Education Committee Chairman Rhoades Responds to Governor's Community College Proposal

HARRISBURG - I am pleased that the Governor is willing to invest in the Commonwealth's community colleges, but I am always cautious about new programs that come with "strings attached."

New funding for workforce development and job creation is great, but that isn't the only role that our community colleges play.

For decades, our community colleges have served as low-cost, high-quality gateways to higher education. From entrepreneurial training, to skill training, to specific training needs of local businesses and industries, to non-credit continuing education courses, our community colleges provide countless opportunities to meet the educational needs of the students and communities they serve.

And, for the past several years, they have done so with less than full support from the state.

We need to invest in our community colleges. But before we spend money on new programs, we should make certain that the Commonwealth meets it obligation to fully fund their current mission.