Obama delivered his State of the Union Address last night in the midst of the long-term national concerns about our economic state.  The recession has affected all of us, not only as employees, but also as students.  Our educational institutions have faced severe budget cuts over the last several years, cuts with which Skyline students are very familiar. In a speech that was much more focused on education than his previous State of the Union, President Obama outlined his plans, actions and concerns for the future of colleges in this country.

Already, it appears things may be looking up. In a country where community colleges used to be free institutions, tuition hikes here and at four-year universities have made it impossible for many students to continue their education beyond high school. In an effort to ensure that more people have a chance at an education, the Obama administration has ended what the President calls “unwarranted taxpayer subsidies” that usually went to banks. The administration used those savings to invest in schools to make college more affordable for many that would otherwise not be able to pay. Additionally, Obama urged Congress to take the next step and make a permanent tuition credit that will be worth $10,000 for four years of college. “It’s the right thing to do,” Obama said.

Obama mentioned community colleges specifically, noting that these students often have unique stories as to why they chose to further their education. In today’s ever-changing economy, people need to build new skills for the abundance of new jobs in areas like biotechnology. Now, more than ever, community colleges are an integral part of the success of our country. He vowed to revitalize the entire community college system for this reason, so the American dream of pursuing any career one wants to can continue. The specifics of his plan for the revitalization of community colleges are not yet known, but with any luck his promise will be kept and the worst of the recession for us as students will be over.