What is driving the community college baccalaureate? An analysis of state statutes, polices and practices

1. What is driving the community college baccalaureate? An analysis of state statutes, polices and practices Community College Baccalaureate Association New Orleans, March 3, 2007 Dr. Deborah L. Floyd Dr. Jennifer Sughrue Sarah Reed, M.S. Florida Atlantic University Floyd, Sughrue, Reed

2. Purpose of Session • Explore motivations driving CCB movement; • Report on key states with most CCB activity during the last decade (awarding their own baccalaureates); • Describe specific legal, governance and other issues that have framed laws, policies and practices governing the CCB in selected states; • Discussion and Sharing Floyd, Sughrue, Reed

3. How do we define the community college baccalaureate? • Typology (Floyd)- articulation, university center, university extension, and community college baccalaureate [college awards own 4-year degree] • Focus of this study is on the [pure] CCB model [colleges confer own 4-year degree] • Classification is “not for the faint of heart” (Lee Schulman, Carnegie Foundation) – not a simple task to sort and classify; “imperfect system” (Floyd) Floyd, Sughrue, Reed

4. Research Methodology and Design • Legal and qualitative methods of inquiry; • Westlaw database for searching state statutes governing the CCB; • Triangulated data from Westlaw, government and higher education web sites, and publications; • Developed a matrix identifying the state, legislation, data source, governance and key issues; and • Examined data for themes and patterns. Floyd, Sughrue, Reed

5. Arkansas Arizona* California* Florida* Georgia Hawaii New Mexico* South Carolina* Texas* Utah Vermont* West Virginia* Washington* (* states in this preliminary report) States explored for this study – “Key activity” states (Issue: Do they consider themselves a community college?) Floyd, Sughrue, Reed

6. Florida’s CCB:Access, workforce, serving place bound students; keep community college focus; need- based • 2000 Florida Legislature created new governing authority replacing State Board of Community Colleges. 1999 Site Determined Baccalaureate Degree Program was amended to allow community colleges to seek authority for awarding their own four year degrees. • 2001 Florida legislature approved St. Petersburg College to award baccalaureate degrees (Florida Education Code 1004.73) • Must maintain “open-door admissions policy” • ….and “community college authority” • “This education is intended to address the state’s workforce needs…” Floyd, Sughrue, Reed

7. Florida’s CCB2 of 3 • 2002 Florida legislature established a process for community colleges to seek approval and Chipola and Miami Dade were approved to award baccalaureate degrees (Florida Education Code 1007.33) • “… intent of the Legislature [is] to further expand access to baccalaureate degree programs through the use of community colleges.” • “… A community college may develop a proposal to deliver specified baccalaureate degree programs in its district to meet local workforce needs.” • “A community college may not terminate its associate in arts or associate in science degree programs…” Floyd, Sughrue, Reed

8. Florida’s CCB3 of 3 • Florida law requires that colleges seek state approval through the Board of Education and that they remain a part of the community college governance system. Must meet accreditation requirements. Floyd, Sughrue, Reed

9. Texas’ CCB:Applied science/technology; keep community college focus; need-based • 2003 Texas legislature approved a pilot project of community baccalaureate degree programs. Authorized Texas Coordinating Board to administer a pilot project. (Texas Higher Education Code, Title III, Section 130.0012) • Specified college program must meet accreditation requirements. • Workforce emphasis of “applied science and applied technology”. • “…does not otherwise alter the role and mission of a public junior college.” (community college) • “may not offer more than five baccalaureate degree programs under the project at any time.” • “shall consider the need for the degree program and the region served..” Floyd, Sughrue, Reed

10. Texas’ CCB2 of 2 • 2005 Texas Coordinating Board authorized three community colleges to offer Bachelor of Technology in Technology Management– Midland, Brazosport, South Texas. • Parachute clause in 2003 legislation – “…must enter into an articulation agreement with one or more general academic teaching institutions to ensure that students that enroll in the degree program have an opportunity to complete the degree if the public junior college ceases to offer the degree program.” Floyd, Sughrue, Reed

11. Nevada’s CCB:Retain community college mission; workforce focus; access • Community Colleges governed by the University and Community College System of Nevada. Authorized Great Basin in 2002. Nevada System for Higher Education Procedure Manual • “it is not the intention of the NSHE for community colleges to abandon their community college mission” • Criteria for proposals include “is there a significant shortage of similar programs” and “workforce needs: is there proven student demand…similar employer demand for the program” Floyd, Sughrue, Reed

12. Washington State’s CCB:Applied science; workforce; need-based; access (underserved by 4-year institutions) • In 2005, the legislature authorized a pilot program in which 4 community or technical colleges would offer an “applied baccalaureate degree.” • RCWA 28B.50.810. Applied baccalaureate degree--Pilot programs • At least one of the pilot program had to lead to a baccalaureate of applied science degree, which was built on an associate degree in applied science. Floyd, Sughrue, Reed

13. Washington State’s CCB 2 of 3 • “The college can demonstrate demand for the proposed program from a sufficient number of students within its service area to make the program cost-effective and feasible to operate; • The college can demonstrate that employers demand the level of technical training proposed within the program, making it cost- effective for students to seek the degree; and • The proposed program fills a gap in options available for students because it is not offered by a public four-year institution of higher education in the college's geographic area.” Floyd, Sughrue, Reed

14. Washington State’s CCB 3 of 3 • The house Higher Education Committee recently held hearings regarding the pilot program (2/19/07) • The four existing pilot programs are set to start offering upper-division courses in Fall 2007 • Bill introduced to expand program to include two technical colleges. [Lake Washington Technical College was mentioned]. Sponsor amenable to having one technical and community college, instead. • State Board’s priority is to fund existing programs and to secure their accreditation. Floyd, Sughrue, Reed

15. New Mexico’s CCB:Economic development; technical & vocational education; workforce development • Northern New Mexico Community College to Northern New Mexico College (2005): • A. The courses of instruction at Northern New Mexico College shall:(1) meet the needs of young people of New Mexico who cannot be served adequately by the local public schools in their home communities; • (2) prepare technical and trade students for occupations and vocations that are useful and necessary in the economy of New Mexico; and • (3) provide academic, technical and vocational instruction beyond the high school level and accredited college level academic instruction. . . . Floyd, Sughrue, Reed

16. New Mexico’s CCB2 of 4 • D. The board of regents of Northern New Mexico College may develop, implement and seek accreditation for a baccalaureate degree program in teacher education. Chapter 21. State and Private Education Institutions , Article 4. Northern New Mexico State School § 21-4-3. Northern New Mexico college; purpose of instruction; academic courses; boarding of students • Bachelor degrees: • Bachelor of Science in Biology • Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration • Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education • Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science • Bachelor of Science in Information Technology • Bachelor of Science in Integrative Health Studies Floyd, Sughrue, Reed

17. New Mexico CCB:Governance 3 of 4 • “Effective July 1, 2005, all new state-funded baccalaureate, graduate and professional degree programs shall be offered by public four-year educational institutions and all new associate degree programs shall be offered by public post-secondary educational institutions after a timely and thorough consultation with and review by the [Higher Education] [D]epartment.” • Article 25 § 21-1-26. Higher education department; general powers (2005) Floyd, Sughrue, Reed

18. New Mexico Articulation 4 of 4 • “ . . . shall establish and maintain a comprehensive statewide plan to provide for the articulation of educational programs and facilitate the transfer of students between institutions. Post-Secondary Education Articulation Act (2005) § 21-1B-3. Articulation plan; development; implementation; establishment of transfer module Floyd, Sughrue, Reed

19. Vermont CCB:Access to technical education, workforce; high quality; life long learning • Vermont Technical College approved in 1993 to offer baccalaureate degree programs. • Bachelor of Science: • Architectural Engineering Technology • Business Technology & Management • Computer Engineering Technology • Computer Information Technology • Computer Software Engineering • Electromechanical Engineering Technology Floyd, Sughrue, Reed

20. West Virginia:Retained community college mission • 1989 Parkersburg Community College affiliated with the West Virginia University and became West Virginia University at Parkersburg. • “The governing boards of Marshall University and West Virginia University shall make rules for the state institutions of higher education known as Marshall University and West Virginia University, and shall determine the minimum standards for conferring degrees.” § 18B-4-7. Accreditation of institutions of higher education; standards for degrees Floyd, Sughrue, Reed

21. Selected states with “percolating activity”… California • California – “California Community College Baccalaureate Partnership Act” (2006-2007) California education Code section 78015- – job market/labor need required; access emphasized to serve areas with low rates of baccalaureate attainment “If the governing board of the community college district determines that the job market study justified the initiation of the proposed program, it shall determine, by resolution, whether the program shall be offered through the district’s own facilities or through a contact with an approved private postsecondary school pursuant to Section 9092.” … instruction entirely on community college campus… two grants not to exceed $50,000 annually, starting February 2007. Floyd, Sughrue, Reed

22. Selected states with “percolating activity”… Arizona House Bill 2079 (2005, defeated) 10.  Beginning in fiscal year 2007-2008, [community colleges may] offer four-year baccalaureate degrees (h)  [T]he four-year baccalaureate degrees offered by a district shall be limited to one or more of the following academic disciplines selected by the district board: (i)  Law enforcement services. (ii)  Fire services. (iii)  Health professions. (iv)  Teacher education. Floyd, Sughrue, Reed

23. Selected states with “percolating activity”… Arizona 2 of 2 (v)  Any academic discipline that is workforce-related and for which a university under the jurisdiction of the Arizona board of regents does not award a four-year baccalaureate degree that matches an existing associate of applied science degree. i)  Eastern Arizona college as operated by the governing board of the Graham county community college district shall not be limited to offering baccalaureate degrees in the academic disciplines prescribed in subdivision (h). Floyd, Sughrue, Reed

24. Selected states with “percolating activity”… South Carolina: • Trident Technical College was designated to offer a baccalaureate degree within the Life Sciences Act of 2004 • Was passed over a veto by Governor who had a “fundamental objection to receiving legislation that has numerous tack-ons, each containing their own complex policy considerations, many of which did not receive appropriate public debate.” • Act was declared unconstitutional in Sloan v. Wilkins (S.C. 2005), citing Article *436 III, § 17 (the one subject provision) of the South Carolina Constitution. Floyd, Sughrue, Reed

25. Emerging Themes • Workforce, labor and job market responsiveness • Access to four-year degrees geographically and programmatically (underserved areas and learners) • Keep associate degrees while adding baccalaureate degrees in certain fields • Ensuring appropriate (regional) accreditation for degrees offered Floyd, Sughrue, Reed

26. Motivation for the CCB • Serving workforce, labor market needs • Access to underserved populations geographically and programmatically • Service to communities underserved • Response to local needs Floyd, Sughrue, Reed

27. Discussion and Sharing community college baccalaureate Floyd, Sughrue, Reed

28. Speakers’ reach information Florida Atlantic University • Dr. Deborah L. Floyd, Professor of Higher Education, Florida Atlantic University – DeborahLFloyd@Aol.Com or DFloyd@Fau.Edu (954) 564-0344 • Dr. Jennifer Sughrue, Associate Professor of School Leadership – JSughrue@Fau.Edu (561) 297-3554 • Sarah Reed, Doctoral Candidate in Adult Education and Community Education – SReed15@Fau.Edu Floyd, Sughrue, Reed