Free Community College – ‘A Game Changer’ Says ECC President

Attending college... most parents and kids believe it a necessity, but the problem is how to afford it, the issue of student loans, where students will apply, and will they be accepted.

President Biden laid out the American Families Plan on Wednesday night – a $1.8 trillion proposal part of his economic agenda.

The White House says part of the plan includes free community college for all, allowing Americans to earn an Associate’s Degree free of charge.

“This will be a game-changer for this institution,” SUNY Erie Interim President Bill Reuter (told NEWS 4 WIVB-TV) “It will be a game-changer for the community, it will be a game-changer for our students, for the workplace. It will absolutely change every way we go about doing business.”

Reuter said this will be a boon to the school’s declining enrollment rate – an issue community colleges are facing as a result of the pandemic. The number of students attending ECC dropped 20-percent between last spring and now, Reuter said.

Niagara County Community College President William Murabito said he hopes this proposal will lead to more students seeking who might not normally be able to afford a college education. Tuition rates at both ECC and NCCC are roughly $5,000.

Many students study for two years at community college before transferring to a four-year college, saving significant money on tuition. ... Attending a community college can be a good way for students to ease into the world of higher education and learn at their own pace. An additional benefit is that community college course schedules often offer flexibility, allowing you to take classes part-time if needed (tuition is usually by credit, not by semester)

“The main reason students drop out of community college is because they ran out of money, so this is going to take that issue away,” Murabito said. “It’s going to change the playing field considerably.”

The White House said the cost of the President's proposal approximately $109 billion, would be spread out over 10 years.