It was recently announced that California's public university system has proposed a plan to begin charging higher tuition rates for high-demand classes.
This is ludicrous.
What has been proposed is undeniably unjust. It denies fair access to low-income students. The students who come from families of greater financial means or who have more money will have the opportunity to take certain classes - with others being put in a more difficult situation. And this is not right within a community college setting.
Community colleges operate under the premise of providing equal opportunity in education. They are not private colleges; they are not major universities; they are educational institutions open to the public.
But what these California schools want to do is grant favoritism to students with more money for the purpose of generating more revenue - not for staying true to their educational mission.
We are not so na??ve to believe that any institution or business should drop commercial incentive. Not at all. But education is one of the most important components of our society - and it is imperative that it is accessible to as many people as possible.
And today, community colleges are playing an increasingly important role. They are a stepping stone for many young students - as someplace many begin their higher education careers. It can be a place to start at to save money or to earn the grades necessary to get into the college of his or her choice.
With a lackluster economy that is experiencing slow growth, community colleges are an option that more and more students choose to utilize. Regardless of the potential for increased revenue for individual institutions - and thus the California State University System - it is utterly wrong to make certain classes more expensive than others.
There is no justification to propel an unfair system.
And we object to the notion that this will automatically increase revenue. It is certainly possible that making more classes more expensive will have negative impacts. With classes being less affordable, there is likely to be a decrease in enrollment.
There is something to be said about an education being a good deal - that can be a very good business model, too.
It is also worth noting how many students take time off of their college years due to strains of cost. Many of us know people who have taken a semester or two off to make money in between a semester to pay for the next.
Placing value on certain classes (due to their popularity) over the others is itself unfair treatment on an educational system, but it undermines the very reason many students are at a community college - for low costs.
Here at UB, a great number of students come from their local community colleges and they know what a pivotal place it can be and how it can facilitate a time for one to achieve his or her educational goals.
It is also no doubt that, often, young people aren't sure of who they are and what they want to do. Starting off at a community college is a good time to take classes, work a job and figure out one's goals. Taking time away from classes, in general, is likely to just set you back.
And the California system is known for many of the good schools it has.
There is a misconception among some that community colleges are a joke. This is not true. In fact, it is far from true. There are many exceptional teachers and opportunities provided at community colleges.
It makes these opportunities even more exceptional when they are accessible and affordable. And California state community colleges should not tamper with that.
email: editorial@ubspectrum.com
