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Going it alone

Obama’s community college plan overlooks immediate costs

Emily Adams and Jason Haley have grants to help with expenses at Southwest Colorado Community College. But the couple largely are making it on their own as they balance going to school, working and raising three children.

Charise Gianetto, 43, a single mother of two who works seven days a week, is another SWCCC student who receives financial aid but is succeeding on sheer determination.

For Adams, Haley and Gianetto, the recent call by President Barack Obama to spend $60 billion of public money over a decade to make community college tuition free is a nice gesture, but it’s no substitute for grit.

The president’s proposal requires too much deficit spending, Adams said.

“Supporting students is essential to the success of the nation,” she said. “But the country has too much public debt to give free college tuition.”

Obama’s proposal would give free tuition to students who attend class at least part-time, have a GPA of at least 2.5 (C+ roughly) and progress steadily toward a degree or a transfer to a four-year school.

Critics say the Obama plan is misguided. Community college tuition is free for most working-class students who qualify for Pell grants, they say.

The $60 billion would be better invested in housing, child care, textbooks, counselors or transportation to curb the community college dropout rate of up to 80 percent, critics contend.

Norm Jones, SWCCC executive dean, said Obama’s proposal, revealed in his State of the Union address, focuses on the role of community colleges in filling critical jobs.

“In 10 to 15 years, seven of the 10 fastest growing occupations will be mid-skill jobs requiring less than a bachelor’s degree,” Jones said in an interview last week. “Statistics show that 70 percent of the top 20 jobs requires less than a four-year degree.”

Pell grants and state financial aid cover tuition for needy students, Jones said. But help with other peripheral costs need to be addressed, he said.

Adams and Haley, who have a $1,600 mortgage payment and pay $1,350 a month for child care, could make suggestions.

They’ve tried college before but dropped out. Now, they’re back.

Haley, 36, who works in food service, is on track to receive his associate degree in May. Adams, 31, a licensed massage therapist, is halfway to getting her associate degree.

They’re conscientious students. She has a 3.95 GPA, and he has a 3.5 GPA.

Haley intends to pursue a degree in business at Fort Lewis College. Adams’ goal is a degree in elementary education.

Weekdays begin early for the couple.

Adams drops Braydn, 5, at St. Columba preschool, then delivers Dylan, 7, to Needham Elementary School. She returns home to help Haley clean the house and have Cella, 2, ready for the arrival of the baby sitter.

On top of their studies – online, as well as on-site classes – Adams cleans houses and gives massages. Haley’s food-service jobs take him to Durango in the summer, to Purgatory in the winter.

Little time remains for family activities, Adams said. A tight budget allows for only one activity, gymnastics or swimming, for each of the two older children.

Although student loans will leave them thousands of dollars in debt by the time they get four-year degrees, the sacrifice is worth it, Adams said.

“We’re blessed because we’re making it,” Adams said. “Free tuition is a help, but doing it alone is best.”

Gianetto is scheduled to get her associate degree in general studies in May, along with daughter, Morgin, 22. Then she’s moving to Florida to pursue a double major in psychology and nutrition.

“It probably will take me three more years,” Gianetto said. “But I’m interested in nutrition, and I think a degree in psychology will help me counsel people.”

Married at age 23 and divorced at 37, she found herself alone with two children to support.

Because she had been cleaning houses – she’s now in year 15 – the first thing she did was step up the pace. Now, Gianetto spends part of every day, seven days a week, cleaning nine houses and three businesses from Arboles and Bayfield to Durango West to the north Animas Valley.

Gianetto also is in a work/study program two days a week at SWCCC and spends 20 hours a week as a personal assistant to a Bayfield businesswoman.

Even with her nose to the grindstone, Gianetto already has $12,000 in student loans.

When her day jobs end, it’s time to study. At home, Gianetto receives instruction, writes papers and takes quizzes online to squeeze the most she can out of 24 hours.

She currently is studying sociology, psychology, social psychology and math.

“I’m up late into the night,” Gianetto said. “Sometimes I don’t finish until the next morning.

“But I realized I needed a future and a retirement,” said Gianetto, explaining why she returned to school. “With my kids grown, I’ll have time to do what I want.”

daler@ durangoherald.com



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