I write to respond to Chet Ragusett’s May 13 opinion piece, “A financial warning for community colleges.” Ragusett notes the importance of “advising, tutoring, writing centers, and small classes.” Agreed! But he also writes that “across Massachusetts there are far too many part-time community college students” and suggests a financial remedy for community colleges: “converting students they already have from part-time to full-time.”
This argument ignores the reality of our students and systems. There are so many reasons students enroll part-time: health issues; children, aging parents, or other loved ones to care for; the need to work to pay for food and rent, for example. Yes, in Massachusetts, community college is now free for those who don’t already hold a degree, but in order to survive and thrive, students need to earn money and have time apart from their studies.
Systemic issues also prevent many students from studying full-time: the housing crisis; inequities in our health care system; the cost of child care; the lack of ample, quality, and affordable care for senior citizens and those with mental health issues; the long-term effects of racism, classism, sexism, homophobia, for example. The argument that students should simply move from part-time to full-time status is insulting to students, puts the burden of a college’s financial success on them, and ignores financial, systemic, and personal reasons why students study part-time. Community colleges should serve all students. Those who can study full-time are welcome, and so are those who study part-time.
Cindy Snow
Shelburne Falls