Governor JB Pritzker joined students and leadership from Lewis & Clark Community College on Monday to propose a new community college baccalaureate degree program. 

If approved, community colleges would be enabled by the State to offer four-year bachelor’s degrees, making degrees more accessible while meeting the needs of employers in key sectors and keeping education costs low for students and working families.

Lewis & Clark Community College President Dr. Ken Trzaska (TRAZ-kah) spoke at the event and said this program accentuates the community college’s core characteristics of agility and readiness to respond.

In Illinois, the proposed BA degree program applications would be reviewed and approved by the Illinois Community College Board, the Illinois Board of Higher Education, and the accrediting organization associated with the degree type.