“The effort to allow Arizona's community colleges to offer four-year bachelor's degrees is gaining momentum, with some lawmakers saying there's a strong chance it could get the green light in the spring.
 
 “If a bill allowing the change is approved by the Legislature, Arizona would become one of at least nine states to redefine the role of community colleges, long a hub of job-skills training and remedial and continuing education.” (Support for 4-year degrees mounting, Mile Cronin, The Arizona Republic, Dec. 19, 2005)
 
A bill being drafted by Rep. Laura Knaperek, R-Tempe and Senate colleague Linda Gray, R-Phoenix, would award bachelor's degrees in four professions: teaching, nursing, law enforcement and firefighting sciences.
 
A major objections is that it will submerge the community colleges' traditional mission. 
“House Minority Leader Phil Lopes, D-Tucson, who helped found Tucson's Pima College in 1969, said the proposal ‘runs a great risk of diluting and changing their uniqueness.’"
 
The proposal that community colleges should offer a four year degree is a new twist on an old struggle.
 
That struggle is between vocational training and academic education.   This battle has been fought long long ago and far far away. 

It is questionable that the Republican authors of the bill in question have the necessary understanding, or interest in, the real issue here.  By proposing such a bill, are they threatening something that has supported the "working man", the Average American, for at least a century?

It looks like House Minority Leader Phil Lopes, D-Tucson has a better handle on it.

To see why I say that, take a peek at From Vocational track to Baccalaureate Degree? That is the Question under the Education category.