Wednesday, January 21, 2015

On Obama's Proposal for Two Years of "Free" Community College

The fellow just doesn't get it. One of the main reasons that college has gotten so expensive in the first place is the fact that government has been subsidizing it (loans, grants, etc.) for the last 50, 60 years, and so why in the hell would anybody want to throw more cash at it (to build more palatial student centers, football facilities, etc., bankroll more insular/clueless professors like Elizabeth Warren?). Add to that the fact that a) these community colleges have basically become remedial learning centers for students who've already been let down once by the state, b) tuition already IS free for a fair chunk of students, and c) a growing majority of people who register for these programs fail to even graduate (http://ccrc.tc.columbia.edu/Community-College-FAQs.html). I think that we just have to face it here, people. Just like with healthcare, just like with housing, just like with infrastructure, and just like even with the money supply itself, the more that the government inserts itself into the marketplace, the more that it costs and the worst that it gets.........................................................................................................P.S. And do we really need to be subsidizing more psych majors (it or course gets even more absurd at the university level where we are literally subsidizing ethnic and women's study programs)?

2 comments:

BB-Idaho said...

The idea of educating more people is commendable. But the 'education' isn't just suffering at the Jr. college level. My daughter a tenured
prof of microbiology/immunology/
virology, recently informed of her
(and the entire bio dept) administration seeking to get a higher percentage of students passed. Hint: water down the subject matter. Many of these students are going on to RN, MD
and PhD programs in the health field, the material is difficult
and it takes work. Making it easy
is a cop out and despite their
texting twittering entitled
attitude, they deserve a good
education, not some laugher class.

BB-Idaho said...

There is merit in two year study in vocational occupations. Plumbers, electricians, automotive repair, truck drivers...honest jobs that won't be sent to East Asia.