Students Defend Value of Community Colleges

By Dr. Hasan Z. Rahim, SJCC Math Instructor

A recent report by the American Institute for Research titled “The Hidden Costs of Community Colleges” (http://www.air.org/files/AIR_Hidden_Costs_of_Community_Colleges_Oct2011.pdf) raises some tough questions about the money spent by the federal, state and local governments on America’s community colleges.

Data from 2004 to 2009 show that federal, state and local governments spent nearly $4 billion on full-time community college students who dropped out after their first year. The expenditure was the highest in California - $480 million - for such students over the five-year period. There is a trend of increasing community college enrollment and spending but it appears to be accompanied by declining completion rates. The report suggests that while community colleges make significant contributions to educating our students, taxpayers in states like California are not getting “an adequate amount of return” on their investments.

What do San Jose City College students think of the report by the American Institute of Research?

Here are some student reactions from my class:

Brown finds the focus on “return on investment” misguided. The community college system gives students who aren’t academically strong in high school the opportunity for a second shot at continuing their higher education “The community college system has provided me with all the necessary connections and resources I need to further my academic career,” says Brown. “Not only have I learned a lot, I have also benefited from the many programs community colleges offer. One of these programs is the UC tag transfer program which allows guaranteed admission into one of seven UC campuses provided they complete the necessary lower division classes required. This is an amazing opportunity for hard-working students.”

But what about students who drop out after their first year in spite of such opportunities? As Brown sees it, there could be any number of reasons for it. Maybe the student has had a death or a major family crisis and had to temporarily leave school. Maybe the student was in financial trouble and had to withdraw to take care of those issues. Maybe he or she had to work at a job that did not allow any time for school and so it became an existential issue. “Regardless of how many students drop out, let us not forget the many success stories of students who graduate from community colleges and go on to further their academic careers. I am one of those success stories.

Evelyn finds that tuition and fees are constantly raised for community colleges. Textbooks are getting more expensive instead of less, in spite of the promises of “digital revolution,”

Evelyn says that for many the total fee to attend classes become overwhelming, leading students to conclude that school is not possible until they reach financial stability. “I know a few students who wanted to attend college but were forced to drop out. They lost financial aid due to a poor grade and so couldn’t return. Cutting funding to community colleges will deprive students in genuine need of financial aid and will be bad for our society.”

Lynn is a newcomer to the United States. She was paying for her own education until her funds depleted to the extent that she had to cut down her units. When she found out that she was eligible for financial aid, she applied and was approved. “Since then my college life has become easier. I am able to pay all the fees for my credits. Education is really important, not only for us as individuals, but for the entire society.

If government funding for community colleges stop, then many Americans will become vulnerable and their rights maybe be trampled. The costs of college education continue to spiral upward, making tuition costs increasingly burdensome for college students and their families. I believe that the government should invest more in the Pell and State tuition grant programs. If not, the rising student loan problem is going to hurt our economy and could become as big a problem as the mortgage crisis.”

Mary finds it terribly misleading that the report questioning the value of community colleges focused entirely on the government costs for students who dropped out. “There was no mention of the overall cost for all community college students and what percentage of that cost was for dropouts. Mary knows many students for whom community college is the only way they can afford a college degree. The cost of a four-year at a university is simply too expensive.

“But the value of a college education is not only a degree, which is merely a piece of paper. The true value lies in improving oneself through the acquisition of knowledge. This value became obvious to me when two courses I had taken, Biology and Astronomy, which were not part of my major, filled me with a sense of wonder and an intense interest in the world around me. Whether pursuing a degree or for self-improvement, if it becomes necessary to drop out after one year, I think the money spent is still worth it.”