House leaders push for a 'state college' system

[Paisa el Toro]

I'm not really sure how I feel about this. How can providing more access to education be a bad thing, especially in fields like nursing, where have glaring shortages? Also, for those that are more knowledgable on this subject than me, does the State have tech schools that are available to those that would rather learn an in-demand trade rather than going to a traditional 4-year university?

http://www.sptimes.com/2008/03/07/State/House_leaders_push_fo.shtml

Schools

House leaders push for 'state college' system

Some community colleges would get a new designation.

By Shannon Colavecchio-Van Sickler, Times Staff Writer

Published March 7, 2008

TALLAHASSEE - House leaders, stressing the need for greater access to higher education, want to turn some of Florida's 28 community colleges into "state colleges" offering four-year bachelor's degrees.

The proposal, pushed by House Speaker-designate Ray Sansom and fellow Republican Joe Pickens of Palatka, also would create an oversight board for community colleges that emphasizes undergraduate education.

The effort comes as the Senate pushes forward with a dramatic overhaul in the way Florida's 11 state universities and K-12 schools are governed.

The House proposal could face opposition, however, from some community college presidents who like things as they are. And private colleges that already offer bachelor's degrees on community college campuses also might resist the idea.

Pickens said he won't have the proposal finalized until next week, but an early draft floating around the Capitol calls for a pilot project that turns three yet-to-be-chosen community colleges into "state colleges" - a concept endorsed by the governor and the state university system chancellor. The state would set aside $750,000 in general revenue and $50,000 in one-time trust fund cash next year for the initiative.

The House concept is also incorporated into their latest version of a proposed constitutional amendment SLC2 that overhauls education governance by reinstating an elected Cabinet-level education commissioner and stripping the Board of Governors of most of its authority over the 11 state universities.

The House would create, in addition to the watered-down Board of Governors that Senate President Ken Pruitt wants, a Florida College Board of citizens who oversee the "Florida College System."

The system would be composed of two- and four-year institutions that grant undergraduate degrees only, according to the proposal, which goes before the House Schools and Learning Council today.

Sen. Don Gaetz, R-Niceville, said Thursday he will shepherd the proposal through his chamber.

Seven community colleges, including St. Petersburg College and Miami Dade College in South Florida, already offer a limited number of four-year degrees. Indian River Community College is about to become the eighth.

Pickens, chairman of the House Schools and Learning Council, said St. Petersburg College "would be the classic example of what we envision."

In 2001 the college got state approval to offer four-year degrees in high-demand areas including teaching and nursing. St. Petersburg College just graduated its 1,000th bachelor's degree student, said provost Lars A. Hafner.

"We want to provide more access, more work force-oriented degrees in areas like teaching and nursing," said Pickens. "It would build on what we are already doing, but in a more organized, less piecemeal fashion."

California has a system with two-year community colleges, four-year state colleges, and comprehensive research universities like the University of California at Berkeley. Pickens said he and other House leaders have studied that model.

Gov. Charlie Crist told the Times he spoke last year with California chancellor Charles Reed, a former Florida universities chancellor, about "a tiered system."

"One of the difficulties we face because of our revenues may be enrollment at the traditional four-year institutions," Crist said. "So if we can find a way to alleviate that problem through our great community college network, that's a possibility that exists."

The existing 11 state universities are poised to cut enrollment by thousands of seats in the next few years, thanks to a state budget crisis that reduced their budgets by more than $100-million this year. The cuts promise to be even worse next year, when lawmakers need to shave the state budget by at least $2.5-billion.

House leaders say the state can ensure all Florida students still have a chance to earn a much-needed bachelor's degree by offering more of them at the community college level.

The Board of Governors supports bachelor's-only institutions to meet the state's need for a better-trained work force.

"We need more access," chancellor Mark Rosenberg said this week. "We've said for a while there ought to be an intermediate layer."

A board consultant recommended last year the establishment of such colleges, but the existing state universities aren't eager to take on the role.

Then-chancellor Adam Herbert also proposed a three-tier system several years back, but it fell apart amid university resistance. Many of the institutions have grand research aspirations and don't want to be limited to undergraduate education.

Moving some community colleges into bachelor's degree production might be one way to get around that political fight.

"They don't want to play that role," said Hafner of St. Petersburg College. "That's where SPC got in, to say, 'We want to take on that role.'"

Times staff writer Steve Bousquet contributed to this report. Shannon Colavecchio-Van Sickler can be reached at svansickler@sptimes.com or (850) 224-7263.

For a bachelor's

Community colleges that already offer bachelor's degrees:

-Chipola College.

-Daytona Beach Community College.

-Edison College.

-Florida Community College at Jacksonville.

-Miami Dade College.

-Okaloosa-Walton College.

-St. Petersburg College.

[Belle of the Bull]

i dunno - it seems like a good idea. But expensive no???? dont we have problems funding the schools we already have? maybe Jim - or someone else who keeps up with this stuff - can give us some insight? Couldnt find much debate about it....

[hbryan]

I think that it might relieve some of the pressure off of the more expensive to operate University system, which might yield some financial benefits.

[Belle of the Bull]

I think that it might relieve some of the pressure off of the more expensive to operate University system, which might yield some financial benefits.

interesting- and I think you might be right.  i thought about that too - but doesnt the state then have to fork over a bunch of money to hire admin and faculty? Adjuncts are one thing (i.e. really cheap and come with no health benefits usually) but turning a 2 year CC into a 4 year college means doubling the size of most departments right? I might be wrong - but I thought that CCs were made up of lecturers and adjuncts mostly with a few people on tenure track. In universities - its the other way around. i hope they know what they are doing because it sounds really expensive for the short term. Long term, i could see how it could yield some financial benefits. But what do I know right! I don't even live in FL! But it is something I am really interested in - if anyone knows what the buzz about this is in Tally - please post!