Tuition.

Communication majors everywhere!

I attended a rally that was aimed at stopping the Connecticut Board of Regents voting in a 5.1% tuition increase. The issue truly does not affect my wallet in the least, tuition for veterans in this state is free. But let's agree on what community colleges provide: the last educational hope of a marginalized population. This would include unemployed folks (such as myself) looking to gain new skills, minorities, and people that have difficulty learning. In fact, the brag on the Regent's web site is that 60% of students are women and 37% are minorities. We help the marginalized!

As I was listening to students comments, made by an angry constituency attempting to dialog with the regents I realized no one was listening. I decided to add my voice. While waiting to reach the microphone the Chair noted that it was not a question and answer time, but a time for students to express there concerns and report on the schools.

Of course the union was there.

I initially thought to speak of my children and their plight, but they can deal with the increase. I quickly rearranged my thoughts, thankful this was a slow moving line with students who insisted on asking questions even after the chair stated he would answer none.

This is the sign that gets to the crux of it all.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, my name is Jim Stahr. I attend QVCC in Appalachia, Connecticut." (This caused uncomfortable and knowing giggles throughout the audience.) "You asked for input on how our schools are doing. While the faculty has been fantastically pro-active at setting up alternatives, our learning center is being closed. The modest art gallery, a little less than a quarter the size of this conference room is possibly being closed." (At this point a fellow student looked at me and said "it is". I corrected myself. This might have even served as a dramatic pause!) "Apparently it IS being closed. Five percent increase for less services, think about it folks." I walked off and a reporter asked my name.

Expressing students concerns can be emotional.

The last line made it into the CT Mirror which made me realize that is all I really had to say. I am attending because I squandered earlier opportunities. The people that use the learning center are the people that the community college system serves. The Art Gallery is the only formal gallery I know that exists in the area since Brooklyn's closed.

Here's the spread. Good thing students showed up to eat .

What have we done? Prevented poor learners from trying. Stopped the last public display opportunity for local artists. Priced tuition so the poorest cannot afford the education that would allow them to enrich themselves. Cutting the same margins that should be served by these institutions.