David Pesapane: A college-destroying ruse

Regarding the June 2 news article “HBCUs to be dropped from low-tuition plan”: A closer look at the legislature’s proposal to reduce the tuition to $500 per semester at some of the state colleges results in some interesting figures.

Using Elizabeth City State as an example; in 2015 enrollment was 1,406 and per semester tuition was $2,819, which resulted in tuition income of $3,963,514. Reducing tuition to $500 per semester would have resulted in only $703,000 in tuition income or a loss of $3,260,514. At $500 per student, the enrollment would have to increase by 6,521 (100 percent unrealistic) to make up the deficit or the state would have to pony up much more to keep the school open.

Is this a back-door effort to close the school or is it just another ill-conceived effort, such as House Bill 2, by a group of highly educated but ignorant politicians?

This story was originally published June 2, 2016 at 4:06 PM with the headline "David Pesapane: A college-destroying ruse."