Painful but necessary

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Courtesy Randall Benton / MCT

STAFF EDITORIAL: From enrollment to completion, the time it takes to transfer has doubled, but a penalty for racking up too many units could help reverse this trend.

Gov. Brown’s new plan to eliminate the subsidized tuition rate for students accumulating more than 90 semester units is the painful change that the state community college system needs.

Although the plan comes in the form of yet another tuition increase, it forces students to use their time more wisely while attending college.

With such changes it is possible that fewer students will want to withdraw from classes or end up on academic probation, and it could help put more on a fast track to transfer.

Students are much more likely to take college courses seriously when the weight of their wallet hangs in the balance.

This plan will provide incentive for students to only enroll in courses needed for their major, rather than trying their hand at a variety of subjects or repeating too many classes.

While it seems unfair that penalties would take effect for students struggling in our current economic climate, California cannot afford to continue carrying students who surpass the limit of 90 units.


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