Hartford Business Journal

14 Hartford Business Journal • March 25, 2019 • www.HartfordBusiness.com By Matt Pilon and Sean Teehan mpilon@hartfordbusiness.com; steehan@hartfordbusiness.com D espite budget deficits, the push for free community college is gaining mo- mentum in Connecticut, as policymakers seek to boost the state's economic competitive- ness and provide more opportunities for students from modest backgrounds. Some, including Gov. Ned Lamont, have said the state likely can't afford it, but amid the usual hemming and hawing over money, Sen. Martin Looney (D-New Haven) recently reminded lawmakers that some competing blue states in the college-centric Northeast are already eat- ing Connecticut's lunch when it comes to paying students' college tuition and fees. "We are in a marketplace where Con- necticut cannot afford to fall behind," the Senate president pro tem told members of the Higher Education and Employment Advancement Committee at a Feb. 28 hearing. "I think it's a mat- ter of self-preservation for us to begin to make this kind of investment." Some Connecticut lawmakers are looking to follow the lead of a dozen other states that already offer some form of free college, but it's uncertain how much it would cost. The issue is complicated and important as Connecticut increasingly relies on community colleges to help fill jobs gaps in a range of key industries, including advanced manufacturing and health care. Surprisingly, 44 percent of commu- nity-college students in the state — or 22,000 pupils — already go to school for free, thanks mainly to federal aid, which is targeted at low-income residents. However, advocates argue more peo- ple deserve help, especially as students, even at two-year schools, are increas- ingly shackled by college loan debt. Over the past seven years, federal borrowing by students at Connecticut's 12 community colleges has grown by nearly 50 percent, with median debt per student ranging between $5,000 and $6,000 at half of those schools, according to data provided by the Connecticut State Colleges & Univer- sities (CSCU) system, which oversees the community colleges, four regional universities and an online university. Those amounts pale in comparison to the $38,500 average debt burden carried by students who attend four-year colleges in Con- necticut, but community col- lege pupils tend to come from poorer backgrounds with a smaller financial backstop from family members. Graduation rates are also lower at community colleges, meaning a higher number of students leave without their degree, though they must still make loan payments. Sage Maier, student government president at Tunxis Community College in Farmington and the sole student member on the Board of Regents for Higher Education, CSCU's overseer, said she supports the concept of more state aid for students, but she also under- stands questions about potential costs. She said financial concerns are the "end all, be all of why" many students drop out of community college before they graduate. "That is the biggest struggle for everyone," said Maier, who expects to graduate this spring with an associate degree in human services. Aid landscape Already, significant money is spent to help Connecticut residents afford the ever-increasing costs of higher education. The largest portion of non-loan student aid comes from Pell Grants, a federal subsidy targeted at lower- income students. This year, Pell grants for Connecticut community-college students totaled $77 million, according to CSCU. The second-biggest support is insti- tutional aid — community colleges set aside 15 percent of their tuition revenue for that purpose. Community-college students also get a share of Connecti- Free College? Competitive concerns drive debate, but financial restraints could limit impact Editor's Note: This week HBJ kicks off an occasional series on Connecti- cut's higher-education industry, which contributes billions of dol- lars to the state's economy and is going through rapid change. The series — called Higher Ed. Inc. — will run for two consecutive weeks and then appear on and off for the remainder of 2019. If you have story ideas for the series please reach out to HBJ Editor Greg Bordonaro, gbor- donaro@hartfordbusiness.com. Sen. President Pro Tem Martin Looney Sage Maier is wrapping up her associate degree at Tunxis Community College in Farmington, where she is also student government president. Maier said finances are often the single biggest concern for her fellow students. INC. Higher Ed. S P E C I A L F E A T U R E PHOTO | KATIE G. KRAJCIK

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