Query
Template: /var/www/farcry/projects/fandango/www/action/sherlockFunctions.cfm
Execution Time: 4.25 ms
Record Count: 1
Cached: Yes
Cache Type: timespan
Lazy: No
SQL:
SELECT top 1 objectid,'cmCTAPromos' as objecttype
FROM cmCTAPromos
WHERE status = 'approved'
AND ctaType = 'moreinfo'
objectidobjecttype
11BD6E890-EC62-11E9-807B0242AC100103cmCTAPromos

Think your vote doesn't matter? Think again.

October 31, 2016 Glennda M. Bivens, Ph.D.

THE FOLLOWING BLOG WAS ORIGINALLY POSTED BY Socioeconomic and class issues in higher education Knowledge community ON OCTOBER 25, 2016. learn more and engage with our 30 vibrant knowledge communities here.


Recently I was given the opportunity to speak about college affordability and accessibility at “The Political Party, an issues-based, action-oriented event designed to engage potential young voters by bringing together musical and performance acts, local beer and TED-like presentations from Iowans speaking on issues affecting Iowa’s young people.”

Regardless on one’s political (un)affiliation, I would argue that knowing how higher education is funded both at local and federal levels are important. Given the national conversations about the possibility of free community college, and the rise in “promise” programs where a non-profit or higher education institution adopts a school and guarantees that students who meet certain qualifications are awarded tuition scholarships, the conversation about how to make college affordable and accessible has drawn national and philanthropic attention.

To give a synopsis of my address, I began by asking “is college a right or a privilege?” When I was 18 years old, I believed in what I call the “formula for a college-ready student.” I believed that:

Being a Student Leader (check!)

Maintaining above a 3.0 GPA (check!) and

      +    Doing community service (check!)

College Ready

Little did I know that scoring low on my SATs would somehow make me “ineligible” for college according to my school counselor. How is it that one thing like a SAT or ACT score or my family’s ability to pay somehow made me ineligible for college? Should one thing, like college affordability decide who has access to higher education?

For those of you, like me, who have engaged in a long-term relationship with Navient, Sallie Mae, and/or the Department of Education, college affordability and accessibility connects to you too. Did you know about the federal Income-Driven repayment plans? If you work in higher education I also encourage you to submit a Public Service Loan Forgiveness form.

I concluded my talk by shifting the question from “is college a right or a privilege?” to “should college be a right or a privilege?” Regardless of where you fit on the spectrum of those two questions, I encourage you to vote, talk to your local legislators, and educate yourself on what you can do now to make it so that half of your income isn’t going toward paying student loans.

Glennda M. Bivens, Ph.D.
Community and Economic Development Field Specialist II
Iowa State University