Leaders of Iowa’s private colleges and universities oppose a plan that would allow community colleges to begin 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 and chairman of the Iowa Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, says that there are no so-called “education deserts” in Iowa.
The bill states that a community college could not offer four-year degrees if it is within 50 miles of the University of Iowa, Iowa State University, University of Northern Iowa or a private college. However, Putnam says that does not address the existence of satellite campuses community colleges operate, such as the Iowa Central Community College campus in Storm Lake, which is also home to Buena Vista University.
