The Role of Community Colleges

Tuition at Illinois’ private and public universities has risen by an average of more than 30 percent since 2008. As a cost-saving measure, many students are turning to community colleges to take “general education” courses for the first two years of their degrees and then transfer to four year schools. What happens then, when tuition at community colleges starts to increase? According to the Illinois Community College Board, tuition at the state’s community colleges has also risen by around 30 percent since 2008.
 
This hour on Focus, host Jim Meadows talks with Parkland College President Tom Ramage and Danville Area Community College President Alice Jacobs about the role the state’s community colleges play in  higher education. We’ll hear about some of the challenges Illinois community colleges face and how they’re moving forward despite cuts in state funding and changes in local tax support. We’ll also hear this hour about a program at Danville Area Community College to help train and employ veterans and will find out more about Parkland College’s recent acquisition of the University of Illinois’ aviation program.