Continuing its pattern of innovation and responding to need, Butler County Community College will offer a limited selection of four-year degrees to its students beginning next year.

Nationally, community colleges remain focused on meeting the needs of both their students and their communities. And in today's environment of rapidly escalating tuition at most four-year colleges, the option of completing a bachelor's degree through a community college will no doubt prove to be an attractive option for some students.

A certain percentage of students seek only an associates degree, while some other students want highly specialized training, with no degree at all. For others, however, the community college is seen as a stepping stone to a four-year degree. This has made community colleges in general, and BC3 in particular, "The smart place to start," as the college's marketing material boasts.

Now, BC3 can also be a great place to finish. For some students, transferring to a traditional four-year college or university will still make the most sense. The financial benefits of completing two years of course work at the community college level before attending a four-year institution can save baccalaureate-seeking students thousands of dollars in tuition. And once they have their degree, they will appreciate starting their working lives with much lower debt levels that those of their fellow students who attended traditional four-year institutions.

This week, BC3 signed agreements with the University of Pittsburgh, Robert Morris University, Point Park University and Franklin University in Columbus, Ohio, for the new four-year degree offerings.

Once enrolled in the bachelor's degree programs, BC3 students will pay higher tuition fees than they did for courses in community college's associate's degree program, but there will still be savings in terms of transportation and housing, presuming the students live at home.

The innovative bachelor's degree program was driven by the college's response to many students who have expressed the desire to remain at BC3 for more advanced degrees.

As the new program develops over the next few years, it seems likely that it will be expanded by either adding new university partners or expanding the degrees available from the existing partners - or both.

As Butler County Community College marks its 40th anniversary, it is appropriate that such an innovative program as a bachelor's degree option be announced.

The college itself is evidence of innovation, as the first community college in Western Pennsylvania. In that case, the innovation can be mostly credited to the community and the leaders who championed the idea of establishing a community college.

Since its creation, BC3 has established a record of innovative course offerings, notably the nationally recognized metrology and computer-forensics programs.

Once again, BC3 leadership is demonstrating innovation and responsiveness in offering selected bachelor degrees to its students.