THE JOURNAL & TOPICS NEWSPAPERS | THURSDAY, MAY 15, 2008
Lawmakers Not Giving Up On 4-Year Harper
Harper Community College in Palatine and State Sen. Dan Kotowski (D-33rd) are backing a bill in the Illinois Legislature to offer a limited four-year degree program in two disciplines.
The bill passed in the State House but was defeated in a State Senate Committee by a slim margin on Thursday, May 8.
Undeterred, Kotowski said he would reintroduce the measure later this week.
"While I'm frustrated, I'm hopeful that we can get it passed," said Kotowski. "We're not giving up because law enforcement doesn't give up."
State Sen. Susan Garrett (D-29th) was a co-sponsor of the bill. Under the proposed pilot program, bachelor's degrees would be available at Harper in the areas of Public Safety Administration / Homeland Security and Technology Management.
Bachelor's degrees would be available until 2013 for students.
The House bill passed last spring by a vote of 69 to 48 but Harper spokesman Phil Burdick knows that state universities are working hard against the program.
"Four year schools have been against this from the beginning," said Burdick. "They have a monopoly on bachelor's degrees. We invite them to come teach those programs on our campus."
Kotowski said representatives of Northern Illinois University testified against the bill and local police and fire officials from Des Plaines, Mount Prospect, Arlington Heights, Cook County Sheriff's Police and Harper College police officers among others testified in favor of the bill.
Burdick said the program would not cost state budgets or property taxpayers any additional funding. He said a major corporation has committed to the college's foundation to fund the technology management program but said he could not say what company until legislation passes.
Donations have been secured to fund the law enforcement program as well. Burdick responded to the charge that offering a four-year degree is a slippery slope to larger four-year programs at community colleges.
"A four year pilot program with a sunset clause is a thoughtful, moderate way to study what 12 states are already doing in allowing community colleges to offer bachelor degrees in vocational areas," said Burdick.
Burdick and Kotowski both said there is a need for the law enforcement program, as many suburban police departments now require four-year degrees for promotion.
The bill would grant state universities first right of refusal to state universities to teach the classes. Northern Illinois University's Hoffman Estates campus offers a homeland security certificate, but Burdick said, "Certificates are not bachelor's degrees."