SEATTLE — The president of Bellevue Community College says she doesn’t have any plans to transform the large commuter school into a four-year university across Lake Washington from the University of Washington, but she is asking lawmakers to allow her school to offer more advanced degrees.
Bellevue Community College is one of a handful of community colleges across the state allowed to offer one four-year degree as part of a pilot project.
College President Jean Floten said the program has been so successful it has started the campus and local businesses dreaming about more opportunities like the program offering a bachelor of applied science in radiation and imaging sciences.
“We believe there’s a really exciting option here: creating a blended college that keeps its community college mission, which is open door, and also maximizes responsiveness to business and community,” Floten said Tuesday.
The proposal, scheduled to be heard Friday before the House Higher Education Committee, would give the college authority to offer any bachelor degree program it wanted as long as it has approval from the state Higher Education Coordinating Board.
Any college that offers even one bachelor’s degree must be accredited as a four-year college, so BCC has been going through that process. Now Floten would like to make further use of the credential.
Some of the possible degrees being considered include: cyber criminology, business intelligence, biotechnology research technician, radiology assistant and interior design with a “green design” focus.
State Rep. Marcie Maxwell, D-Renton, whose district includes part of Bellevue, said she is sponsoring the Bellevue CC bill in response to demand from local businesses for a well-trained work force and because the existing four-year universities aren’t meeting student demand.
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