FORT WORTH, Texas (Jan. 21, 2015) – “As we celebrate the 50-year anniversary of Tarrant County College, we applaud President Obama’s recognition of the important role community colleges play in delivering affordable, accessible and meaningful education to students who otherwise would be unable to pursue higher education.
“As he noted, 40 percent of college students attend community colleges, where they can earn not just academic degrees, but technical certificates as well. Whether students wish to advance to a four-year program, or achieve their certificate and immediately assimilate into the workforce, we know firsthand that community colleges change lives and undergird our economy by preparing people for meaningful and socially critical jobs.
“Tarrant County College embraces the opportunity to educate an even greater number of students, which would be the immediate result if his proposal becomes a reality…and we sincerely hope that it does. Already the nation’s 15th-largest higher education institution, TCC has established a solid infrastructure upon which we can grow and accommodate even more students both on our five campuses as well as through our comprehensive online programs and our Weekend College.
“Inevitably, TCC and other community colleges will have to be prepared to serve our non-traditional students at nights, on weekends…possibly even 24/7. We will maximize our resources while continuing to identify innovative ways of delivering our programs where and when our students need them.
“While community college tuition is exponentially less expensive than that at other colleges and universities, many students still face financial obstacles that keep higher education beyond their reach. By taking community college from ‘inexpensive’ to ‘free,’ we know that future generations will be better educated, and thereby more employable, as a result. Providing widespread education is the greatest investment we can make in the future health of our economy, and our communities.”