CLC backs proposal to offer 4-year nursing degree
College of Lake County officials say they back a proposal that would allow some two-year schools to offer a four-year nursing program.
Under the bill introduced by Democratic state Sen. Andy Manar of Bunker Hill, a maximum of 20 community colleges would be allowed to offer the bachelor of science in nursing degree until 2022. All Illinois community colleges have a two-year associate degree in nursing.
CLC board Trustee Richard Anderson and other officials there said they support the idea of a community college having an ability to offer a less expensive way for someone to receive a four-year nursing degree.
"The fact that community colleges (would) offer the junior and senior year of baccalaureate degree nursing for under $5,000 - and you can get it right here in your hometown, your own area without traveling to get that bachelor's degree - is very meaningful and, hopefully, we can get this bill through," Anderson said.
CLC President Jerry Weber said the school already is exploring the possibility of a partnership for the four-year nursing program with Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science in North Chicago.
"We intend to be fully ready, if the bill goes through, to put our name forward," Weber said during a recent CLC board meeting.
Officials from the Illinois Community College Board are behind the proposed legislation. They contend the ability of a community college to offer a bachelor of science degree in nursing would be attractive to many people already working in the profession who want to upgrade their credentials.
Community college board officials have included a 2012 student survey in a position paper on the nursing degree issue. The statewide survey shows 87 percent of 2,744 associate degree nursing students who responded said they intended to pursue a bachelor's degree.
State money would not be allowed to fund the four-year nursing programs at community colleges, so colleges would have to use their own locally generated cash, according to the Senate proposal. Programs would require national professional accreditation, approval from appropriate state agencies, documentation of unmet workforce needs and demonstration of expertise, means and student interest.