THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE RESOLUTION

INTRODUCED BY ROEBUCK, O'NEILL, McCALL, COHEN, MANN, CLYMER, CONKLIN, GRUCELA, HARKINS, LONGIETTI, WHEATLEY, YOUNGBLOOD, YUDICHAK, FLECK, QUIGLEY, RAPP, TALLMAN, BEAR, BELFANTI, BEYER, BISHOP, BOBACK, BRIGGS, BROWN, CALTAGIRONE, D. COSTA, CREIGHTON, DeLUCA, DeWEESE, DiGIROLAMO, DONATUCCI, EVERETT, FABRIZIO, FAIRCHILD, GEIST, GEORGE, GIBBONS, GINGRICH, GODSHALL, GOODMAN, GRELL, GROVE, HARHAI, HARPER, HELM, HENNESSEY, HICKERNELL, HUTCHINSON, JOSEPHS, KESSLER, KILLION, KIRKLAND, KORTZ, KOTIK, MAHONEY, MAJOR, MARKOSEK, MARSICO, MATZIE, McGEEHAN, MILLARD, MIRABITO, MUNDY, MUSTIO, PARKER, PASHINSKI, PAYTON, PHILLIPS, PRESTON, QUINN, READSHAW, REICHLEY, ROHRER, ROSS, SABATINA, SAINATO, SANTONI, SCAVELLO, SEIP, SIPTROTH, STABACK, TRUE, VULAKOVICH, WATSON, WHITE, MARSHALL, HESS AND CIVERA, MARCH 22, 2010

INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35, MARCH 22, 2010  

A RESOLUTION

Designating the month of April 2010 as "Pennsylvania Community

College Month" in Pennsylvania.

WHEREAS, More than 227,000 students are currently enrolled in

credit programs at this Commonwealth's 14 community colleges,

and 219,000 students are enrolled in noncredit courses with a

focus on increasing workplace skills; and

WHEREAS, One out of every five undergraduates of this

Commonwealth attends a community college; and

WHEREAS, Nine and six-tenths percent of all credits are

provided through distance learning courses and programs offered

by the community colleges, allowing students to build their

academic credentials and certifications while maintaining their

work schedules and family responsibilities; and

WHEREAS, Community colleges offer and support dual enrollment

of more than 11,000 high school students, representing half of

this Commonwealth's school districts; and

WHEREAS, Community colleges facilitate high-technology career

pathways with seamless curricula by collaborating in 2+2+2

project grants; and

WHEREAS, Community colleges have developed more than 1,000

articulation agreements to ensure that students seamlessly

transition from the community college to a four-year degree with

more than 20,000 students transferring each year; and

WHEREAS, Community colleges offer individualized credit and

noncredit courses and programs that enhance the work force

pipeline and stimulate this Commonwealth's economy; and

WHEREAS, Community colleges are responding to the current

economic downturn by implementing tuition waiver programs to aid

unemployed workers, whose number currently totals more than

3,100, in obtaining crucial skills and knowledge for reentry

into the work force; and

WHEREAS, Community colleges have developed 84 new or

redesigned programs in response to regional needs of employers

and work force trends; and

WHEREAS, Employers throughout this Commonwealth have

contracted with community colleges to provide training for more

employees; therefore be it

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives designate the

month of April 2010 as "Pennsylvania Community College Month" in

Pennsylvania and encourage all citizens to recognize, appreciate

and support the contributions these institutions make to their

communities and to this Commonwealth.