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Tuition Going Up, Minorities Going Down
As Published In The New Tomorrow- Latino and Nubian Voices - Volume 1, Number 4 ,
January Issue 2004
By Robert Ruiz
I guess it wasn’t awkward enough that Hispanics and African Americans are subjected to
enrolling into non-matriculated English and math classes, now they have to pay for them as
well.
Community Colleges continue to raise tuitions on record levels. With tuitions growing faster
than student grants, impoverished and minority students find themselves paying for their
college education out of their own pockets. Unlike their counterparts they find themselves
entering the job market instead of going to college after high school. They find themselves
working minimum wage, dead end jobs, so they can save money to pay for their college tuition.
However, for those who do go directly to college from high school find themselves not properly
prepared for college; due to a public school system that showed no interest in preparing their
inner-city children who reside in impoverished neighborhoods, which forces them to take extra
classes. This leads them to pay more than students who lived in districts; where public
schools were properly financed.
To add insult to injury the state university of New York board of trustees, recently increased the
community-college tuition and ended the $2,500.00 tuition cap.
For some it may not seem like a big deal. However, for the many who can’t afford to pay more
than they are already paying, it may mean jeopardizing their future.
So who does it affect the most?
Besides effecting the poor population, it destroys the financial stability of our struggling middle
class. Students who’s parents make more than $30,000 a year don’t qualify for most grants
and financial aid offered by the government. If your child is not offered a scholarship, chances
are your child will be paying their tuition out of your pocket! Which in most low middle-class
families there is no budget.
What happens next is your children go to work and save money for the first semester. During
that first semester they continue to work on a part time basis. What happens now is they barely
have time to study or sleep. They fall asleep in class and their grades fall to barely passing.
Two things can happen now. They either, barely graduate and won’t get accepted into an
undergraduate bachelor program, or can’t handle the pressure, drop out and remain with the
dead end job.
Second scenario, they take out a low interest student loan. They graduate with honors and
never get to finish an undergraduate program. Because after they receive their associates, they
must hold a full time job to pay off the loan.
Though this issue goes beyond minorities; it remains an obstacle for the social advancement
of Hispanics and African Americans.
Community Colleges are a stepping stone for most minorities. Not only are they affordable,
they also provide special programs that help minorities that went through a public system that
poorly groomed them. They also help students that are at a disadvantage because of
language barriers. Whether it is language or poor preparation, these non-matriculated classes
bring these students to par, so they can properly fulfill their requirements.
Now New York City is asking our poor and middle class to pay more for an already expensive
under budgeted CUNY system. It seems as though instead of helping and looking after the
future minority working generation, the government keeps throwing hurdles at them. Our
children first fight their way through a chaotic Board of Education, with luck on their side they
graduate functionally literate. If or when they graduate or even get an equivalent diploma, the
government then decides to throw a financial hurdle at these already struggling students.
Statistics show that due to tuition and bills at home, a large amount of Hispanics that enter
Community Colleges never finish the curriculum. If they do finish their 2 year curriculum a large
amount of Hispanics don’t go on to finish their undergraduate program.
As parents of the future and students of the future we must actively practice politics indirectly.
· We must register to vote and make our voices heard by the numbers.
· Student clubs must actively participate in getting petitions started (high school clubs as
well) and getting it over to our local politicians.
· We must actively participate in public hearings.
As long as parents and students remain passive about this issue, the government will
continue to raise tuition; making it more difficult for our poor and middle class to compete in our
ever changing job market. The sad part is with tuition increase comes better services and
more programs. In the CUNY case that doesn’t exist! What we should be asking ourselves is
why we should pay more for a school system that is falling apart and have not shown any
significant changes to warrant more money.
About The Author:
Robert Ruiz is an editorial writer who writes for many publications. He is also the founder and
senior editor for Latin Society;silent voices www.latinsociety.com. He also has a monthly
column in The New Tomorrow. Also writes for the web magazine Did You Really
Believe www.didyoureallybelieve.com.
As Published In The New Tomorrow- Latino and Nubian Voices - Volume 1, Number 4 ,
January Issue 2004
By Robert Ruiz
I guess it wasn’t awkward enough that Hispanics and African Americans are subjected to
enrolling into non-matriculated English and math classes, now they have to pay for them as
well.
Community Colleges continue to raise tuitions on record levels. With tuitions growing faster
than student grants, impoverished and minority students find themselves paying for their
college education out of their own pockets. Unlike their counterparts they find themselves
entering the job market instead of going to college after high school. They find themselves
working minimum wage, dead end jobs, so they can save money to pay for their college tuition.
However, for those who do go directly to college from high school find themselves not properly
prepared for college; due to a public school system that showed no interest in preparing their
inner-city children who reside in impoverished neighborhoods, which forces them to take extra
classes. This leads them to pay more than students who lived in districts; where public
schools were properly financed.
To add insult to injury the state university of New York board of trustees, recently increased the
community-college tuition and ended the $2,500.00 tuition cap.
For some it may not seem like a big deal. However, for the many who can’t afford to pay more
than they are already paying, it may mean jeopardizing their future.
So who does it affect the most?
Besides effecting the poor population, it destroys the financial stability of our struggling middle
class. Students who’s parents make more than $30,000 a year don’t qualify for most grants
and financial aid offered by the government. If your child is not offered a scholarship, chances
are your child will be paying their tuition out of your pocket! Which in most low middle-class
families there is no budget.
What happens next is your children go to work and save money for the first semester. During
that first semester they continue to work on a part time basis. What happens now is they barely
have time to study or sleep. They fall asleep in class and their grades fall to barely passing.
Two things can happen now. They either, barely graduate and won’t get accepted into an
undergraduate bachelor program, or can’t handle the pressure, drop out and remain with the
dead end job.
Second scenario, they take out a low interest student loan. They graduate with honors and
never get to finish an undergraduate program. Because after they receive their associates, they
must hold a full time job to pay off the loan.
Though this issue goes beyond minorities; it remains an obstacle for the social advancement
of Hispanics and African Americans.
Community Colleges are a stepping stone for most minorities. Not only are they affordable,
they also provide special programs that help minorities that went through a public system that
poorly groomed them. They also help students that are at a disadvantage because of
language barriers. Whether it is language or poor preparation, these non-matriculated classes
bring these students to par, so they can properly fulfill their requirements.
Now New York City is asking our poor and middle class to pay more for an already expensive
under budgeted CUNY system. It seems as though instead of helping and looking after the
future minority working generation, the government keeps throwing hurdles at them. Our
children first fight their way through a chaotic Board of Education, with luck on their side they
graduate functionally literate. If or when they graduate or even get an equivalent diploma, the
government then decides to throw a financial hurdle at these already struggling students.
Statistics show that due to tuition and bills at home, a large amount of Hispanics that enter
Community Colleges never finish the curriculum. If they do finish their 2 year curriculum a large
amount of Hispanics don’t go on to finish their undergraduate program.
As parents of the future and students of the future we must actively practice politics indirectly.
· We must register to vote and make our voices heard by the numbers.
· Student clubs must actively participate in getting petitions started (high school clubs as
well) and getting it over to our local politicians.
· We must actively participate in public hearings.
As long as parents and students remain passive about this issue, the government will
continue to raise tuition; making it more difficult for our poor and middle class to compete in our
ever changing job market. The sad part is with tuition increase comes better services and
more programs. In the CUNY case that doesn’t exist! What we should be asking ourselves is
why we should pay more for a school system that is falling apart and have not shown any
significant changes to warrant more money.
About The Author:
Robert Ruiz is an editorial writer who writes for many publications. He is also the founder and
senior editor for Latin Society;silent voices www.latinsociety.com. He also has a monthly
column in The New Tomorrow. Also writes for the web magazine Did You Really
Believe www.didyoureallybelieve.com.
