Be wary of four-year degrees at CLC

Candidates for the College of Lake County Board of Trustees are extolling the virtues of adding bachelor's degrees to CLC's offerings, if they get elected. What is the cost of this addition to the taxpayers?

Will this addition increase the pay for the president of the junior college? Will there be a need for a new set of deans/administrative positions? Will there be additional secretarial assistance? Will there be additional perks to be added? Or will CLC do the job at no additional cost?

What research data has been provided to the public to indicate there is such a need?

The idea may be appealing but is there an actual proven need? Junior colleges were set up to be two-year colleges. To allow additional assistance to the citizens, there are presently four-year colleges renting space and offering additional education to complete bachelor's degrees operating on the grounds of junior colleges, including CLC.

Have these four-year institutions been approached about extending their offerings to meet the identified needs? Before taxpayers hand over more money, CLC should talk with the other institutions presently working on the campus to provide this education.

If the other schools decline, it might be that the idea is nice but not necessary/desired. The words, presently spoken, are that these degrees would be offered in special areas like nursing and fire fighting. How long do you think that it will be before additional degrees will be seen as something necessary to be provided by CLC?

I once heard a young man say: "Money is no object; my dad is paying for it." I am concerned that the people running for trustees could be veering in that direction.

Mike Klestinski

Libertyville