KLAMATH FALLS — Klamath Community College can now offer two new, four-year Applied Bachelor degrees — Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and Bachelor of Applied Science in Business Management with an emphasis on salon management.
Both degree programs have been accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU). A letter from NWCCU’s Senior Vice President Teresa Rivenes, PhD, approving the degrees was received by the college Monday, May 19.
“This is a first for the college in offering a four-year bachelor’s degrees,” said KCC President Dr. Roberto Gutierrez. “It will help students who want to remain in the Basin, study at KCC and keep their expenses within reason, with no loss of credits as they move through the programs.”
While the community college offers close to 90 certificates and associate degrees, this is the first time it will be offering bachelor degrees. The program was also approved by the KCC Board of Education on Dec. 3. The first classes will be offered in the fall of 2026.
“This has been a long time coming,” said Dr. Gutierrez. “The vision for an applied bachelor’s degree for community colleges started over a decade ago.”
KCC teamed up with Chemeketa Community College in Salem and it took two legislative biennium sessions to pass two bills — Senate Bill 3 in 2019 and Senate Bill 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 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.
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.”
Students will learn on campus from local instructors, but also via shared, online instructors at the other community colleges in the consortium. This will help keep the costs of the overall program in line with affordability.
With the online offerings, a current working RN 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 enroll in a university to work toward a BSN.
“That’s not good enough for our community,” she said.
The degree requires 180 credits.
“What is beneficial to the student is that if you have an Associate 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 and all those classes are taught online,” said Jennings, so nurses can continue working while earning credits to a BSN.
“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.
The business of salon management
The second Applied Bachelors degree 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.
“Community colleges are here to serve their local residents. The statistics point out that those taking classes locally tend to remain in the community to work,” Jennings said.
The business management course is all online, so cosmetologists can continue working and take classes at their own speed.
History of the effort
It has been a long road in obtaining the ability for community colleges to offer bachelor’s 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, Dr. Gutierrez said.
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 — who represent Klamath Falls — were both backers of the bill. It passed 54-0, with 6 excused.
Senate Bill 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.
