According to The Daily Texan, researchers are finding that one in six university students in the United States attends a community college at some point in their academic careers and, in Texas, community college students outnumber students in public universities by nearly 60,000 students. 

Recently, Governor Perry vetoed $126 million in appropriates for community colleges.  Already, this veto is leading to consideration of:

Program cuts

Hiring freezes

Tuition increases

Tax increases

Litigation

The funding cuts that result from Governor Perry’s actions are likely to have broad ramifications for a state that is trying to encourage students to attend community colleges rather than universities for their freshman and sophomore years.

How will employer reimbursement of education be impacted?

Will firms be able to find employees with the skills they need?

Will faculty members who have options leave teaching? 

How many students will stop attending college?

Cutting funding at community colleges hurts the people who are struggling to obtain a college education.  Many community programs teach students the basic business skills they need to have in order to be successful.  These skills include:

Personal finance

Team building

Communication skills

Critical thinking skills 

Problem solving and decision making

Think about the consequences of cuts that prevent people from developing these skills.  Who is hurt by Governor Perry’s veto?  Did that veto serve the interests of voters in Texas? 

Filed by Coleen Davis at 6:05 pm under Business Acumen, Current Events, New Ideas, Solving Problems, Tips for Students