Barack Obama’s platform awakened sleeping collegiate voters.
More young people than ever before came out to the polls Nov. 4 to vote for change in this country. We followed through by voting and now we are expecting the proposed ideas from our President-elect to actually happen.
There are five points in Obama’s platform with new promises for post-secondary education, including improved financial assistance as well as science and technology departments in community colleges.
Improved financial assistance is one point in Obama’s list of changes. He seeks to discard the overly complicated FAFSA and provide a $4,000 tax credit to college students who complete 100 hours of community service.
This fully refundable American Opportunity Tax Credit would cover two-thirds of the cost of the average four-year public college.
Obama’s views on science and technology departments at community colleges would also be in line with changes at Pierce College.
Propositions A/AA emphasized science and technology at Pierce College by beginning the new Center for the Sciences, and Measure J will continue pushing in the right direction with Digital Arts and Media and Green Technologies buildings.
All of these promises are appealing to students, which may be a reason why Obama’s campaign won most of our votes.
The world economy is in turmoil and the stock market is at one of its ultimate lows grimly reminiscent of the Great Depression.
It is time for change and Obama appears to be the man who can help. He seems to have taken the time to consider ways to simplify the financial aid process for those of us who need it-more than half of the students at Pierce.
The reason many of us are in a community college in the first place is because we cannot afford four or more years at a university, regardless of whether it is public or private.
It is too early to see what Obama’s term as president has in store for community college students, but we need to stay tuned in to changes coming from the White House.
Election Day was only the beginning.
It is our responsibility as students to see that these promises become realities.
(Jessie Lomeli)