The Iowa House Higher Education Committee heard from community college leaders about pros and cons to adding bachelor’s degree programs. (Photo courtesy of Hawkeye Community College)
Iowa lawmakers are considering whether to allow community colleges in Iowa to offer new degree programs previously left to four-year public and private universities, with a request for further study to determine feasibility and possible impacts on students and higher education institutions.
Rep. Taylor Collins, R-Mediapolis, told the House Higher Education Committee he plans to request officials to conduct a feasibility study on Iowa’s community colleges offering their own bachelor’s degree programs for students. Community colleges typically offer associate’s degrees or other certifications.
“It is my hope that gathering information over the interim, that this committee can take a hard look at this issue during the next legislative session of the General Assembly,” Collins said.
His comments came after the committee heard a presentation from representatives of Iowa’s community colleges about national trends in expanding baccalaureate degree programs to community colleges.
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Community Colleges for Iowa Executive Director Emily Shields and Indian Hills Community College President Matt Thompson provided information to the committee about other states’ efforts to have community colleges launch their own bachelor’s degree programs, and how their practice could potentially be adapted and applied to Iowa in the future.
Almost half of the states in the U.S. have, in some way, allowed community colleges to offer bachelor’s degrees, Shields said, though they vary greatly in details like what programs can be offered, how many colleges can have bachelor’s degree programs and more.
“Some of the benefits and the reasons that states have chosen to go down this path are to largely meet the local workforce demands,” Shields said. “Having community colleges that can be nimble in addressing if they have a specific industry in their community that needs a bachelor’s degree in a specific area, they can do that.”
Other reasons include expanding access to bachelor’s degrees for those who live in “education deserts” and cannot access online higher education, Shields said, as well as making bachelor’s degrees more affordable.
Points to consider if the Legislature decides to go down this path include existing partnerships with public and private universities, the needs of local businesses and industries, demand from students and the costs associated with implementing new degree programs, Shields said.
Citing the University of Northern Iowa and Buena Vista University as examples of universities that often partner with community colleges for programs like education, Shields said no one wants to create competition or undermine partnerships that help students and their institutions thrive.
Thompson said colleges would also need to consult with their industry partners and employers in their community to learn what degrees are most needed in the area, and then matters of cost and getting programs approved through the right processes would need to be addressed.
Shields said current law would most likely need to be changed in order to allow community colleges to create new bachelor of arts programs.
“I’m not sure there is any BA degree that it would make sense to offer at every single Iowa community college,” Shields said. “I think it’s going to be different by region as we look at those factors of local economy, education deserts, existing collaborations, that kind of thing.”
Shields said “mission drift” is also a concern, as the community college system in Iowa is focused on workforce needs and short-term programs to address them, like non-credit certificate courses that are becoming more popular. Community college leaders would be wary of moving away from this area, she said.
Responding to a question about student’s wishes and interest in potentially staying at their community college for longer, Thompson said each college in Iowa has seen students who want to remain where they are. It’s hard to know how many students would actually follow through on that thought, he said, but it does prove that Iowa’s community colleges create a good environment and offer a valuable educational experience.
“Every year we have students that … fall in love with their community college that gave them a chance, and I can say that about all 15 of our community colleges in the state,” Thompson said.
Legislation bars DEI at community colleges
A subcommittee also discussed legislation Wednesday afternoon to include community colleges in Iowa code barring state universities from starting, maintaining or funding diversity, equity and inclusion offices unless required by accreditors or state or federal law.
In addition to not being able to have DEI offices, House Study Bill 61 would prohibit community colleges from requiring anyone to submit a DEI statement or give preferential treatment to someone based on such a statement. They would also need to bring an annual report to Gov. Kim Reynolds and the Legislature showing compliance with the law.
Collins said community colleges are already compliant with the language in the bill, if not in the process of changing things to follow recommendations made by Community Colleges for Iowa in May 2024, and so he didn’t see a need to advance the bill. It is currently listed as “tabled until future meeting” online.
“I appreciate the community colleges’ work to achieve compliance before we even considered this piece of legislation,” Collins said. “I hope the private colleges take the same approach, because we are no longer interested in DEI in this state or in this country.”
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