Community College News

Students no longer need to attend a four-year university to obtain a bachelor's degree. More community colleges nationwide have "graduated" from issuing associate's to bachelor's degrees. Community college courses cost a mere fraction of public or private university options - which means that students who earn bachelor's degrees at their community college can save tens of thousands of dollars while pursuing their educational goals.

Unfortunately, not everyone in academia supports community colleges issuing bachelor's degrees. Critics are concerned that universities will experience a drop in student enrollment, which will ultimately lead to a loss of revenues. The debate is becoming increasingly heated, with educational leaders and community members divided on allowing community colleges to issue bachelor's degrees.

The Growing Fight for Four-Year Degrees

Community colleges in a dozen states nationwide have already gained the right to issue bachelor's degrees, and more campuses are looking for the same privileges.

For example, as News Day reveals, Michigan is fighting loudly against state restrictions that prevent community colleges from offering 4-year degrees. As Michigan's state representative John Walsh asserts, community colleges could offer improved job training opportunities for the future of Michigan's auto workers if local campuses could issue 4-year degrees. Subsequently, Walsh introduced a new bill that would permit community colleges to offer 4-year degrees in nursing, cement technology, and culinary arts. If the bill is approved, the large number of unemployed workers in the state could have opportunities to

To mitigate the soaring costs of a college education, schools are striving to dramatically cut back on expenses in order to provide more affordable tuition for students. Fortunately, although educational costs are on the rise, new technologies are serving to fight back the expenses!

With an array of new tools and resources that can help lower a school’s energy and maintenance costs, community colleges across the country are embracing newer and revolutionary methods on their campuses.

How Green Technologies are Cutting the Costs of Community College

One of the fundamental ways in which schools are striving to save dollars on the costs of community college operations is through the implementation of solar energy. Specifically, as evident at North Shore Community College, located in Lynn, Massachusetts, leaders are installing new solar panels on the roof of one of its prominent campus building. With this innovative installation, these solar panels will help produce 3 percent of the school’s entire energy needs. Ultimately, this energy production will equate to approximately 74,726 kW each year! With both federal and state-funded support, North Shore is optimistic that their solar panels will help to cut costs and ecological wastes for all students on campus.

In addition to specifically implementing solar energy plans, many schools are striving to create a more holistic approach to going green to save money. For example, according to Green California Community College Summit, leaders are creating informative programs and seminars to teach community college students and faculty

As the demand to “go green” seems to be growing in relevance in recent years, many community college students are implementing actions to promote environmental change and progress by creating clubs and organizations to improve their local environments. Adding to this, community college leaders have also created programs and courses to help educate students on the importance of nature-based learning through environmental studies.

Lewis and Clark Community College

Students at Lewis and Clark Community College have easy and convenient access to learning more about environmentally-friendly initiatives and actions, as LCCC has established a “Green Living Club” to teach students and members about the importance of living an eco-responsible lifestyle. As LCCC’s “Green Living Club” asserts, “The Green Living Club is dedicated to the education and promotion of a green, eco-friendly lifestyle on and off-campus. There are so many ways that individuals can help protect the planet.”

The club strives to inform students and local residents about significant and current environmental issues, while the club simultaneously strives to encourage people to live greener lifestyles by taking a hands-on part in improving the green-focus of LCCC’s campus.

Suffolk Community College

In addition to an array of programs and courses, Suffolk Community College maintains its ecological focus by providing students and residents with a Nature Reserve. With miles of trails and preserve areas, individuals can explore the Nature Reserve

As a societal approach to improving health conditions in public settings, many offices, community centers, and restaurants have initiated tobacco and smoking bans on their properties. While public schools, such as elementary and high schools, have banned tobacco products on their educational campuses for years, community colleges across the country are now beginning to follow this health-driven trend.

Banning Tobacco on Community College Campuses

The Growing Trend

Institutions, businesses, and other settings possess the legal right to ban smoking and tobacco use on property grounds because private properties can be governed by owners/managers/leaders. As a result, those who own personal property often have the supreme authority over the rules and regulations of their grounds and boundaries.

On the other hand, community colleges had to earn their right to ban tobacco in 2006, as community campuses are not necessarily “privately” owned properties. In 2006, Katherine McDonald of the Chatham Journal explains, “The General Assembly adopted legislation exempting community colleges from a law requiring public institutions to set aside areas for tobacco use.”

According to McDonald’s investigations, community colleges that have adopted smoke-free and tobacco-free policies include schools such as Asheville-Buncombe Technical, Cleveland, Guilford Technical, Haywood, Pitt, Roanoke-Chowan, Stanly, Wake Technical, and Wilkes Community College.

This video describes the Truth Initiative, which helps community colleges and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) bring tobacco-free policies to the campuses that serve young adults from minority and low-income communities.

According to a recent press release from the College Board, the cost of college courses during the 2008-2009 school year did not rise faster than the Consumer Price Index. As reporter Kim Clark from the US News and Report reports, “In the academic year starting in the fall of 2008, for the first time in six years, most college prices rose by less than inflation. Even better: After subtracting out the typical amount of scholarships and tax breaks, the average community college student paid only $101 for a year's worth of classes, down from $122 last year.”

Although the dwindling economy poses new struggles for academic institutions and students, the silver lining may be seen more clearly as the analysis of tuition hikes and the rate of inflation is evaluated.

This video reports on one student's experience with attending community college for free.

How to Handle Potential Tuition Increases

Investigating Reports

Although the rise in college costs poses challenges to students and families, Gaston Caperton, the College Board President, asserts that understanding “information in the trends reports will help families to make better educational decisions.” As Gaston further reveals, “‘A college education is the passport to opportunity and success in today’s global economy. In this time of financial uncertainty, it is essential that students and families have the most up-to-date information on the true costs associated with making this important investment in their future.’”

Caperton