Editorial: College debt cycle stalls future - A Journal News editoria

Westchester Community College has resorted to taking students to court to collect tuition in arrears; the two-year public institution had about 631 active lawsuits against former students in state Supreme Court so far this year. Rockland Community College carries almost $3.4 million in past-due tuition from its students. Those numbers, included in staff writer Ernie Garcia's report, "Student debt at WCC prompts 631 lawsuits," hint at the role of community colleges as the entry point for students with diverse backgrounds, often with needs that outstrip the colleges' resources. Our local community colleges, part of the State University of New York system, deserve the tuition owed by students. But even a modest $2,149.50 full-time tuition per semester can burden those students most in need of accessible, affordable higher education. http://www.lohud.com/story/opinion/editorials/2014/10/11/editorial-community-colleges-debt-futures-stalled/17134849/