GCC aims for pilot bachelor’s degree program
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Glendale Community College is one of 36 two-year colleges in the state that have applied to create bachelor’s degree programs under a temporary pilot project.
Of the 36 colleges that have applied, state community college officials will select 15.
In September, Gov. Jerry Brown signed legislation allowing some community colleges to begin awarding bachelor’s degrees in fields not offered on the UC and Cal State campuses.
Soon after, local college officials, including trustee President Vahe Perommian, praised the move by lawmakers to make it easier for students to obtain degrees following years of devastating budget cuts and long waiting lists for classes.
By mid-November, Glendale Community College officials alerted state officials that they would be interested in hosting a program in either health information technology or real estate appraisal and property valuation.
“We had to submit something to say, ‘Yes we are interested in possibly moving forward,’” said Mary Mirch, vice president of instruction for the college. “The state really wanted colleges to identify one program. We went ahead and identified two areas in which we believe we might be able to move forward.”
The Los Angeles Community College district also applied for the opportunity, but didn’t provide a program. Pasadena City College was not on the official list of applicants.
Glendale Community College stood out as the only school among the colleges interested to pitch hosting a real estate appraisal program, so Mirch believes Glendale officials will focus on that program as they submit another application to state officials before Dec. 19.
“There may be a couple of classes we need to develop,” Mirch said of the real estate program. “We don’t have to build from scratch.”
There are still some remaining questions for school officials. For example, Mirch is uncertain if colleges that offer the programs will receive additional funds, but state officials have said course units could cost students $84 more than the $46 per unit they pay now.
As they move ahead with the application process, Mirch said officials will continue to evaluate the feasibility of awarding bachelor’s degrees.
“It makes sense to move forward. We can submit all of these proposals and these applications and decide it doesn’t work, but not submitting them means we’re not going to have the opportunity… we’re saying this is a potential,” she said.