KCC Photo
KLAMATH FALLS — Klamath Community College Board of Education has given approval for the college to offer two new degree programs — one a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, the other a Bachelor of Applied Science in Business Management, with an emphasis in salon management.
Offering bachelor degree programs is a first in the college’s 28-year history.
“This is a historic day for KCC with the approval of these two degrees by the KCC Board of Education,” said KCC President Dr. Roberto Gutierrez. While the community college offers numerous certificates and two-year degrees, this is the first time it will be offering four-year degrees. The board unanimously approved moving forward with both degrees Dec. 3 at its regular meeting.
“This vision for an applied bachelor’s degree for community colleges started over a decade ago,” said Dr. Gutierrez. “With KCC teaming up with Chemeketa Community College in Salem, it took two biennium sessions to finally pass two bills — SB 3 in 2019 and SB 523 in 2023 — granting the college the ability to offer the degrees.
“A heartfelt thanks goes to the hard work of past Chemeketa President Julie Huckestein and current President Jessica Howard,” Dr. Gutierrez said.
Addressing a nursing shortage
The first degree, a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, or BSN, creates an opportunity for registered nurses holding an associate degree, who want to obtain a bachelor’s, to do so while they continue working.
“No one can doubt that there is a tremendous shortage of nurses in this country, especially in rural areas,” said KCC Vice President of Academic Affairs Jamie Jennings. “This addresses that with the possibility of graduating a minimum of 42 nurses with BSNs across the state each year.”
The program is built on a consortium of six community colleges including KCC. The other colleges in the consortium are: Central Oregon Community College in Bend, Chemeketa Community College in Salem, Linn Benton Community College in Albany, Oregon Coast Community College in Newport, and Treasure Valley Community College in Ontario.
“We hope to start off with seven students taking our classes through KCC. Each of the other colleges would do the same, though those numbers may ratchet up quickly,” Jennings said. All of the classes are online, so if a current RN is working, they can take the classes at their convenience.
The issue, according to Jennings, is that currently less than 20% of nurses completing an Associate of Science in Nursing at KCC return to a four-year college to work toward a BSN.
“That’s not good enough for our community,” she said.
First class likely in fall 2026
The next step is for the Higher Education Coordinating Commission and the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities to approve the plan by the end of February 2025. The first cohort of students would likely start in the fall of 2026.
“The degree requires 180 credits. The target audience is RNs who have an associate degree. The beauty of the program is that if you have an Associates of Science in Nursing, you’re coming to the program with 120 credits and need only 60 additional credits to get the degree. The win for our students is there will be no loss of credit for those nurses seeking a BSN,” said Jennings.
“There is a critical shortage of BSN-prepared nurses. In addition, there is a considerable gap between nurses in the workforce and nursing students graduating from nursing programs. KCC’s current Associate Degree in Nursing is falling short of meeting our local needs,” Jennings said.
Business foundations
The second Applied Bachelors degree approved by the KCC Board of Education addresses the need for licensed cosmetologists to acquire a bachelor’s degree in business management.
The new degree option — a Bachelor of Applied Science in Business Management-Salon Emphasis — expands on this opportunity by offering credit for prior learning for licensure coursework that could apply toward a bachelor’s degree.
Graduates will have the knowledge and ability to run their own business; work as salon managers, spa directors, salon owners and product sales representatives and managers. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment for salon managers is projected to grow 13% through 2028, faster than the national average for all occupations.
KCC currently offers an Associate of Applied Science in Cosmetology, and an Associate of General Studies in Cosmetology. The bachelor’s degree option will provide seamless transfer opportunities for students to complete a bachelor of applied science and will also be offered online.
The KCC BAS Business Management — Salon Emphasis degree is complimentary to KCC’s current and related offerings of the AAS Cosmetology and AAS Business Management degrees, Human Resources certificate, health, and business-based associate degrees, and coursework. This degree and related certificates address a local need for highly qualified beauty professionals with a business management foundation.
How it happened
It has been a long road in obtaining the ability for community colleges to offer four-year degrees.
Klamath Community College’s President, Board, administration, faculty, staff, students and local hospitals, health care clinics, and allied health care stakeholders, dedicated time and resources for community colleges to offer the BSN program in particular. The local group lobbied state and local representatives and won the successful passage of Senate Bill 523, which grants authority to community colleges to offer the Bachelor of Science in Nursing degrees. State Reps. Emily McIntire and E. Werner Reschke were both backers of the bill. It passed 54-0, with 6 excused.
SB 3 in 2019 permits community colleges to offer applied baccalaureate degree programs under specified conditions and upon Higher Education Coordinating Commission approval. Chief sponsors included then Senate President Pete Courtney and current Senate President Rob Wagner. Rep. Reschke was also a sponsor. It passed on a 45 to 10 vote.
For more information about KCC and its programs, visit www.klamathcc.edu.
