海角大神

Community colleges have poor graduation rates. They are the last resort for high schoolers who slack on their grades. They try too hard to be all things to all people. They prevent students from being successful. These are among the criticisms leveled at the two-year programs.

So why is Tom Hanks backing President Obama's proposal to offer two years of free community college?

President Obama recently went public with the ambitious America鈥檚 College Promise, a plan to offer two years of free community college for 鈥渢hose willing to work for it,鈥� defined by those who agree to maintain at least a 2.5 GPA. The full details of the plan will not be outlined until Obama鈥檚 State of the Union address on Jan. 20, as well as in his budget proposal.

Critics and supporters alike are skeptical that the proposal will make it through the Republican-controlled Congress with its $60 billion price tag. But if it did pass, the plan could save millions of students about $3,800 each in tuition costs. 聽

Is spending federal money on community colleges worth it?

Tom Hanks thinks so. In a recent opinion column in The New York 聽Times, Mr. Hanks fondly remembers his two years at Chabot, a community college in Hayward, Calif. Unable to afford a traditional four-year college, Hanks now declares, 鈥淭hat place made me what I am today.鈥�

Hank discusses the value of his community college education, and how it made schooling accessible to anyone who wanted to continue into higher education. And then, he backs Obama's proposal.聽

According to the American Association of Community Colleges, about 8 million students enroll in community colleges every fall. David Baime, the senior vice president for government relations and policy analysis for AACC, is aware of criticisms of the proposal, but ultimately feels community colleges offer a great service to people who otherwise would not seek higher education.

鈥淎 lot of people go on to higher education today, but a lot of people don鈥檛. The proposal is focused on community colleges, but it鈥檚 notable that the way [Obama is] presenting it is to talk about the need to get a postsecondary education,鈥� Mr. Baime says in a phone interview. 鈥淚f you want a family sustaining wage, you can鈥檛 get it without a secondary education. Community colleges is where that universal access is going to be found.鈥�

Baime says that in fairness, one major criticism of community colleges is the low graduation rate. With easier acceptance practices, critics say it is an 鈥榚asy entrance, easy exit鈥� education. But Baime argues that a lot more students complete degrees than most people recognize, and for those who do not, it is still an education they would otherwise not have the opportunity to pursue.

鈥淚t鈥檚 less expensive. It鈥檚 more convenient to attend by virtue of being local for most students. It offers education and training relevant to particular occupations, and provides a lot of transfer options,鈥� Baime says.

According to the proposal, the federal government would pay for 75 percent of the two years of tuition, with states pitching in the rest. Students would have to be enrolled at least half-time and maintain a 2.5 GPA to qualify. The White House issued a statement, explaining that the loftiness of this plan will require everyone 鈥� from the federal and state governments to the students 鈥� to make this successful. The implication being that there will be requirements placed on the schools and states, as well as the students, to qualify for the federal funds.

鈥淭his proposal will require everyone to do their part: community colleges must strengthen their programs and increase the number of students who graduate, states must invest more in higher education and training, and students must take responsibility for their education, earn good grades, and stay on track to graduate.鈥�

Critics, including聽Peter Morici is an economist and professor at the University of Maryland and a national columnist, say Obama's plan "would simply pour money onto failing diploma mills." 聽Morici writes:

The American Association of Community Colleges聽(AACC) is aware of the criticisms leveled at community colleges and lists its counter arguments. With the continuing rise in tuition costs and rising student debt, overall聽college enrollment has gone down, for many Americans community colleges are simply a more affordable, and therefore attractive, option for those seeking higher education.聽

But even community colleges are seeing a decline in enrollment as the economy picks up. Older students (over 24 years old) are leaving and going back into the workforce. That's part of what has pushed community college enrollment rates down in the past year,聽according to Inside Higher Ed.聽