Thursday, March 19, 2015

Zeroed Out in Arizona - Ashley A. Smith, Inside Higher Ed

The idea of increasing access to community colleges and opening the gateway to higher education has taken root among state officials and at the White House. That support has made what is happening in Arizona all the more disheartening to leaders of two-year colleges. Earlier this week, the Arizona Legislature and Governor Doug Ducey moved to pull all state funding for the Maricopa and Pima Community College Districts -- two of the largest in the state. But what is striking in Arizona is the drop from at least several million dollars to zero. "It would appear the State of Arizona is about to turn its back on community colleges,” said Terry Hartle, senior vice president for government and public affairs at the American Council on Education. https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2015/03/12/arizona-unprecedented-defunding-community-colleges