HOW WE SEE IT College’s Shift On Enrollment Makes Sense

When the Arkansas Razorbacks played Clemson University a week ago, the weather outside was frightful, and driving conditions were not delightful. The Tigers had already arrived for a hard court battle with the Hogs, but athletic offcials knew the icy conditions outside would translate into a lot of empty seats at Bud WaltonArena.

The solution? Students were invited to attend the competition free of charge. Beyond that, they oftered the fi rst 1,800 people in the arena a free slice of pizza and oftered students a freeScantron multiple choice test form.

Why did they do it? A basketball game is better when there’s a crowd there to enjoy it. Faced with the prospect of many empty seats usually occupied by season ticket holders who were avoiding travel, the University of Arkansas recognized the value of putting people in those seats, even free of charge.

The state of Arkansas views college classes in much the same way. There are certain costs associated with putting on a class - paying a professor, covering utilities, building the buildings.

If a class can hold 50 students and only 45 degreeseeking students register, what’s the harm in allowing others in the community a free chance to bolster their education.

That’s why, in 1975, the state approved Act 678.

The Legislature determined oftering open class slots to older Arkansas residents who wish to improve their education is good public policy, so anyone 60 or older in Arkansas can take classes tuition-free.

The catch? It’s on a space-available basis.

That last part has raised a minor ruckus at NorthWest Arkansas Community College, which modified its years-old process of allowing senior citizens to register at the same time as other students. For spring 2014, however, registration for existing tuition-paying students opened Nov.

4, then open registration started Nov. 11 and continues through Jan. 14. Older would-be students using the Golden Age tuition waiver have to wait to enroll until after Jan. 8.

Some older students fear they won’t get into the classes they want as a result.

We respect that concern, but first priority at the college or any of Arkansas’ other institutions of higher education should always go to tuitionpaying, degree-seeking students. Arkansas’ competitiveness for industry and jobs is best served by public policies that promote degreeseeking students.

The Razorbacks would have never have given away a bunch of seats had they been occupied by ticket-buying, money-donating supporters of the athletic program, no matter how rabid a supporter someone wanting a free ticket professed to be.

Colleges and universities should, and do, value the inter-generational blending that adds depth to the collegiate experience for young and old alike. It’s not like older students are sucking the resources out of these institutions of higher learning. Rather, they bring their own experiences of life to the discussion and provide a dift erent lens through which traditional - i.e. the ones in their late teens and 20s - can learn.

While it may prove an inconvenience to the older students, some of whom have attended the college for years under the Golden Age provision, the new community college policy is the right move to achieve its mission. Everyone involved, however, should work to ensure as little disruption as possible in anyone’s plans to become more educated.

Opinion, Pages 5 on 12/14/2013

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