(Radio Iowa) – Iowa community college leaders say with additional state funding they could offer some four-year degrees and it would likely increase the number of Iowans who earn a bachelor’s degree. Emily Shields is executive director of Community Colleges for Iowa. “We know from national studies that of the students who when they start college say they plan to transfer only a third actually do,” Shields said, “so that’s some evidence that we’re leaving two-thirds of our potential baccalaureate degree holders on the table because they don’t end up finding that transfer is something that works for them.”

Last year, lawmakers directed community colleges to study the feasibility of offering four-year degrees. The leaders of Iowa’s 15 area community colleges are backing a bill that would give the system 20-million dollars over the next five years to cover start-up costs. Shields says based on the experience in other states that let community colleges to make this move, it costs about 300-thousand dollars to start a new four-year degree program.

“Those expenses come into play before tuition is coming in the door, so there is some need to front load and be able to hire faculty, get equipment and spaces needed — that kind of thing — in order to get things off the ground,” Shields says. “and so we would appreciate the legislature’s consideration of that.” Shields indicates the focus would be on degrees in fields like information technology, health care, and advanced manufacturing. The bill would give each community college authority to decide what four-year degree programs to offer.

“Every Iowa community college serves rural areas where folks may lack access to the type of institution that works for them,” Shields says. Brian Renfro is chancellor of the Eastern Iowa Community Colleges, which has campuses in Clinton, Muscatine and Bettendorf. He says while four-year degree programs are being offered online, a recent survey shows students in the rural areas his community college want to find in-person programs. “There’s a lack of access for bachelor’s degrees for working individuals to be able to move up into higher level positions,” Renfro says. “…They want to be involved in the classroom. They want to be involved in networking and in engaging with each other.”

Dan Kinney is president of the Council Bluffs-based Iowa Western Community College. Kinney says he wants to offer “workforce degrees” because southwest Iowa residents face the choice of moving hours away for a bachelor’s degree or not getting one at all.  “Let’s look at those numbers that we can educate, take to the next level, then attract additional businesses to the state because we’ve got that area or that workforce that they’re needing into the future.”

The study by Community Colleges of Iowa found in states like Florida where community colleges offer four-year degrees, there had been no negative impact on enrollment in public universities or non-profit private colleges.