State Controller Steve Westly has proposed a plan to make community college education free, which a press release from his office stated would better prepare the state’s workforce for the 21st century economy.
“When community college fees were raised in 2003, 180,000 people were priced out of higher education,” he said in the press release. “Instead of turning away thousands, let’s help millions by making community college free.”
However, Bakersfield College President William Andrews is skeptical.
“Westly’s proposal is a wonderful idea, but is it practical?” he asked. “The money is only free if the two to four years are completed, which is called a forgivable loan. If it’s not completed, the loan has to be paid.”
Westly, a Democrat, has already begun a campaign to run for governor.
“Take a politician who is running for office, and he will propose changing the world,” said Andrews, who was in attendance when Westly made the announcement. He said Westly didn’t leave time for questions about other issues.
“We didn’t have a chance to deal with the high cost of text books,” Andrews said. “There were no questions asked after his 15 minute speech.”
Westly said the proposal will be funded by Proposition 98, which by law states that 11 percent of those funds are to be allocated for community colleges.
The press release says the funds have not been received. Yusef Robb, deputy chief of staff for Westly, states that “its times to collect the $6.5 billion borrowed from the Proposition 98. The legislature is not complying with Proposition 98.”
Community college tuition has increased 136 percent in less than three years, according to the press release from Westly’s office. The cost has risen from $11 to $26 a unit. To qualify for the free education, students would be required to fully complete their course of study within six years and exhaust other financial aid sources.
“We can’t afford to treat community colleges like the stepchild of the higher education family,” Westly said in the release. “Community colleges are our best weapon against outsourcing and the challenges of globalization. If there’s a job in the new economy, you can bet there’s a community college class that can train someone to fill it.”
Under Westly’s plan, any student completing a two-year degree, vocational certificate, or transfer program at a community college would qualify to have their tuition costs covered by the state.
“My plan makes a community college free for every Californian, but asks for responsibility in return,” Westly said in the release.
Community colleges educate 2.5 million students a year, more than four times the number enrolled in the UC and CSU systems combined.
Seventy percent of California nurses attended community colleges, as did 85 percent of the state’s police, firefighters, paramedics and other first responders.