When we heard enrollment at our local community college, Southern Union, had skyrocketed, we took pause to think about what this huge influx of students meant.
It is obvious the economy is playing a large role in this student enrollment shift, as laid-off employees are returning to school to get more job training and students who can't afford the tuition here at Auburn and other universities look for less costly forms of education.
Southern Union hasn't raised tuition in four or five years; Auburn raises its tuition every year.
Students at Southern Union end up paying around $90 a credit hour; tuition at most of our state's major universities averages out at around $200, and that's for those students who qualify as in-state residents. And, let's not forget, that $200 may well increase in the next budget year.
In these economic times, it just makes sense to look at our community college system as a real and viable alternative.
We think it's great that people who want to get an education and better themselves are able to do so.
The three Southern Union campuses (Valley, Wadley and Opelika) are working hard to create a more collegiate atmosphere for their students by creating more student organizations and new student housing.
We applaud these efforts and hope more developments and expansions will come from this boom in enrollment.
There is a factor that does worry us about the Southern Union experience, however: the huge influx of adjunct faculty that is coming in with these masses of students.
Sure, a 19:1 student to teacher ratio is great, but what is the quality of instruction being received there?
If anyone with a master's degree can teach at our state's community college, are we in danger of exposing people who want to learn to instructors that may not have the necessary tools to be able to teach effectively?
Of course, the flip side to this issue is that adjunct faculty are paid less than full-time faculty, and this is how the community college system keeps costs low.
Within our university system, we're reasonably well-assured that the instructors teaching our classes have at least the basic, rudimentary skills necessary to teach us.
Making last-minute hires to take on new classes could prove problematic.
We assume Southern Union and our other community colleges have rigorous standards in place for who can teach these students.
They want to learn, and that learning needs to be guided by hands of wisdom and experience.
Is the community college system a viable option? Yes.
We just worry if it is the best solution to the problem instead of a simple, viable option.
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