Cogdill says college bill would save money
Union Democrat 3/2/07
The sophomore already sees the benefit of staying close to home and saving the extra money it would cost to attend a university right out of high school.
But if State Sen. Dave Cogdill has his way, she could save even more money than she thought.
Cogdill, R-Modesto, has proposed legislation that would reimburse tuition for students who attend community college before they enter the University of California or California State University systems.
The bill is intended as a pilot program, to first apply to students enrolling from July 1, 2008 to June 30, 2013. To receive the money, the students must graduate from a California university and do so within five years of starting junior college. After they receive their diplomas, students would get a reimbursement from their university.
In a telephone interview, Cogdill said the bill, SB 347, has several benefits.
First, the state would save money overall by encouraging students to attend junior colleges, Cogdill said.
California's average cost for a student at a University of California campus is $13,803 per year. For a California State University student, the state pays $7,872.
But students consume only $4,883 in state funds annually when they attend community colleges.
In addition, statistics show that students who attend junior colleges first are more likely to graduate in a shorter period of time.
Of students who begin at a community college, 80 percent of those who go on to UCs and 56 percent who attend CSUs graduate within four years. Meanwhile, only 40 percent who begin at UCs and 10 percent who start at CSUs finish in that time period.
Finishing school quickly gives students a head start on excelling in their chosen career, Cogdill said.
"It's obviously important to get your formal education out of the way so you can get started making a living," he said.
Columbia College and Yosemite Community College District officials welcome the bill, on which committee hearings are pending.
Students will have the reimbursement on the horizon as they move through school, which makes for a more-committed student, said Nick Stavrianoudakis, the district's director of external affairs.
"They know they are going to get some initial payback as soon as they graduate," he said.
All the players — colleges, universities and especially students — will benefit, said Dennis Gervin, vice president for student learning at Columbia College. He also believes it will strengthen the relationship between community colleges and universities.
"The money is only spent if everyone is successful: if we're successful, if the four-year universities are successful, and if the students are successful," Gervin said. "And man, as a taxpayer, that's how I want to spend money."
Yosemite Community College District is well posed for the growth the incentive could spur, Stavrianoudakis said. In 2004, voters passed a $326 million bond measure for new construction at both Columbia College and Modesto Junior College.
For schools needing extra funds for expansion, Cogdill noted that there may have to be some adjustment in how higher education funds are divided up between universities and colleges.
High school officials, who often help guide the students in their decisions for their future, support the bill as well.
"I think any kind of financial aid offered at a junior college level or a college level would be appealing," said Michael Chimente, Bret Harte High School District superintendent .
Free tuition could motivate more Sonora High graduates to continue their education, and there is opportunity nearby for area students, said Charlene Dambacher, a counselor at the high school.
"We have great community college five miles away," she said.
At present, nearly 60 percent of Sonora High students attend community college and about 25 percent go directly to four-year schools each year, Dambacher said.
"A community college education is not substandard, so it's an inexpensive way to get through the first two years of college," said Jim McClure, counselor at Tioga High School, where last year 12 of the 27 graduates went to community college and seven to universities.
Free tuition would be a great asset to local students, agreed Summerville High School Principal Dave Urquhart.
"For some students, the cost factor is so great that going to a university right out of high school is very difficult," he said.
Columbia College student Miguel Medina, 19, knows the conundrum college students are often caught in financially.
"I guess it's kind of ironic in a way that you have to pay money to get a job to make more money," he said.
Medina himself attends school for free because his father is a veteran, but he sees friends who are content to work at low-paying jobs after just two years of college. A tuition waiver might motivate them to continue their education, he said.
Sonora High School student Ilse Kerns, 15, agrees.
She plans to attend either Columbia College or Modesto Junior College to stay close to home.
"I know for a lot of people, they can't go to college because they can't afford it," she said.