The latest “free” offer from the Obama administration appears to make higher education more accessible for all, a worthy goal shared by many. But as someone who has made greater participation in higher education his life's work, I think President Barack Obama’s community college education giveaway would not produce the much-needed trained workforce of 2020.
Community colleges could become the higher education ghetto
U.S. university officials have tried for many years to create universal access through needs-based scholarships, grants and other programs. They understand that diversity by all economic, geographic and cultural definitions makes universities stronger. Free community college will incentivize economically challenged families to a single institution and leave the wealthy and the middle class to enjoy private and state universities.
The real problem is retention
The Deseret News (Jan. 23) reported that more than half of all college freshmen in Utah do not return for their sophomore years. This is a national trend, and community colleges have the worst retention rates in the United States. Imagine if 50 percent of all purchased cars did not work for more than a year, or if only 50 percent of planes had on-time arrivals. U.S. colleges and universities need to find ways to retain and graduate the students they have before they add more students.
Free community college will create a culture of mediocrity
Excellent students pursuing a dream of higher education at a prestigious institution may be pressured to forsake their ambitions and settle for a free education. Teaching quality in community colleges and program availability vary greatly. Students who can do better should do better.
A GPA performance requirement of 2.5 is problematic
It puts pressure on professors to keep grades high to keep students, who are the revenue stream, in school. In 30 years of college teaching, I have had many conversations with students who are about to lose scholarships because of poor performance. I would expect many more if there is a penalty of several thousand dollars per semester to the college for not having students with a 2.5 or better GPA.
That also assumes that a 2.5 GPA is a measure of success. One of my favorite former students named Julio was an East Los Angeles gang member who got out. His best grade in college was a B-minus, but he graduated with a two-year degree in four years and now runs a local store. A GPA does not always measure effort, learning or potential.
Free college will build bureaucracy but not necessarily quality
University tuitions have increased faster than inflation at a rate that parallels the increased funding of federal government Pell grants. A surer revenue stream for community colleges will not produce a uniform increase in quality benefiting students.
Corporations will abandon tuition reimbursement programs
My institution (Utah State University), like many, has created programs where college classes are taught on campus for people who have their tuition fully or partially paid for by their employers. Many other working adults come to campus every night for class. If the federal government decides to make tuition free, corporations will likely abandon or reduce their commitment to share the cost of creating the next generation of workers.
Community college means something different in every state
California and Arizona have well-developed community college systems. In California a community college student taking certain classes and getting a certain grade average is guaranteed a place at a university after two years. But in Utah, Salt Lake Community College is the only dedicated community college. Universities like Dixie State and Utah Valley University share the community college mission. So how would we then sort out who is a community college student in Utah if tuition were free?
Scott C. Hammond, PhD, is a professor at Utah State University. He is the author of "Lessons of the Lost: Finding Hope and Resilience in Work, Life, and the Wilderness." His views are his own and do not represent his institution.