The California Community College system is considering a proposal that would allow its colleges to grant students four-year degrees, though it is still unclear how this decision would impact the University of California system if it were put into action.
The proposal aims to give more state residents access to a college-level education, according to aproposal from the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office.
Richard Wagoner, assistant professor of education at UCLA, said it is difficult to assess the impact of the proposal since it is not clear whether or not community colleges will be able to award applied baccalaureate or baccalaureate degrees.
Applied baccalaureate degrees are four-year degrees which are tailored to a specific field such as nursing, whereas baccalaureate degrees are synonymous with bachelor’s degrees.
While it is not clear what type of degree the state would award students if it continues with this plan, awarding bachelor’s degrees at community colleges may be beneficial to students who do not have easy access to a California State University or a University of California, Wagoner said.
Mika Gavriel, a third-year history student who transferred from Santa Monica College, said she would still have made the switch to UCLA even if her community college had offered four-year degrees. Gavriel said she transferred because she wanted a more involved college experience and enjoys living near campus.
Wagoner said a number of states have already allowed community colleges to award applied baccalaureate degrees. He said he does not think the decision to allow community colleges to award applied baccalaureate degrees would have a big effect on the UC system because the University has more degree options available to students.
Funding would likely be affected if this plan were accepted since the state of California has a set plan that outlines the specific functions of colleges and universities, Wagoner said.
The 1960 Master Plan for Higher Education in California clearly outlines the functions of the three types of higher education institutions in the state: community colleges, California State Universities and the UC system.
Community, or junior colleges, were originally designed to offer instruction to anyone who desired to enroll, but they were not intended as institutions that awarded bachelor’s degrees or other advanced degrees, according to the plan.
California State Universities were designed to offer bachelor’s degrees and other advanced degrees. The UC was given the same privileges, in addition to exclusive rights to dentistry, law, medicine, veterinary medicine and graduate architecture schools in the state, according to the plan.
If the plan changes, it would be necessary to increase funding to community colleges if they were able to offer bachelor’s degrees, Wagoner added.
One member of the 16-person committee charged with developing the proposal is University of California administrator Hilary Baxter, an interim director of academic planning, programs and coordination at the UC Office of the President. Baxter is on the committee to provide UC insight for the proposal, said Dianne Klein, UC spokeswoman.
Baxter is not willing to comment on the committee since its work is still in its early stages, Klein said.
Roberto Reyna, a third-year education studies student who transferred to UCLA from San Diego City College, said he would have opted to stay at home and obtain his degree from community college if he had the option.
Reyna said staying at his community college would have been cheaper because he would could live at home and avoid the cost of rent. He also said he misses the networks he created with a lot of professors from his previous college.
“I feel like an outsider (at UCLA),” Reyna said. “I haven’t been here since my freshman year, and everybody knows people.”
Reyna said he will have to spend additional time and money finishing his major requirements because of the differences between programs at San Diego City College and UCLA, but said it is still important to get a degree from a well-known university.
A task force will develop a report to present to the chancellor and the Board of Governors that will further direct the ultimate decision as to whether or not the state should adopt a plan to allow community colleges to offer higher-level degrees.