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The California Community Colleges Board of Governors made themselves very clear by approving new changes to fee waiver provisions last week.

“Shape up, or pay out of pocket!”

No, this isn’t your mother speaking, but if you depend on fee waivers from Uncle Sam you better make sure those grades are up to par or you may be left feeling like the ugly stepchild, with empty pockets.

The California Community Colleges Board of Governors voted to require that students maintain a minimum 2.0 GPA for two consecutive terms and complete at least half of their units to receive a fee waiver.

With the unstable finances of our government, the California Community College Board of Governors have appeared to take another step toward saving tax payers and the government money, a change that doesn’t seem to have many opposed.

“I don’t think that’s asking too much from the students at all,” business major Susie Jackson said. “The government is sending a message, and hopefully it motivates those students who need an extra push to do well in school.”

According to California Community College Chancellor Brice W. Harris, the new policy, which takes effect in fall of 2016, will work with statewide enrollment priorities to encourage students to focus on their classes and seek help when they face difficulties.

“We will do everything in our power to help students on financial aid succeed, but students need to know that they have a responsibility to keep up their end of the bargain,”  Harris said. “This policy provides students with incentives to meet standards that will ultimately help them achieve their educational goals. It benefits students and it is responsible stewardship of state resources.”

I like incentives just like the next student, but since when does the government tell us the truth? Does the government really want to see us students succeed, or is this just another way of saving money?

Students in foster care are exempt, and the board agreed to consider other exceptions.

In addition, students must complete at least half of the credits they attempt each semester, another important factor especially at PCC where classes are always full.

Hopefully the new regulations will encourage students to sign up for classes they need, and not just to get more financial aid.

However, with other provisions still to be considered, the number of students affected are still unknown.

Uncle Sam doesn’t want to be the bad guy, but he doesn’t want to pay students to stay in college forever. All college students should already strive to be better than a 2.0 already. No one strives to be average.

 

Sources:

https://www.cccco.edu/Portals/0/DocDownloads/PressReleases/JAN2014/PRESS_RELEASE_BOGFeeWaiverRegs_011314_FINAL(c).pdf

http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-college-waivers-20140113,0,2270874.story#ixzz2r0f9nBmQ

https://www.chronicle.com/

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One Reply to “OP-ED: The free ride is over”

  1. I think these new provisions should have been implemented years ago. Financial resources get slimmer and slimmer each passing year and those students that aren’t taking their education seriously shouldn’t be allowed to continuously use the fee waiver. In fact, I don’t know if these new provisions go far enough. If a student is serious about their education and is genuinely unable to maintain a 2.0, then they need to take the initiative to get the help they need to be successful.

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