TN Senator Andy Berke Defends Higher Education Bill

Tennessee Senator Andy Burke defends Governor Phil Bredesen's Higher Education Bill.

The Tennessee Senate approved the plan last week overhauling the state's higher education system.

The plan aims to improve Tennessee's poor graduation rate at community colleges and four-year schools.

But it's come under fire from community colleges because it bases funding on graduation rates and student retention... instead of the size of a school's enrollment.

Community Colleges say one of their main functions is continuing education for those already in the workforce, not just producing degrees.

St. Sen. Andy Berke is a Democrat representing Tennessee's 10th District, "We passed devised this reform based in large part on making the community colleges a system and a more integral part of the system. But we've got to get our college graduates up at every level if we're gonna bring major employers to the area and if we're gonna keep the employers we have."

The plan also shifts the state's remedial courses from four-year schools to community colleges.