AMHERST — “Growing up poor, all I’ve ever wanted was financial freedom,” said Beatrice Rogers, a third-year psychology and holistic health major at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. But that freedom might be far away for Rogers, whose college education has already put her more than $40,000 in debt.
With the introduction of free community college in Massachusetts this summer, one of the next big questions in public higher education in the state is how to expand that level of accessibility to all public universities. Rogers was one of several students who shared her story at a forum Tuesday afternoon hosted by the Public Higher Education Network of Massachusetts and the UMass Amherst Student Government Association to discuss with legislators the Debt Free Future Act — legislation on Beacon Hill that could bring about free public university education for all state residents.
At the event, state Sen. Jamie Eldridge lauded the use of the so-called “millionaires’ tax,” or the Fair Share Amendment, to fund the MassEducate program that affords all Massachusetts residents without college degrees the chance to attend community college for free. Eldridge said that funding options in addition to the state’s Fair Share Amendment, which introduced a 4% surtax on all household income above $1 million annually, would have to be explored to fund a free public university system.
Eldridge explained that this would be a “first dollar” program, covering tuition, mandatory fees, housing, meal plans, transportation and books for Massachusetts residents enrolled in a public university in the state. The goal would be not only to increase access to higher education, but also to encourage residents to remain in the state, rather than moving away due to its rising cost of living.
Recounting his time at Middlesex Community College, state Rep. Danillo Sena recalled the added difficulty he experienced because he had to work long hours while pursuing his associate degree.
“It took three years, because I had to work part time,” said Sena, emphasizing how much free community college would have helped him during that time, and the difference that a free university education would have made in the years following. “We need to be active. We need to be mobilizing the system … That is the only way we can change the status quo.”
The forum included virtual messages from state Reps. Lindsay Sabadosa and Natalie Higgins, who were unable to attend.
In her recorded message, Sabadosa said the Debt Free Future Act would be a chance to recognize that “learning is a lifelong endeavor,” and to stop looking at college as a “one and done situation.”
Students in attendance were hopeful about the positive impacts a free college education would have on their lives, speaking to the pressure it would relieve and the opportunities it would open up to pursue their passions rather than whichever degree they think will help them pay of their loans the fastest. A film created by Rogers and fellow student Pavan Cheruku showed interviews with UMass students in which they described the stress that student loans and other college expenses have placed on themselves and their families. Some of those interviewed said that a free college education would give them the chance to explore a graduate degree before entering the workforce.
But those participating in the forum also raised a slew of questions and concerns about the Debt Free Future Act. Out-of-state students wondered if there was a way they could eventually qualify for the program. Others voiced concerns that removing the cost barrier to public universities would draw students away from community colleges, and that institutions would not be able to handle the anticipated influx of students that would come with this legislation.
While the proposed legislation is still a work in progress, Eldridge and Sena responded with some preliminary ideas for how it could address these concerns.
Sena said that out-of-state students’ inability to be considered in-state even after being part of the community for several years is “not fair,” and said that he hopes to explore the possibility of changing that. Eldridge said that maintaining community college enrollment while pushing for free public universities is a priority, agreeing with statements by student Liam Rue that the higher selectivity of four-year universities could serve to lessen the impact on community colleges.
Eldridge also emphasized that another piece of working legislation on Beacon Hill — the CHERISH Act, Committing to Higher Education the Resources to Insure a Strong and Healthy Public Higher Education System — has goals to improve funding for public higher education and improve the capabilities of public institutions to take on more students. However, anxieties remained that waiting lists would prove unmanageable for some institutions, even with increased funding.
Sena and Eldridge agreed with Sabadosa’s sentiment that the state would have to “monitor closely” the outcomes of free education at community colleges, and adapt both initiatives to better serve students, faculty and staff.
Alexa Lewis can be reached at alewis@gazettenet.com.