Culinary Arts, Athletics, Massage Therapy and More: Programs Cut at Community Colleges

As the immigration debate rages on, a new aspect of the controversy has come to the forefront: should illegal immigrants qualify for in-state tuition at state colleges? A federal law on the books prohibits the practice, but many states have overridden that law to allow those who have grown up in their public schools to move on to higher education after graduation. Others oppose the idea of allowing people who are in the country illegally – and as such, are disqualified from becoming a member of the workforce – to reap benefits not available to legal residents of the country. We will take a look at both sides of the debate, and how some states are deciding to handle the issue of illegal immigration in their own education systems.

What the Law Says

A federal law passed in 1996 prohibits illegal immigrants from paying in-state tuition at public institutions of higher education, according to an article at FinAid. The law reads:

"An alien who is not lawfully present in the United States shall not be eligible on the basis of residence within a state for any postsecondary education benefit unless a citizen or national of the United States is eligible for such a benefit (in no less an amount, duration and scope) without regard to whether the citizen or national is such a resident."

Since the federal law was passed, several states have passed state laws allowing in-state tuition to illegal immigrants

Most students heading to college are consumed with the adjustment to dorm life, the sometimes complex maze of the registration process and the cheapest place to purchase textbooks and supplies. However, recent events on campuses across the country, particularly the tragic massacre that occurred at Virginia Technical College just a few short years ago, have them considering the safety of their schools as well. In response to those concerns, some colleges are thinking about arming the security guards that currently patrol the campus. Others may allow students and faculty to carry their own firearms as a means of self-defense in the event of an attack. We will take a look at both issues, and why community colleges are taking such measures to protect their students and staff.

Armed Officers may be Coming to Illinois College

Illinois Valley Community College is just one of the community colleges across the country considering the option of arming security guards on campus. IVCC president Jerry Corcoran told the News Tribune that the upcoming retirement of current Safety Services Director Ken Sangston prompted the idea. Corcoran said, "We're seeing a trend among community colleges across the state where they have armed security. IVCC is like a small city…so if there's an opportunity to raise the bar for security we should explore it."

IVCC currently employs four full-time and six part-time security guards. At this time, all of them are unarmed. If they decide to arm some of their staff, the

Few would argue that the budgets of most community colleges across the country are pinched to the limit today. The answer to overcrowded classrooms, long waitlists, and decrepit buildings seems obvious: pump more money into the system and then stand back to watch the benefits unfold. However, in a recent expose, the Los Angeles Community College simply wasted millions of taxpayer dollars that were meant to improve the campuses through poor planning, questionable contract awards, and construction blunders.

How it Happened in L.A.

With billions raised through a series of bond measures that would total around $11 billion when all was said and done, the district was clearly poised to bring the community colleges of Los Angeles into the 21^st century. According to the Los Angeles Times, the money was supposed to be spent to ease overcrowding in classrooms, beef up seismic protections, and add new technology to the learning experience.

It sounded great to Los Angeles voters, which is why they agreed to the proposed bond issues, which raised property taxes for the next 50 years. It sounded great to the many students that were ready to further their education and professional careers through coursework at community colleges throughout the district. It sounded really great to the construction companies and contractors hired to do the work, pumping money into California's economy and bringing jobs to many who needed them.

Alas, the reality did not work out so well

Home brewing has become a popular pastime for brewmasters across the country. The art of mixing hops, malt, and yeast to produce a wide range of beer flavors mixes the best science, math and home economics have to offer. If this list sounds like a roster for higher education courses, that is apparently what some community colleges have thought as well! This craze has moved to campuses, with more and more colleges offering classes in how to brew the perfect glass of ale. We have a listing of some of the colleges featuring beer brewing training, along with the details of the courses they offer.

This video describes the craft brewing, packaging and service operations certificate class at Grand Rapids Community College's Secchia Institute for Culinary Education.

Cabrillo College Gets into the Brewing Act

California resident Mark Taylor has a love of beer brewing that dates back more than a decade. This amateur brewmaster mixes a variety of ales at home, and he keeps four beers on tap in a converted refrigerator. Taylor decided he wanted to share his love of his craft with others and sent proposals for a home brewing course to four different community colleges nearby. According to a report at the Santa Cruz Sentinel, those first four offers fell short, but another community college eventually took Taylor up on his offer.

Cabrillo College in Aptos decided