A landmark agreement was signed today by representatives of Kapiolani Community College and UH West Oahu. It is a new dual-enrollment policy that could change the way students attend college.

With the signing of the agreement, officials at KCC and UH West Oahu have paved the way for community college students to transfer easily to a four year university.

"So in this case, Kapiolani Community College is working with UH West Oahu to ensure that the students are able to start here in their first year, end at our place in their last year and do it seamlessly," said U.H. West Oahu Chancellor Gene Awakuni.

The agreement has been a long time in the works.

"To get things through the process, through faculty review, through faculty inspiration, creativity, working through the details - we begin with many big ideas and when it comes down to okay, how is this actually going to work, that takes a long time to get through," said Louise Pagotto, from Kapiolani Community College.

There are a number of associate degree programs at Kapiolani Community College but the first one that will be connected with West Oahu will be the respiratory care program. Students can take courses at either or both schools that could eventually get them a baccalaureate at West Oahu. But that's just a beginning.

"In culinary arts, in respiratory care, in accounting---all the applied fields that the state needs over the next decade and beyond. We're going to do it,” said Awakuni.

There is more good news for students who start here at KCC and then decide they want to pursue a four year degree at West Oahu - the price.

"US News and world report reported that we are the sixth lowest tuition public institution in the country. So we're committed to keeping our tuition affordable so a student coming from a community college can come to us and it wouldn't be a big hit to their pocketbook," said Awakuni.

While the schools involved are all part of the UH system, this dual-enrollment policy is the first of it's kind.

"The pathway is both ways. And it really does benefit the students on a baccalaureate track," said Pagotto.