Obama Proposes Free Community College Program
01-09-2015, 06:03 AM
#1
Administrator
Thread Starter
Obama Proposes Free Community College Program
http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/...rogram-n282706
I'm not too sure how to feel about this. On one hand, I know it will give millions of people the opportunity for an Associates degree when they didnt have the money to pay for college. The other side of me is pissed because even though I didnt go to a community college (went to an actual university) and got my 2 Bachelors and my MBA....I had to bust my ass to work all the time and go to school at the same time and get some college loans. Nobody gave me anything for free. I had to work hard for it. So why should anyone else be entitled to free college when there are millions of other people who did or are currently doing what I did?
Mixed emotions and views for sure.....
The White House on Thursday announced a proposal that President Barack Obama said would make community college "free for everybody who is willing to work for it." But administration officials provided no details about the program's costs or where the money would come to pay for it.
Obama planned to formally announce the plan Friday at Pellissippi State Community College in Knoxville, Tennessee. He gave a preview in a videotaped message shot aboard Air Force One and posted on Facebook.
"It's not just for kids," Obama said. "We also have to make sure that everybody has the opportunity to constantly train themselves for better jobs, better wages, better benefits." Obama provided few specifics, and White House and Education Department officials on a conference call with reporters Thursday evening said the funding details would come out later with the president's budget.
The White House did say that if all states participated, that nine million students could benefit — saving on average $3,800 in tuition per year for a full-time student. That means the program could cost in the billions of dollars. In a Republican-led Congress, the proposal likely faces a tough legislative fight to be passed.
"With no details or information on the cost, this seems more like a talking point than a plan," said Cory Fritz, press secretary for House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio.
Under the proposal, participating students would be expected to maintain a modest grade point average and participating schools would have to meet certain academic requirements. States would opt in to the program and put up a fraction of the funding.
"Put simply, what I'd like to do is to see the first two years of community college free for everybody who is willing to work for it," the president said.
David Baime, vice president for government relations at the American Association of Community Colleges, called the plan an "extraordinary" investment. He said the essence of the proposal is to reduce the cost of attending community college and "that is a concept that we heartily endorse."
Last year, Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam signed into law a scholarship program using lottery funding that provides free community and technical college tuition for two years to the state's high school graduates. The White House said its proposal was inspired by the Tennessee plan and another similar program in Chicago
— The Associated Press
Obama planned to formally announce the plan Friday at Pellissippi State Community College in Knoxville, Tennessee. He gave a preview in a videotaped message shot aboard Air Force One and posted on Facebook.
"It's not just for kids," Obama said. "We also have to make sure that everybody has the opportunity to constantly train themselves for better jobs, better wages, better benefits." Obama provided few specifics, and White House and Education Department officials on a conference call with reporters Thursday evening said the funding details would come out later with the president's budget.
The White House did say that if all states participated, that nine million students could benefit — saving on average $3,800 in tuition per year for a full-time student. That means the program could cost in the billions of dollars. In a Republican-led Congress, the proposal likely faces a tough legislative fight to be passed.
"With no details or information on the cost, this seems more like a talking point than a plan," said Cory Fritz, press secretary for House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio.
Under the proposal, participating students would be expected to maintain a modest grade point average and participating schools would have to meet certain academic requirements. States would opt in to the program and put up a fraction of the funding.
"Put simply, what I'd like to do is to see the first two years of community college free for everybody who is willing to work for it," the president said.
David Baime, vice president for government relations at the American Association of Community Colleges, called the plan an "extraordinary" investment. He said the essence of the proposal is to reduce the cost of attending community college and "that is a concept that we heartily endorse."
Last year, Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam signed into law a scholarship program using lottery funding that provides free community and technical college tuition for two years to the state's high school graduates. The White House said its proposal was inspired by the Tennessee plan and another similar program in Chicago
— The Associated Press
I'm not too sure how to feel about this. On one hand, I know it will give millions of people the opportunity for an Associates degree when they didnt have the money to pay for college. The other side of me is pissed because even though I didnt go to a community college (went to an actual university) and got my 2 Bachelors and my MBA....I had to bust my ass to work all the time and go to school at the same time and get some college loans. Nobody gave me anything for free. I had to work hard for it. So why should anyone else be entitled to free college when there are millions of other people who did or are currently doing what I did?
Mixed emotions and views for sure.....
01-09-2015, 09:03 AM
#3
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Atlanta, GA
Posts: 4,185
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Vehicle: MC + RD2 + AW11 + 944 = 4x Win
We can't even balance the federal checkbook now, how exactly does another expense make anything better?
OH, more people being handed an associates degree. So in a matter of months 2 years worth of college level education will mean as much as a high school diploma. Now everyone can make a 31.2k salary. Obama saved the world!
OH, more people being handed an associates degree. So in a matter of months 2 years worth of college level education will mean as much as a high school diploma. Now everyone can make a 31.2k salary. Obama saved the world!
01-09-2015, 09:08 AM
#4
Senior Member
Higher education has always been something that needed to be earned. It was never entitled. As soon as this happens, and people feel they are entitled to a college education and don't have to earn it, it will seriously undermine the value of getting that associates degree. And, it will undermine folks who have paid for and worked hard for their degree.
If you flood the market with all these people who now have the same degree, those jobs salaries will go down!! Duh! It's harsh to say but it's the truth, we need people to do those dirty jobs that Mike Rowe has all shown us. In fact, those jobs sometimes pay much more then educated jobs even now!! That sacrifice to go get an education is regarded with the possibility of a better life. If every one has it, it will seriously upset the last bit of balance of educated to non educated salary bases. It's already out of balance, this will completely tip the scales.
Of course the college associations loves this, they will be getting guaranteed payments from the government that will allow tuition costs to keep rising. Another duh!!!
It's just another backwards way of addressing a problem in our society. Health care for all is a great idea, but the costs of health care needed to be addressed first. Hospitals and doctors price gouge the public because they can. The average student going to Community College to become an emt or dental assistant are still graduating only making a bit over minimum wage. I know. A few of my friends have been there and have the t shirt. They need to address education cost reform in higher education before paying for everyone to go to school. And EVEN then, I think it's a bad idea. Help students with great loan rates and helping to cap costs for certain programs. But keep it something that you have to shoot for and sacrifice for. That in itself gives it value. Don't just hand it out to everyone. This helps no one.
This is just another example of trying to solve a problem from the wrong side. Tuition keeps rising, but the professors and instructors are NOT seeing the profits! It's really sad that we say to invest in an education when we treat our educators so poorly. It's sad when I see a friend take a pay cut from bar tending to using her degree and teach high school English.
I will admit, I voted for Obama mainly to keep social progress going forward. I liked the idea of health care being available to all. Keeping religion out of medicine and progress using stem cell research which is at least 6 years behind because of the Bush administration. Womens rights and gay rights. But, I've seriously had it with this administration's inept ability to use common sense when addressing these large financial problems. Thank god we have a lame duck congress in session as this will at least hopefully stop these very dumb financial proposals from getting signed.
If you flood the market with all these people who now have the same degree, those jobs salaries will go down!! Duh! It's harsh to say but it's the truth, we need people to do those dirty jobs that Mike Rowe has all shown us. In fact, those jobs sometimes pay much more then educated jobs even now!! That sacrifice to go get an education is regarded with the possibility of a better life. If every one has it, it will seriously upset the last bit of balance of educated to non educated salary bases. It's already out of balance, this will completely tip the scales.
Of course the college associations loves this, they will be getting guaranteed payments from the government that will allow tuition costs to keep rising. Another duh!!!
It's just another backwards way of addressing a problem in our society. Health care for all is a great idea, but the costs of health care needed to be addressed first. Hospitals and doctors price gouge the public because they can. The average student going to Community College to become an emt or dental assistant are still graduating only making a bit over minimum wage. I know. A few of my friends have been there and have the t shirt. They need to address education cost reform in higher education before paying for everyone to go to school. And EVEN then, I think it's a bad idea. Help students with great loan rates and helping to cap costs for certain programs. But keep it something that you have to shoot for and sacrifice for. That in itself gives it value. Don't just hand it out to everyone. This helps no one.
This is just another example of trying to solve a problem from the wrong side. Tuition keeps rising, but the professors and instructors are NOT seeing the profits! It's really sad that we say to invest in an education when we treat our educators so poorly. It's sad when I see a friend take a pay cut from bar tending to using her degree and teach high school English.
I will admit, I voted for Obama mainly to keep social progress going forward. I liked the idea of health care being available to all. Keeping religion out of medicine and progress using stem cell research which is at least 6 years behind because of the Bush administration. Womens rights and gay rights. But, I've seriously had it with this administration's inept ability to use common sense when addressing these large financial problems. Thank god we have a lame duck congress in session as this will at least hopefully stop these very dumb financial proposals from getting signed.
01-09-2015, 09:34 AM
#5
Super Moderator
Not saying I'm for this, but you realize that argument has been used against all public schools for decades and it's never worked, right? People with no kids have always complained about paying taxes for public schools.
I say anyone with kids who has a problem paying taxes for adults to go to college should cut me a check for all of the taxes I've paid to send your kids to K-12 grades.
That being said, the government can't afford this and some people (who would probably qualify for free tuition) are just too damned derpy for college.
01-09-2015, 10:09 AM
#7
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Atlanta, GA
Posts: 4,185
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Vehicle: MC + RD2 + AW11 + 944 = 4x Win
The point isn't the monetary value, it's the educational value. I would still sooner pay for my 20k/yr private education than allow some government flunky to hand me another worthless piece of paper.
Because I like having real income.
I guess that makes me a greedy fatcat though
Because I like having real income.
I guess that makes me a greedy fatcat though
01-09-2015, 08:00 PM
#9
Super Moderator
^ :rimshot:
The first two years of college for most people these days are largely filled with remedial courses to prepare the student for ACTUAL college level work. This idea is an admission that our national primary and secondary schools are a complete failure at properly educating our people. The first 8 grades used to be enough years of learning to prepare people for functional adulthood. Then we went to public schools as a nation to train farmers' children to be barely-literate factory workers in 12 years. In addition to a HUGE power and money transfer, there is very little additional benefit to this idea. The people who REALLY want a college education figure out how to get it done. Those who can't afford it NOW are given money in Pell and other grants as well as relatively low-rate FAFSA loans. To say the cost is the problem is to admit you don't understand why people don't go to college.
Now here's a question for those who will consider it:
Would you rather give $6,000 for two years of community college tuition, or would you rather give $6,000 cash to every student who graduates high school with a B or better average? I would much rather the second.
The first two years of college for most people these days are largely filled with remedial courses to prepare the student for ACTUAL college level work. This idea is an admission that our national primary and secondary schools are a complete failure at properly educating our people. The first 8 grades used to be enough years of learning to prepare people for functional adulthood. Then we went to public schools as a nation to train farmers' children to be barely-literate factory workers in 12 years. In addition to a HUGE power and money transfer, there is very little additional benefit to this idea. The people who REALLY want a college education figure out how to get it done. Those who can't afford it NOW are given money in Pell and other grants as well as relatively low-rate FAFSA loans. To say the cost is the problem is to admit you don't understand why people don't go to college.
Now here's a question for those who will consider it:
Would you rather give $6,000 for two years of community college tuition, or would you rather give $6,000 cash to every student who graduates high school with a B or better average? I would much rather the second.
01-09-2015, 08:14 PM
#10
Moderator
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Posts: 2,816
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Vehicle: 03 Hyundai Accent
This idea is an admission that our national primary and secondary schools are a complete failure at properly educating our people.
Now here's a question for those who will consider it:
Would you rather give $6,000 for two years of community college tuition, or would you rather give $6,000 cash to every student who graduates high school with a B or better average? I would much rather the second.
Now here's a question for those who will consider it:
Would you rather give $6,000 for two years of community college tuition, or would you rather give $6,000 cash to every student who graduates high school with a B or better average? I would much rather the second.
I'd rather not give them anything either way. The concern of their future needs to be enough for them to want to get a B or better average, it sure as hell was for me. These a**holes that flunk their way through everything and expect sh*t to be handed to them are what's wrong with this freaking country.
