<p>She does pay for it - through her state taxes. Just like (for instance) she pays for some neighbor’s kid to attend elementary school via her taxes.</p>
<p>Do I think that more of the direct cost of state colleges should rest on the actual person taking the classes? I think so… in California at CCs, the tuition fees cover 10% of the actual cost to provide the instruction and the other 90% is taxpayer funded. Considering how many yahoos are just using CCs to hang out for 4 - 8 years perhaps having the student contribution be more like 40% of the cost would make a LOT of people rethink whether or not CCs is a good place to kill time. </p>
<p>I just have met so many people killing time at CCs it makes my head spin. Like the kid who took English 1A <em>4</em> times, flunking it each time, not for lack of ability but because he refused to follow instructions and he enjoyed marching to the tune of his own beat too much to actually finish the class. Think about it … it cost the kid only about $60 per attempt but the state had to pony up $540 each time. Cost to the kid to take English 1A four time was a mere $240… cost to the state for this yahoo to blow off this ONE class four times… $2,160. I have no idea if the 5th time was the charm… And I don’t know how many other classes he did the same thing in. Perhaps if he had to actually <em>pay</em> something real for the classes rather than have California tax payers pay the other 90%, he’d rethink his strategies. </p>
<p>I also know many severely learning disabled people at CCs who have been there for 6 - 10 or more years. They are very unlikely to ever get an AA (far far beyond their capabilities) and the skills they are picking up are unlikely to actually make them more employable. Yet, they take class after class after class, suck up a lot of resources in DESP services and other free tutoring services that are provided and generally stay on campus many many years. The reality is the the open doors of the CC campus, while laudable, is costing taxpayers a mint. Many of these students would be better off in a vocational institution that would help train them for future employment and place them in a work situation rather than flounder on these campuses for a decade or more.</p>
<p>So while I like the cheap foreign language classes for hobbyists (it makes the world just a little bit nicer) - I don’t think CA can afford it right now. I’d be all for cutting many other services before CC… but I don’t think it’ll happen. The CCs will take a hard hit because the majority of the students are young and don’t vote so it is easy to cut their funds first.</p>
<p>Miami-Dade College for the first time in history is cutting staff and programs. That means that even though they are not stopping registration, any new students will have a very difficult time competing for space with the 170,000 (not a typo) students already enrolled there. The last resort, affordable, go-to place to get an education in this area, seems to be no more.</p>
<p>I spent five years in CA. I loved that the beaches and parks were public (and I can’t imagine a fair way to assess these costs to all who benefit). </p>
<p>But regarding California’s current financial situation, Barrons’ comment is exactly on point. And IMHO, California could do much worse than use it as a template for addressing the financial mess there. Doesn’t CA already have the highest tax rates in the nation?</p>
<p>The University system of Georgia’s Board of Reagents required a mandatory $100 fee from everyone to help ease the cut funding. On top of that, they axed a program that fixed your tuition for four years at the rate it was when you were a freshman (helping families to plan for college, and encouraging more out of state students). And they just changed full-time student status to 15 hours a semester, so if you want to be considered full time but are only taking 12 credits, you’re gonna pay for 15.</p>
<p>Wow…CA taxpayer here and my kids both have attended the local CC while in HS. At the branch my son attended there were lots of “non traditional” college students. The branch is near a military base and lots of the students were current or former military. I have no problem with helping fund the CC system. A better educated more work ready population can only help in the end. If those students are able to get classwork that helps them get a job and off the cycle of unemployment, food stamps, etc. it can only be a good thing. I would WAY rather see my outrageous taxes (at the top of the food chain and a small business owner) go toward education than toward programs that keep people on the dole.</p>
<p>My D attended CC before transferring to a 4-year U of her dreams. She was out-of-step with the peers she met there. The advisors there had no idea how to encourage or advise her since so few transferred out-of-state to private Us, as she planned and did. Those who do transfer generally go to in-state flagship U and do not appear to be that large a proportion of students. Many of the students are there to polish job skills, get a degree in a particular program like respiratory therapy, EMT, or other field rather than preparing to transfer to a 4-year U.</p>
<p>anybody have an idea of how the financial cutback will affect South Carolina public universities? There is a struggle in that state over whether the governor will accept the federal stimulus money and I am attending Clemson University next year.</p>