A "swirling" student, in contemporary educational jargon, refers to a student who takes one course here and another there, but never manages to connect all the sundry courses into a degree or certificate from any particular institution. Sometimes these credits are from different states and locations, but sometimes the complex menu is from the same school.
Alamo Community Colleges wants to help these students finish what they started with a proposed Return to College program that offers free tuition and fees to any student who has racked up 45 hours of credit from any college but has not been back to school in at least two years.
“We are anxious to help people in difficult times complete a degree,” said James McLaughlin, ACC's vice chancellor for administration. “We believe that it will give them a chance to get a (better) job and hold a job.”
There are strings attached. The offer only extends for two years or until students earn an associate's degree, so they must sit down with an academic adviser and sketch out a plan for timely graduation.
“We won't keep an open door so you can take classes of interest to you,” McLaughlin said. “We want people who are focused.”
Return to College will pay for tuition and fees but not books, parking permits or special course fees above normal tuition, such as in nursing or aviation. Also, past debts will not be forgiven and students are expected to apply for financial aid to help the district bear the burden of cost.
Comments