Today the Asbury Park Press editorializes that the Brookdale Community College Board of Trustees and administration should look to make spending cuts rather than impose a 4.5% tuition increase. As is often the case, the APP editorial board is shooting from the hip and the facts that they cite do no support their own argument.
The APP states that last year tuition was increased by 6.5 percent, yet enrollment is the highest ever at 15,000 students. That is no surprise. Tuition in not paid in percentages. It is paid in dollars. At $4,278.00 per academic year, Brookdale is about half the cost of a year at a private university when I went to a college 29 years ago. Compared to alternatives for a quality higher education available today, Brookdale is ridiculously inexpensive. That is why enrollment is so high.
That is not to say that there is no waste at Brookdale. I'm not saying there is or isn't. I don't know. Given that the college is subsidized by the taxpayers, there probably is. Boards and administrators should always be looking for savings and to run their operations more efficiently, as if they were spending their own money. However, the savings found should either be returned to the taxpayers subsidizing the institution, or invested in expanding educational opportunities, not squandered by reducing tuition which is arguably too low.
The APP's suggestion that the college eliminate low enrollment courses is also off the mark. One of academia's most important functions is to study disciplines that may be considered esoteric to the masses. When I went to school, computer science was a low enrollment course. The nerds who excelled at COBOL,FORTRAN,formatting and what ever those punch cards did, changed the world.
Rather than consolidate, Brookdale should expand, particularly in the area of adult education and retraining. As our economy adjusts to new realities many Monmouth County residents will be finding that their workforce skills are obsolete. As a employer in Monmouth County I can tell you that many adults looking for work had inadequate skills before the economic meltdown. There is a significant need for adult education and as times get tougher, more and more adults will lose their resistance to going back to school.
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4 comments:
APP is full of hacks because they can't pay anyone a reasonable salary to get any brains over there. They are short sighted and stupid with no real understanding of the issues or government. They just foam from the mouth when they see fit.
As an alumnus of BCC, I can tell you first hand what a wonderful institution it is. My wife, and 2 of my children started there. For the money, you can't beat it. I would recommend anyone in this economic climate to have their children do the first 2 years of 101 and 201 classes at a bargain price compared to full 4 year institutions. And all the credits are completely transferable. It just makes sense.
I loved it there. The campus is easily accessible and the course offerings are extensive.
Now if only they would get rid of the "Larrison Hall" designation....
I went there a semester, great place and I couldn't agree more with Rick said.
Minus the Larrison Hall thing, I don't know the whole story with that, nor really care. As long as it's not "Hitler Hall" then I don't think you'd catch my gripe.
As far as the solution, maybe theny can get to a happy medium in getting rid of some waste and raising tution rates a little bit. This wouldn't happen as hard if Governor Corzine would stop shortchanging higher education facilities.
But overall I agree with you Art, BCCC shouldn't cut back what it's offers and consolidate. It's too valuable for this community. I loved the cost there..haha.
I go to Brookdale + I luv it!
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO
Lisa
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