Rep. Tim O’Brien Proposes Tuition Waivers to State Schools
CT, New Britain, Video Posts February 22nd, 2008State Representative Tim O’Brien is working on a plan to address brain drain in the state by creating an incentive for Connecticut college students to stick around after they graduate. His plan at present would allow students to defer the entire cost of college until after graduation, and pay back only a portion of the tuition based on income. Graduates who don’t plan to stick around CT for at least 10 years would have to pay back the full amount.
I have high hopes that this plan can go into effect. It’s too late to assist me, but as an adult student with roots planted in the state already, it would have influenced my decision about whether to attend a private school or not.
While I think this plan will do a lot to keep young college graduates in the state, I also think it will make it easier for more adults to go back to college. Surely they are planning to stay in the state, but may not be able to afford college along with all the other expenses of running a household–especially earning wages at a job that doesn’t require a degree. It sounds to me like O’Brien’s proposal would allow for CT residents to go to college and get better jobs, regardless whether the fickle youngsters decide to stay in the state.
February 24th, 2008 at 12:24 pm
So this is still going to be a loan program of sorts…ok, then how is the state going to administer this. O’Brien definately didn’t think about what kind of new government department will have to deal with all sorts of new student loan accounts. I’m not giving anything away but they already do this here in Ontario, O’Brien will just have to get a hold of me to discuss this if he’s serious about it, or go around me like he does with everyone else he and others sideline constantly.
February 24th, 2008 at 8:07 pm
James, dude, I don’t think it’s going to require a whole new government department. Even if it did, I am pretty confident that a plan to administer this could be put together without your input.
Schools already bill students and receive payments. I don’t think it would be too much of a stretch for them to begin billing in-state students after graduation instead of before, especially since the state university system is not going to be shut down.
It’s a good idea to invest in education. This country got a ridiculously huge return on investment from the G.I. Bill after WWII, with a return of nearly $7 for every $1 invested in education for returning soldiers. Even if administrative costs for O’Brien’s plan were equal to the costs of providing the education (which is a huge over-estimation), we’d still fare well.
February 25th, 2008 at 1:53 am
I think I read something in the Times a few years ago about Vermont’s plans to do something similar, since they were losing so many young people and their future seemed to be draining away. I haven’t heard anything on the results of that plan, if indeed it was implemented.
Another related issue that I find really cool is Gov. Deval Patrick’s plan to make tuition at all Massachusetts community colleges free for high school graduates by 2015. Expensive, but awesome!
February 25th, 2008 at 3:27 pm
Yeah, part of the problem is making sure that any program like this would be a good investment for a state to undertake. I think if you make a requirement such as living somewhere for so long economies will grow, it gives people more incentive to want to start up something in their home state and localities will probably more inclined to make legislation that encourages business development such as tax deferments.