STATEMENT OF DR. JEROME PARKER PRESIDENT, DELAWARE COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE BEFORE THE SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE WEST CHESTER, PA JUNE 4, 2009 ______________________________________________________ Good afternoon Chairman Piccola, Senator Dinniman, members of the Senate Education Community Colleges. Committee and guests. Thank you for the opportunity to participate in the hearing today on the important topic of higher education affordability. I am Dr. Jerry Parker, President of Delaware Before I begin, I would like to take a moment to thank Chairman Piccola for his legislative proposal on college affordability through increased funding for student aid and Senator education affordability and access.
County Community College, and also the incoming president of the Pennsylvania Commission for
Dinniman for his legislative proposal to enhance articulation and transfer from the current 30 credits to 60 credits. These types of legislative initiatives will certainly help improve higher last several years. Much of this focus on affordability has been around what many view as of affordability and couple affordability with a growing concern about accessibility. College affordability has been a much discussed subject at the national and state levels for the
“escalating” tuition costs. For my comments today, I want to add other perspectives to this issue
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Community college leaders often view the two issues as hand in hand – without community
colleges, and our lower tuition costs, many students would have nowhere else to turn. There is no other rung on the higher education ladder for students with modest financial means. And, same, or less, resources. when fiscal challenges are pressuring our state and local governments, even this last option is
put at risk because of the historical tendency to expect community colleges to do more with the
colleges are more racially diverse at about 31 percent than the state as a whole with only 16 and fall semesters, and no real let up in the economy, community colleges are experiencing significant enrollment surges that we expect to continue for the foreseeable future.
percent – and, again, this varies by institution and location. Looking ahead to our 2009 summer
the age of 35, although this may vary by institution, and nearly 62 percent are female. Our
First, a few fast facts… Pennsylvania’s 14 community colleges collectively serve nearly 450,000
students in credit and non-credit programs. The majority of our students, 76 percent, are under
Across the country, almost half of all students enrolled at the undergraduate level are enrolled at community colleges. In Pennsylvania, this figure is about 22%. Why the difference? I think colleges, the state system, the state relateds, and an unusual number of private colleges and there are a number of variables that make the number so different for the Commonwealth. First, geographical portions of the state. While our 14 community colleges have reached out and now serve a large number of unserved or underserved areas, there are fiscal restraints that make it difficult to do more. Carnevale, Labor Economist and Director of the Center on Education and the Workforce at What do the labor market and job trends tell us about higher education’s new reality? Anthony Georgetown University, offered his perspective on the current job climate. He is quoted as saying, “In the current recession, temporary job loss (that is, when people lose jobs but go back to the same occupation) has essentially disappeared. The jobs being permanently lost are the jobs that don’t require a postsecondary education. Meanwhile, a whole series of occupations, it is the history and strength of our diverse higher education system that includes community universities. But probably more so, it is the limited access to community colleges from large
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and employers in those areas.”
“We ought to urge the states to help community colleges respond to the skill demand in health
current jobs require education beyond high school and that the number is heading for 80%. In choice. It is a matter of economic survival for the Commonwealth and its citizens. this new 21st Century context, affordable access to higher education is no longer a matter of
educational attainment. At the same time, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that 60% of
Based on figures from the 2007 American Community Survey of the U.S. Census Bureau,
care, instruction, and the trades, and build public-private partnerships between public colleges
postsecondary credentials.” Carnevale also pointed to the future increases in employment
opportunities in public sector fields, such as police officers and teachers. With that he added,
including fields like welding and manufacturing, once considered low-skill jobs, are requiring
approximately 52% of PA residents have a high school diploma or less as their highest level of
The expenditures made by the state to support public higher education too often are viewed as a discretionary taxpayer expense, rather than a necessary investment for ensuring Pennsylvania’s competitive position in a global economy. Let’s look at another aspect of higher education affordability through the lens of students and financial aid. Recently, The College Board released a report entitled, Trends in College Pricing for public two-year colleges in the country. Further, the state received an “F” in affordability under the Measuring Up 2006 report by the National Center for Public Policy and Higher 2008, which revealed that the cost for student tuition and fees at public two-year colleges
averaged $2,402. For Pennsylvania’s community colleges, the average is considerably higher at $3,281. This national report shows that Pennsylvania has among the highest tuition and fees
their annual income to attend community colleges, even after receiving financial aid. A few more important facts from Trends in College Pricing 2008:
made no notable progress in ensuring higher education affordability. Students and their families in the bottom and lower-middle income groups, on average, must devote up to 44 percent of
Education. The subsequent Measuring Up 2008 report went on to observe that Pennsylvania has
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On average, full-time students receive about $10,200 in grants and tax benefits at private The changing distribution of income has had a significant influence on the ability of middle 20%, and 86% ($146,650) for the wealthiest 5% of families. four-year institutions, $3,700 at public four-year institutions, and $2,300 at public twoyear colleges. families to pay for college. Between 1977 and 2007, average family income rose 3% ($463 in constant 2007 dollars) for the poorest 20% of families, 22% ($11,275) for the
Over the past decade, published tuition and fees have risen at an average rate of only 1.4% per year, after inflation, at public two-year colleges. For Pennsylvania’s rate increase (tuition only) of 0.7%.
community colleges, our most recent data, for the same period, shows an average In a recent fact sheet (May 2008) published by the Institute for College Access & Success, it was noted that “community college students are just as likely to have documented financial need as four-year students because they have fewer resources at their disposal.” The Institute’s four-year schools, and 53% at private four-year schools.” but “less likely” to receive all other types of aid. Of students with financial need, “80% at For my institution, Delaware County Community College, in 2007-08: 64% of part--time students received no financial aid 52.5% of full-time students received no financial aid
information also indicates that community college students are more likely to receive Pell Grants community colleges still have financial need after all aid is awarded, compared to 54% at public 2,736 students received Pell Grants with an average award of $2,329
1,185 students received PHEAA state grants with an average award of $1,149
As a result of reports like these, there has been great sensitivity to the issue of tuition increases at both the state and the federal level. Tuition increases are of special concern to those of us in Pennsylvania’s community colleges - after all, our essential mission, our reason for being, is affordable access - but even so, when funding from other sources does not keep pace with the
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Reductions or smaller allocations in state funding typically occur when the economy is weak. and families are least able to pay for college.
increasing costs of operating our highly-efficient institutions, tuition increases are the only institutional recourse.
Unfortunately, this is also the time when families turn to community colleges seeking to stay in We understand that the legislature and the Governor must make difficult decisions during the development of the state’s budget. We also know from an historical perspective that during difficult economic times, the tendency has been to view funding for higher education as growth and vitality and to our collective quality of life. to pursue a postsecondary education, all the data point to a new reality, a reality in which I hope I have given you much to consider as you look at the issues of higher education
school or train for new jobs, and we find ourselves increasing tuition at the time when students
expendable and a place where cuts can be made. While it may be viewed as an individual choice
education beyond high school is an essential public good, absolutely vital to our state’s economic
colleges, offer their assistance to work with the members of the legislature to address these issues so we can create more opportunities for ever greater numbers of Pennsylvanians to access, and complete, a college education. Thank you for the opportunity to offer these remarks. I believe Dr. Swanson will offer you additional perspectives on affordability from the point of view of Montgomery County
affordability and financing. I know that my colleagues, the Presidents of the 14 community
Community College and then we would be pleased to answer any questions from the Committee.
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