Show your support for the community college bachelor’s degree


The Michigan Senate is considering a bill that would allow community colleges to offer selected bachelor’s degrees. The House has passed a similar bill. If approved by the Senate and signed by the governor, this legislation would make Michigan the 21st state to allow community colleges to offer at least some four-year degrees.

Schoolcraft wants to offer the bachelor’s degree in Culinary Arts and Nursing.

Students, alumni, faculty, staff and friends of Schoolcraft College can show their support for this legislation by sending a letter to their State Senator. Sample letters and a list of Senators are provided here. You can also go online to look up your Senator by your address.



What Senate Bill 0255 means to Schoolcraft College

  • Would authorize Schoolcraft to offer bachelor’s degrees in Culinary Arts and Nursing.
  • Would allow the nursing program to respond to trends in national standards and accreditation that are pushing employers to hire bachelor’s degree nurses over associate degree nurses.
  • Would enable the college to provide career advancement for chefs and other food industry professionals who look to Schoolcraft for leadership in culinary arts education.
  • Would generate additional enrollments in program, general studies and support courses.


What the legislation means for Michigan

  • Would increase access to affordable four-year-degree programs in a state that is 15th lowest in the nation in bachelor’s degree attainment and sixth highest in tuition rates at public universities.
  • Would help Michigan avoid an impending shortage of bachelor’s degree nurses.
  • Would give Michigan a competitive edge by making it the 21st state in the nation to allow community colleges to offer at least some bachelor’s degrees.
  • Would authorize community colleges to offer these bachelor’s degrees:
    • Cement Technology (sought by Alpena Community College)
    • Culinary Arts (sought by Schoolcraft and other community colleges)
    • Energy Production (sought by several community colleges)
    • Maritime Studies (sought by Northwestern Michigan College)
    • Nursing (sought by Schoolcraft and other community colleges)

Learn more about the legislation at www.mcca.org, the Web site of the Michigan Community College Association.