AZ community colleges can now offer four-year degrees

PHOENIX – Arizona’s community colleges are now on the path to awarding four-year degrees if they want.

Gov. Doug Ducey on Tuesday signed legislation to permit these local institutions to offer baccalaureate degrees – and do so without having to first enter into a joint program with one of the state’s three universities.

“Arizona’s community colleges play a critical role in supporting students of all ages and equipping our workforce with skills and resources,’’ the governor said in a prepared statement.

The governor also noted that Arizona has gained a reputation of being a “school choice’’ state, at least at the K-12 level, with parents able to choose among traditional district schools – and not just in their own neighborhoods – as well as charter schools as well as religious and private schools.

“Today’s action is school choice for higher education,’’ Ducey said. “It will allow students even more opportunities as they strengthen their education and expand their employment opportunities.’’

The governor’s action comes despite a last-ditch bid by Larry Penley, chairman of the Arizona Board of Regents, urging him to reject the legislation and keep the schools in their traditional roles including technical certificates, twoyear degrees and feeding students into the state’s three universities.

“There is little evidence to support the need for a substantial change in Arizona higher education structure,’’ Penley wrote to the governor on Monday in

a letter obtained by Capitol Media Services.

Penley also argued that the move is unnecessary, as the regents have fouryear programs they operate in collaboration with community colleges in Apache, Graham, Maricopa, Mohave, Yavapai and Yuma counties.

Tuesday’s decision drew praise from Steven Gonzales, chancellor of the Maricopa Community Colleges, who has pushed for the new permission.

He told Capitol Media Services the aim is not to compete with the university system but to supplement it. Gonzales said there are specific needs for things like more teachers and nurses than the university system is turning out. And Gonzales said these programs can be conducted at far less cost than the universities charge in tuition, all without raising local property taxes.

None of this will happen immediately.

The new law requires governing boards to determine whether to offer fouryear degrees based on both the need, as determined by student demand and workforce gaps, as well as the financial requirements necessary to sustain the program.

Programs also have to be accredited by the same agencies that have purview over university programs.

And colleges are required to let state universities know of the programs they are developing.