By COLE REIF
Great Bend Post
GREAT BEND — The Barton Community College Board of Trustees were given a crash course on the legislative side of a bill that could include the “free” community college initiative at Tuesday's meeting.
The Kansas Association of Community College Trustees advocates and supports the community colleges in the state and their Executive Director Heather Morgan spoke to the Barton board and administration on the latest of the multi-trillion dollar reconciliation bill.
Morgan said “free” is not free in the proposed wording of the bill as the plan
would not cover program fees.
"When a student comes to enroll thinking they're coming for free,
they're going to be surprised when they get a bill for program fees,
books and supplies," said Morgan. "Free is not free."
The bill would have the federal government pay the national average tuition
price, which is higher than the average in Kansas. The State of Kansas would
have to put in a matching dollar amount, but the federal assistance will ramp
down over five years. Morgan said the additional cost to the State of Kansas
would be anywhere between $8 million and $40 million depending on how the
details shake out.
Morgan’s recommendation was to focus the federal funding on
the Pell Grants that are awarded to undergraduate students with financial need.
"The Pell Grant is already in place and is targeted at the most needy
students," said Morgan. "In Kansas, because our tuition and fees are
generally pretty low, most students who qualify for Pell Grants already
get free community college."
High school students, looking to take dual credit, would not be eligible for
the funding based on the proposed bill. The proposal would also likely diminish
local control from boards.
"It's not that we don't want students to have affordable or free access, but it can become free if they are really a needy student because of the Pell Grant," said Morgan.