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ROB MCCLENDON: SO WHERE DOES THAT LEAVE US?
WELL FOR MANY RECENT GRADUATES, BACK WITH MOM AND DAD.
EIGHTY-FIVE PERCENT OF RECENT GRADUATES SAY RETURNING HOME IS IN THEIR
PLANS.
AND FOR OLDER STUDENTS WITHOUT A PARENTAL SAFETY NET, WELL IT LEAVES THEM
IN POVERTY.
I HAVE A P-H-D.
AND I AM ON WELFARE.
AND I AM AN ADJUNCT PROFESSOR AT A LOCAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE.
I DID THE USUAL THING, YOU KNOW YOU GRADUATE FROM HIGH SCHOOL AND THEN YOU
GO TO COLLEGE.
ONE OF MY HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS SENT ME A LETTER THAT I HAD WRITTEN MYSELF
WHEN I WAS, IT MUST HAVE BEEN 6TH GRADE BECAUSE I WAS 12, THAT SAID, YOU'RE
A PROFESSOR.
AND I THOUGHT WOW, YOU KNOW I READ HISTORY BOOKS ALL THE TIME; I SHOULD GET
PAID TO DO THIS.
I REALLY DO BELIEVE IN THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE MISSION.
I BELIEVE IN GIVING STUDENTS WHO MIGHT NOT OTHERWISE HAVE ACCESS TO
EDUCATION THAT ACCESS.
I DIDN'T EXPECT TO BE WHERE I AM NOW.
I DIDN'T EXPECT TO BE HAVING TO SWALLOW MY PRIDE AND APPLY FOR PUBLIC
ASSISTANCE.
IT BUYS FOOD AND IT GIVES BOTH MY DAUGHTER AND I MEDICAL CARE.
MY FIRST TRIP TO THE STORE I USUALLY SPEND ABOUT A HUNDRED AND TWENTY, AND
AFTER THAT IT'S LESS, A LOT LESS.
I DON'T GET PAID EVERY OTHER WEEK.
I GET PAID X AMOUNT OF DOLLARS PER CLASS I TEACH.
BUT I HAVE A CHILD; MY KID DOES NOT GET TO GO HUNGRY BECAUSE I'M TOO PROUD.
AND WHEN YOU'VE GOT KIDS TO FEED AND YOU GET A VERY SMALL AMOUNT OF MONEY
EVERY MONTH, YOU BUY WHAT FEEDS THEM.
AND QUITE FRANKLY A GROWING NUMBER OF US ARE FINDING IT HARD TO MAKE
ENDS MEET.
I NEVER THOUGHT I'D BE ON WELFARE.
BUT THEN AGAIN, YOU'VE GOT TO DO WHAT YOU'VE GOT TO DO.
ROB: NOW MATTEAU SAYS SHE BELIEVED FINISHING HER P-H-D IN HISTORY WOULD
LEAD TO SUCCESS AND NOT FOOD STAMPS.
AND SHE IS NOT ALONE.
THE GOVERNMENT NOW HOLDS ABOUT 93 PERCENT OF ALL STUDENT LOAN DEBT, AND
INCREASINGLY STUDENTS ARE LETTING THOSE BILLS GO PAST DUE.
OF THE 131 BILLION DOLLARS NOW OWED TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, THE VAST
MAJORITY ARE STUDENT LOANS TOTALING SOME 92 BILLION DOLLARS.
WHEN WE RETURN, WE TAKE A LOOK AT SOME SOLUTIONS TO THE RISING COST OF HIGHER
EDUCATION.