One problem I have with the Business Leaders For Michigan report is that it assumes that the majority of students who attend a community college want to transfer to a four-year university. While statistics show that as many as eight of ten community college students say they want to transfer, few actually do. Fewer still graduate with a four-year degree.
One of the great strengths of the community college – and the purpose they initially served – is their occupational education programs. US community colleges were born out of a desire to stop immigration from Asia and Europe. Unfortunately, Asian and European immigrants had the technical skills that the US needed at that time (1917). To create training grounds for American workers, Congress passed the Smith-Hughes Act, which provided federal funding to the states for vocational education.
BLM completely ignores this, choosing instead to focus on how to get more students into the state universities via a community college pipeline. According to the report, BLM wants to re-invent the Michigan Transfer Agreement. They also want to grant automatic admission and third-year status at Michigan universities for community college graduates.
While I have no doubt that many, many students would love to get into UM like this, Michigan would rather cut its sewer connections to the City of Ann Arbor than support this move. (The universities didn’t – and still don’t – like the Michigan Transfer Agreement. This recommendation will be DOA – guaranteed.)
Community college students have different goals
Community colleges have a purpose that is both distinct and worthwhile. A lot of students who enroll in community colleges don’t want to transfer to a university. The BLM report completely ignores this. It also ignores the fact that many community college students are working adults For these students, attending community college classes (usually part-time) is hard enough. Transferring to a university would be next-to-impossible.
One of the biggest barriers to a post-secondary education is cost. The BLM plan wants to require all Michigan high school students to complete the FAFSA form. Currently, Michigan ranks 11th among states for completed FAFSA forms as of 2Q 2023, so there’s not much more meat on that bone. But rather than mandating universal completion of the FAFSA, there are other things we can do to improve cost planning for post-secondary education.
It’s surprising to me that the BLM report doesn’t contain any suggestions for coaching parents on how to save for their children’s education. The State of Michigan has one of the best 529 college savings plans available today. There’s nothing in the BLM plan about educating parents about 529 plans or encouraging them to open a plan for their children.
A 529 plan would help reduce the need for student loans and would eliminate the need for many parents to take loans or borrow against their retirement savings. Michigan currently ranks 12th among US states for the number of open 529 plans. The minimum monthly investment in the Michigan plan ($25), could more than pay for two years at a community college.
There’s a lot this report misses about community colleges. That’s not surprising, given who is behind it.
Photo Credit: Alane Golden , via Flickr
