The Glendale Star
November 4, 2021
The Glendale
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home,” Dr. Rey Rivera, Estrella Mountain Community College president, said in a prepared statement. “Culturally, I find community colleges, and Maricopa community colleges in particular, much richer and more diverse,” said David J. Ortiz-Leon, a Phoenix College alumnus who now attends Arizona State University’s Barrett honors school. “I think having schools offer four-year programs allows for students to continue to be immersed in education that is built by and for the local community. There is nothing more authentic than that.” Sen. Paul Boyer (R-Glendale), who sponsored this bill, said the new law will help rural, underserved parts of the state with higher education. In his research, he reached out to community colleges in rural areas and developed a vision for what higher education they could offer. “What I envision moving forward is having a community college close by with an in-demand four-year degree program. I envision there might be an eastern Arizona or a Coconino college, one of the rural (areas) that have a significant demand where they wouldn’t have to move to Phoenix, Tucson or Flagstaff and they can earn a four-year (degree),” Boyer said. Rivera firmly believes that SB 1453 presents another opportunity to address equity gaps in attainment with students from diverse backgrounds. “Today, only 21% of Black and 15% of Latinx adults hold a bachelor’s degree compared to 34% of white and 54% of Asian adults,” he said. “The vitality of our economic future depends on closing attainment gaps and providing the workforce employers need.” With the programs that are being offered, there is hope for a better workforce with the knowledge that students will gain in these four-year programs. “I think everyone wants a higher education and society wants a skilled workforce. This is helping to achieve just that,” Hunter said. Boyer, who has experience in education and who is a product of the community college system, having at-
tended Pima and Paradise Valley community colleges, has a unique point of view that he shares with his students, whom he has been teaching for years. “I understand that college isn’t for everybody, but I encourage my students to at least consider going to a community college,” Boyer said. As a student, Boyer had to pay for school by working full time. This is not uncommon among students who attend college and a reason why being able to obtain a four-year degree at a community college is much more valuable. “Even though I am less than half a mile from the school, my work schedule does not allow for me to be a traditional in class student. I take classes when and where I can make them fit.
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For me, that’s nights and even weekends,” Hunter said. Boyer said one possible way this bill would help is by offering fire science degrees in rural areas where they are most needed. “None of the public universities offer the four-year fire science service degree — Northern Arizona University, University of Arizona and Arizona State University, none of them offer that — but there is a demand for this,” Boyer said. Another example of an in-demand degree that will be offered is a respiratory therapy four-year degree at Gateway Community College. Since the passing of the bill, the Maricopa Community College District has been nothing but persistent in making sure this is a success and the programs envisioned are considered. “We are in the process of developing the programs and in the process of determining what the community needs SEE COLLEGE PAGE 4
