Majority of Community College Presidents Not Optimistic About Free Tuition for All
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Photos.com/Thinkstock(WASHINGTON) — One of President Obama’s top goals before leaving office is to create a system whereby studying at a community college would be free for two years to anyone interested in enrolling at a local school.
The idea, called “America’s College Promise,” proposes three-quarters of the funding would be covered by the federal government, and states would pay for the remaining 25 percent. Students would have to attend at least half-time, maintain a 2.5 GPA or better, and remain enrolled.
Asked by Inside Higher Ed, with Gallup Education, whether such a proposal is feasible, fewer than four in ten of 213 community college presidents surveyed believe that states would go along with the plan, even after receiving federal assistance.
The college presidents also expressed concern about for-profit colleges, with 38 percent acknowledging that they’re losing students to these institutions.
Meanwhile, 77 percent of the respondents say there is a workforce skills gap in their communities. Close to nine in 10 have started programs with local businesses to address this problem.
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