More than 20,000 students have taken advantage of the free Community College program in the state of Maine since it was first launched in 2022. Free access to a college education in Maine has positively impacted the enrollment rate in master’s programs, healthcare and trades, and has eventually led students to transfer to larger public universities, such as the University of Maine. Lawmakers are now deciding whether or not to make this program available permanently for Maine students. Administrators, faculty and students across the state are weighing in on the impact that losing this program could have on university enrollment and Maine residents.
In 2017, the University of Maine at Presque Isle launched the state’s first “free” college program. Today, all University of Maine System (UMS) campuses offer some form of tuition promise that is focused on Maine students with financial need and not directly subsidized by the state. As a result, last year, nearly 30% of all Maine undergraduates paid nothing out-of-pocket to attend Maine’s public universities, including UMaine.
Many have taken advantage of the free Community College program, including Brooke Berren, who is a third-year nursing student at UMaine. Berren discussed several factors that influenced her decision to start at a community college, including the opportunity to commit to soccer at the community college level. She says the biggest factor, though, was that it was the most financially responsible choice.
“Community college provided me with the opportunity to complete the prerequisites and core courses required for admission into a nursing program. It also made pursuing a healthcare career more accessible,” said Berren. “There is a significant need for professionals in the healthcare field, yet many individuals face financial barriers to entering it.”
In an interview with the Maine Campus, Maine Community College System (MCCS) President David Daigler explained why he believes the free college program is important to maintain, especially in light of a state-wide need for skilled workers in the industry and trade sectors.
“Maine has a desperate need for skilled workers in industries across the state, and Maine’s community colleges are the most affordable, accessible way to get the skills necessary to fill those jobs,” said Daigler. “Removing the barrier of tuition and fees through the Free College scholarship led to an increase in students, which leads to more skilled workers in Maine, who are carrying less debt into their working lives.”
Daigler also pointed out that enrollment increases can be attributed to several factors, including class times, program expansion and weekend options. However, since the free college program was introduced, enrollment and transfer enrollment have undoubtedly increased. For instance, he noted that the MCCS has found that enrollment is up 66% in health care programs (2,208 to 3,677) this past year.
Gov. Janet Mills recently weighed in on this issue while speaking at York Community College in March, sharing information about her own untraditional path to a higher education — which included gap years so that she could work on making the money to attend college again.
“It’s a growing program in terms of the number of people taking advantage of it. We like that. We’re trying not to grow the budget accordingly, but to keep it at a level where it’s sustainable,” said Mills, according to an article by Maine Morning Star.
Samantha Warren, UMS chief external & governmental affairs officer, also weighed in on the merits of the free college program in an email statement.
“We partner closely with Maine’s community colleges, and we need them to thrive, as they are our largest single source of transfers. We are pleased to see that after a concerning decline, the free community college tuition program has resulted in a rebound of their enrollment and MCCS-to-UMS transfers to pre-pandemic levels,” wrote Warren. “Our public universities are eager to welcome more of their students who are seeking high-quality, high-value four-year and advanced degrees.”
Warren proposed that UMS campuses remain an affordable option for students looking to complete a four-year degree, regardless of decisions made surrounding the state’s free community college program. She wrote that “Maine’s public universities are the most affordable in New England” and UMS knows “our affordability is essential to students enrolling and staying on track to timely degree completion and the workforce.”
In a recently published article on the Maine Public, the article notes that Maine could soon become “the first state in the country to offer students the option of free tuition and then take it away.” MCCS says the governor’s proposal to make the Maine Free College Scholarship permanent is included in the supplemental budget bill, which was approved by the Legislature’s Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee early on April 2. The bill (LD2212) now goes to the full Legislature, which will be in session on Monday, April 6.
