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Michigan Education Officials Lobby to Allow Community Colleges to Offer BSN Degrees
Michigan lawmakers are expected to soon begin debating a measure that would give community colleges the authority to grant baccalaureate degrees in nursing, the Jackson Citizen Patriot reports. Recently, leaders from Jackson Community College and Allegiance Health traveled to Lansing to testify before the House Education Committee regarding the regional demand for nurse education. The college currently enrolls between 160 and 170 students per year in its practical nursing certificate and associates in applied nursing degree programs. However, the school's president notes that approximately 100 students wish to earn a bachelor's of science in nursing (BSN) degree. According to the Jackson Citizen Patriot, leaders of four-year institutions oppose the measure, contending that extending this authority would prevent two- and four-year institutions from working collaboratively and instead foster competition for resources, faculty and clinical placement opportunities. However, supporters of the bill, including the Michigan Community College Association, say that granting such approval would extend high-quality educational opportunities to more students, as well as foster innovation in nursing curriculum (Cummings, Jackson Citizen Patriot, 10/29/09).