ROB MCCLENDON: SO WHERE
DOES THAT LEAVE US?
WELL FOR MANY RECENT
GRADUATES, BACK
WITH MOM AND DAD.
EIGHTY-FIVE PERCENT OF
RECENT GRADUATES SAY
RETURNING HOME IS IN THEIR
PLANS.
AND FOR OLDER STUDENTS
WITHOUT A PARENTAL SAFETY
NET, WELL IT LEAVES THEM
IN POVERTY.
I HAVE A P-H-D.
AND I AM ON WELFARE.
AND I AM AN ADJUNCT
PROFESSOR AT A LOCAL
COMMUNITY COLLEGE.
I DID THE USUAL THING, YOU
KNOW YOU GRADUATE FROM
HIGH SCHOOL AND THEN YOU
GO TO COLLEGE.
ONE OF MY HIGH SCHOOL
TEACHERS SENT ME A LETTER
THAT I HAD WRITTEN MYSELF
WHEN I WAS, IT MUST HAVE
BEEN 6TH GRADE BECAUSE I
WAS 12, THAT SAID, YOU'RE
A PROFESSOR.
AND I THOUGHT WOW, YOU
KNOW I READ HISTORY BOOKS
ALL THE TIME; I SHOULD GET
PAID TO DO THIS.
I REALLY DO BELIEVE IN THE
COMMUNITY COLLEGE MISSION.
I BELIEVE IN GIVING
STUDENTS WHO MIGHT NOT
OTHERWISE HAVE ACCESS TO
EDUCATION THAT ACCESS.
I DIDN'T EXPECT TO
BE WHERE I AM NOW.
I DIDN'T EXPECT TO BE
HAVING TO SWALLOW MY PRIDE
AND APPLY FOR PUBLIC
ASSISTANCE.
IT BUYS FOOD AND IT
GIVES BOTH MY DAUGHTER
AND I MEDICAL CARE.
MY FIRST TRIP TO THE STORE
I USUALLY SPEND ABOUT A
HUNDRED AND TWENTY, AND
AFTER THAT IT'S
LESS, A LOT LESS.
I DON'T GET PAID
EVERY OTHER WEEK.
I GET PAID X AMOUNT OF
DOLLARS PER CLASS I TEACH.
BUT I HAVE A CHILD; MY KID
DOES NOT GET TO GO HUNGRY
BECAUSE I'M TOO PROUD.
AND WHEN YOU'VE GOT KIDS
TO FEED AND YOU GET A VERY
SMALL AMOUNT OF MONEY
EVERY MONTH, YOU
BUY WHAT FEEDS THEM.
AND QUITE FRANKLY A
GROWING NUMBER OF US ARE
FINDING IT HARD TO MAKE
ENDS MEET.
I NEVER THOUGHT
I'D BE ON WELFARE.
BUT THEN AGAIN,
YOU'VE GOT TO DO WHAT
YOU'VE GOT TO DO.
ROB: NOW MATTEAU SAYS SHE
BELIEVED FINISHING HER
P-H-D IN HISTORY WOULD
LEAD TO SUCCESS AND
NOT FOOD STAMPS.
AND SHE IS NOT ALONE.
THE GOVERNMENT NOW HOLDS
ABOUT 93 PERCENT OF ALL
STUDENT LOAN DEBT, AND
INCREASINGLY STUDENTS
ARE LETTING THOSE
BILLS GO PAST DUE.
OF THE 131 BILLION DOLLARS
NOW OWED TO THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT, THE VAST
MAJORITY ARE STUDENT
LOANS TOTALING SOME
92 BILLION DOLLARS.
WHEN WE RETURN, WE TAKE A
LOOK AT SOME SOLUTIONS TO
THE RISING COST OF HIGHER
EDUCATION.
