a four-year degree, makes the bill obsolete. She also finds it easier for students to utilize the various financial aid programs that the universities offer.

Kaufmann mentioned that universities have their own “institutional costs” that could dramatically increase the community colleges’ expenses.

Nutt said that the bill would not require the community colleges to expand their available programs or additional state funding aid.