Administrators at Mid-Plains Community College issued a response Monday to President Barack Obama’s idea that tuition at community colleges should be free.
MPCC President Ryan Purdy said it’s too early to tell exactly what the proposal will mean for community colleges, but he does appreciate the national attention they are getting.
“It’s a great opportunity to identify community colleges as the way to bridge the gap in business, industrial and technical training,” said Purdy.
His concerns include the red tape and accountability that would accompany such an action and whether Nebraska’s community colleges are staffed to handle any mandated compliance requirements.
“Free sounds great if you’re a student,” said Purdy. “But, from the taxpayer standpoint, the cost may exceed the anticipated outcomes.”
He said tuition makes up 20-35 percent of the general fund budgets of community colleges statewide. According to Purdy, the tuition revenues that would have to be replaced by state and federal money would be in the tens of millions of dollars per year just for Nebraska alone.
Obama unveiled the proposal, known as America’s College Promise, on Friday, and the White House issued a press release about the matter.
“Today, more than ever, Americans need more knowledge and skills to meet the demands of a growing global economy without having to take on decades of debt before they even embark on their career,” the press release reads.
The proposal is likened to a movement about a century ago to make high school widely available. The White House credits that movement to a rapid growth in the education and skills training of Americans, which drove decades of economic growth and prosperity.
“America thrived in the 20th century, in large part because we had the most educated workforce in the world,” the press release reads. “But, other nations have matched or exceeded the secret to our success.”
Success of the new proposal would require a team effort, according to the White House. Community colleges would have to strengthen their programs and increase the number of students who graduate, states would have to invest more in higher education and training and students would have to take responsibility for their education, earn good grades and stay on track to graduate.
The White House maintains that if all states participate, an estimated 9 million students could benefit, and a full-time community college student could save an average of $3,800 in tuition per year.
MPCC officials don’t believe attendance costs should ever be a deterrent to people taking college classes.
“Our Mid-Plains Community College system prides itself on its accessibility, and probably more importantly, its affordability,” said Chuck Salestrom, area associate vice president of public information and marketing for MPCC. “We have a wide variety of funding mechanisms in place to underwrite costs such as Pell Grants, scholarships and tuition waivers. If used correctly, a student can graduate here with little or no debt.”