Limit community colleges to two years

Cuts in state aid and tax caps are forcing Illinois community college tuition increases. Diverting property taxes to four-year nursing, dental hygiene and applied technology students will also result in an increase in tuition.

The proposed four-year degrees at Illinois Community Colleges will result in a "tax" on their prime mission students. As tuition increases, fewer attend and Illinois' underclass grows.

Community college low price/tuition is perceived as being low cost. The 2013 average cost for all Illinois Community Colleges was $435.58 per semester hour, but only $272.42 for all Illinois state universities (first two years).

State Universities have lower costs. Starting higher-cost community college four-year degrees will help less, not more. If locally offered four-year degrees are desired, state university extensions are more cost effective.

Students complete a community college Registered Nurse (RN) program in two years, accumulate small debt and enter a well paid profession.

Over 60 percent of the RNs in the United States come from community colleges. Illinois community college RNs do as well as BSNs when taking their state board exams. There are over 35 online RN to BSN programs and two dozen Illinois colleges offering these programs.

Illinois community colleges should be lauding their RN programs, not taking the self-fulfilling position that they are inadequate. The present two-year Dental Hygiene degree is another outstanding community college program. Most Illinois dentists try to avoid BS's in dental hygiene as they can do no more and they always want more as a return on their extra two-year investment.

Higher cost, local industry-specific baccalaureate degrees are being perceived as having a lesser value. Should Illinois taxpayers spend more for a less valuable four-year degree program? Is the perceived self importance of awarding baccalaureate degrees a reason to increase Illinois higher education costs?

Richard F. Gillette, Executive Director

Save Community College Organization Inc.

Kildeer