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Volume 26, Issue 35, april 29, 2004

Opinion

Voucher danger for Metro


Nick Bahl
Columnist

Colorado Senate Bill 189 is literally a tragedy for Metro. So it comes as no surprise that our Board of Trustees are supportive of the bill -what did you think would happen to a socialistic institution under a capitalistic regime?

Socialism is a horrible ideal today because it doesn't work, just like this bill, and in this regard I would be all too happy to see Metro perish.

Unfortunately, it is neither the time nor is Colorado the place for free-market education.

Bill 189 recently passed out of the Senate and if the House passes it, vouchers are on their way for higher education in Colorado starting in the Fall of 2005. Each student will receive $2,400 a year from the state to pay for their education at any Colorado college or university as long as they don't have more than 140 credit hours.

In 2001, Metro had 12,766 continuing students, 862 readmitted students, and 2,631 transfer students. The 140-credit-hour cap will not affect many of these students, but a large percentage of them will be affected, and many will be run right out of school (these numbers represent more than half of Metro's total enrollment).

"This will affect anyone seeking a second degree, teacher or nursing licenses, second- chance students who messed up, anyone taking a class for personal enjoyment who already has a degree, mothers who return to school after sitting out for many years, anyone who changes majors, students coming from community college programs, and many more," said teacher education professor Dr. Vincent Orlando regarding the 140-credit-hour cap.

Bill 189 will also affect the rest of us, but not as drastically at first (students may never see the money saved for us by the state in the "college opportunity fund" just like we'll never see our Social Security. This is a huge problem, period).

I'm sure many of you are thinking, "Well, $2,400 will pay my tuition." Currently, that amount would nearly cover tuition, but this amount of money is $68 less than the state already gives Metro for each student (you will see a tuition increase of $68 minimum). Bill 189 privatizes public higher education, and state laws will no longer control tuition increases (tuition cannot be increased, but vouchers are not guaranteed and as such tuition goes up when voucher amounts go down).

"I suspect this approach will also make Metro somewhat less subject to regulatory control from the state, since student-driven accountability will be paramount," said Trustee Alex Cranberg. "If student empowerment is privatization (because students are private persons exercising choices) then that's what this does."

Likely tuition increases and fewer students who actually want to be here it is then, and due partially to our Board of Trustees' support for privatization of higher education.

"The Board endorsed the voucher bill concept in instructing our lobbyist to make this a high priority," said Cranberg. "No one objected during that open meeting."

Student Trustee Harris Singer told me he doesn't remember instructing the lobbyist as such, but that he strongly supports the bill as long as there are proper exemptions in place for students who need to exceed the 140-credit-hour cap (Singer is one such student).

Last time I checked, silence doesn't mean truth is in the air or that the best option is being pursued (I'm sure the Faculty Senate and Union was out protesting something with Creative Resistance, and missed this meeting); however, since Republicans run our state and our Board of Trustees, I feel very comfortable accepting their wisdom in regard to public education.

"Of course I support the bill," Cranberg told me on April 8.

On Tuesday, April 13, I received a follow-up e-mail from Cranberg which said, "On the credit-hour issue, it is true that the bill imposes a 140-credit-hour cap.

However, I understand that the bill will be amended on Wednesday to include a 5 percent exemption for institutions."

So our Board of Trustees "unanimously" supported the bill before it was amended to allow for exemptions? It is true.

So the Board of Trustees "unanimously" supported the bill even though it flies in the face of the school's purpose, mission statement, and the best interest of an overwhelming percentage of the students' interests they are supposed to be safeguarding here at Colorado's "College of Opportunity?" It is true.

Despite the fact that several exemptions have been dropped into the bill (Wow, a whole five percent!), Metro's Board of Trustees unanimously put their support behind a voucher bill they knew nothing about (or secretly knew about); a bill that will still hurt Metro even after the exemptions; only if enough exemptions are put in place to eradicate the 140-credit-hour cap, will this bill only slightly hurt Metro.

This is a conflict of interest driven by ideological dogma.

It is time for our Board of Trustees to be overhauled to allow for ideological diversity and Metro-student-minded policies. It is then time to extend diversity throughout our Sheila Kaplan-corrupted administration and our authoritarian professorship.

If only the diversity surrounding the flagpole two weeks ago could extend throughout all tiers of Metro, then we could actually learn here. Who really thinks that any of our close-minded rulers will let this happen?

I'm voting for a Democrat in the next gubernatorial election just so that our Board of Trustees will become social-minded to meet Metro's needs (the governor picks the Board members). What are you going to do about Senate Bill 189?