Wednesday morning, State Representative Wayne Rosenthal (R-Morrisonville) welcomed visitors to Springfield with the Illinois Community College Trustees Association (ICCTA). Rep. Rosenthal, a member of the House Higher Education Committee, is a trustee for Lincoln Land Community College and the current Chairman.
Rosenthal spoke on the importance of trustees meeting with their legislators from their area to let them know what their position is on legislation that impacts community colleges, namely Senate Bill 2482 and House Bill 3717. He stressed the importance of meeting face-to-face and answering questions about the positive impact this option can be for most of the colleges in Illinois. Rosenthal is a co-sponsor of House Bill 3717 to allow community colleges in Illinois to offer baccalaureate degrees in addition to associates degrees and certifications in certain fields.
“Community colleges in Illinois are a tremendous pathway for people to learn skills that will help them pursue a career in a field that they enjoy and can make a good living. My legislation is not a mandate but would enable community colleges, if they so choose, to offer baccalaureate degrees in high-demand fields. The goal is to expand access to affordable higher education options for working adults and help address our state’s workforce needs.”
