The leaders of Iowa’s private colleges and universities oppose a plan to have community colleges start offering four-year degrees in some fields. Iowa has three state supported universities, 15 state funded community colleges and 26 private colleges and universities. Mark Putnam, President of Central College in Pella, is chairman of the Iowa Association of Independent Colleges and Universities. He says that map shows there are no so-called “education deserts” in Iowa.
Drake University President Marty Martin says the the number of high school graduates is declining and there’s no proof Iowa has education deserts.
Martin says Iowa’s private colleges already have agreements that allow students to transfer with the community college credits they’ve earned.
Under the plan being developed in the Iowa House, community colleges would get 20 million dollars in each of the next five years to set up four-year degree programs. The bill says a community college within 50 miles of Iowa, Iowa State, UNI or a private college cannot offer four-year degrees. Putnam says that does not address the existence of the satellite campuses community colleges operate.
Putnam and Martin made their comments this weekend on “Iowa Press” on Iowa PBS.
