College affordability is more than fees
Sacramento Bee 3/14/07
It's an inspiring message, and we should applaud community college leaders for their tenacity in delivering it consistently, even through some very lean state budgets. But like the ink costs that can make a cheap printer no bargain at all, the upfront price of community colleges can be misleading, especially to the low-income students who are supposed to benefit most from low fees.
All things considered, a community college education in California is actually less affordable than it is in other states, according to an important new report released this month by the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education. Cost gains made by low fees are erased by the higher costs of living and lower access to financial aid that California students face.
Students still have to shell out a lot of money for books, computers and other supplies. They need a car or bus fare to get to and from class. And if they don't have a free place to sleep, eat and study, then they face those costs as well. Working can help cover some expenses, but working too much often keeps students from completing their degree. Even with low tuition, students have trouble making ends meet and staying in school.
One proposed solution has people taking sides. One camp says fees should be higher, so students who can afford to pay a bit more are covering a larger share of what the courses and classrooms really cost, and the colleges can offer more aid to less fortunate students. That's how it works in other states and at the University of California campuses. The other camp wants to keep fees very low, so we don't lose the simple message about access to college.
Fortunately, both camps agree on one goal: We need to do all we can to make sure that our community college students get the federal and state grant aid for which they are eligible. Compared to those in other states, far fewer community college students in California apply for grants, despite being poorer and facing similar costs. This is true even though there was an infusion of funds to better staff financial aid offices in recent years. Many students still don't know that financial aid can be used to help cover rent or car costs as well as books and a computer.
Enrolling in classes at a community college is relatively easy; getting needed money for books and other basics should be straightforward, too. Our organization, the Institute for College Access & Success, is working with community colleges on ways to make the federal aid application process less daunting and confusing.
We also need to remember our hundreds of thousands of part-time students. Federal aid is now more available to them, but they are rarely encouraged to apply. For someone working a minimum-wage job, the $500 a term they could get from a federal grant is a huge help. And this gives colleges the opportunity to tell students how much more aid they could get if they attended full time -- a step that dramatically increases their chances of completing a degree.
The Legislature could help by paying colleges a small bounty for every student they enroll who gets a federal grant. Colleges would ensure that students know about the aid that's available. It would also put resources back into the schools that most need it for student counseling and support.
There's a measure headed for the state ballot next year that would reduce fees even further. But let's not pretend that simply lowering fees would address the true affordability problems facing students at our community colleges. Fees are less than 5 percent of a typical full-time community college student's education costs, so let's do whatever we can to help with the remaining 95 percent. We can take steps today to make community college more affordable, without waiting for the political debate over fee levels to be resolved.