In her rousing speech at the Democratic National Convention, First Lady Michelle Obama explained the reasons that the American people should re-elect her husband to office. She made references to his concern for average Americans, his appreciation for hard work and the struggles they faced repaying student loans early in their marriage. In a passionate delivery, the First Lady explained that, back in the early days of their marriage, she and the President were “so in love and so in debt.”
As a result, the President has resolved to remove much of the unnecessary redtape of college attendance and make the process more affordable for everyone—especially minority groups. He began this quest in his first term, and now, with re-election, President Obama has made strides toward expanding the programs already in place and enacting new ones. Here is a look at the higher education plans of the Obama administration and what they mean for underserved students.
Expansion of Community Colleges
In July 2012, President Obama proposed the American Graduation Initiative, which is intended to put more money and planning toward community colleges in order to provide more affordable options and high levels of training for all prospective college students. As part of this initiative, the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act will pour $2 billion over the course of four years into an expansion of career training at community colleges with a focus on the high-demand health care field. The Department of Labor is overseeing this initiative in conjunction with the Department of Education. According to the White House website, the goals of the Obama community college program include:
By making use of the resources within each community to give students a strong education that is flexible and affordable, this Obama initiative will result in higher numbers of underrepresented college groups obtaining secondary education and entering the workforce.
Enforcement of the DREAM Act
The Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors, or DREAM, Act will provide an estimated 2.1 million young people in the U.S. the opportunity to gain an education and amnesty from deportation. While the ethical points of this act have been stressed, and rightfully so, there are also economic benefits for all Americans. The Center for American Progress estimates that the DREAM Act will create 1.4 million new jobs by the year 2030 and mean an infusion of $329 billion into the U.S. economy. By having extra encouragement to obtain an education in a documented workforce, children brought to the country illegally can make good on the past and contribute to the economy of the only home country they have ever known.
