Tuition-Free
Classes to Learn English Being Questioned at COD
Member institutions of
DuPage United are concerned about significant revisions
to the college’s tuition-free English as a Second
Language (ESL) classes. At our delegate assembly in
2008 concerns were raised about the possibility of ESL
Level 7 classes being eliminated. The concerns were
justified. In the spring of 2009, classes that affected
as many as 450 students were eliminated.
Fall 2009 brought further changes that had the
potential to reduce accessibility and availability,
with as many as 36 ESL classes being eliminated from
the spring schedule, including fully-enrolled 4-day
intensive on-campus sections. The rationale being used
is that the overall adult education program costs more
to run than it receives in state and federal grant
money. This implies that no local money should be used
to support a growing local need.
This is a critical issue, and it gets to the heart of
what a community college is supposed to be about. ESL
classes are especially important in the DuPage County
area, where as many as 150,000 residents could benefit
from English language classes. The demographics of our
area have been shifting significantly and will continue
to do so.
Many lower-income refugees and immigrants are
relocating here. Demand for tuition-free English
language classes is growing, with current enrollment in
ESL classes already over 3,200 students per semester.
Employers, police and fire departments, medical
personnel, and educators all know that competency in
English is critical for our economy, public safety,
public health, and education.
DuPage United supports using a portion of the local
taxes collected by COD to sustain and enlarge this
needed local resource. We do not want that use to be by
default, nor do we want it to be labeled as a “loss.”
DuPage United will continue to research the use, cost,
revenues, and benefits of the ESL program at COD.
On January 21, DuPage
United presented over 2600 signatures to the College of
DuPage Board of Trustees at the board meeting. The
petition requests the COD Board of Trustees to direct
that a portion of local taxes it receives be
specifically allocated to sustain and enlarge the
tuition-free English language (ESL) program. DuPage
United circulated petitions over a few weeks in January
to draw attention to the growing need for the English
language program and to demonstrate community support
for it.
As we collected signatures, we found significant
support for the use of local funds to support the ESL
program at COD. In fact, as word got out that we were
collecting signatures in support of the ESL classes,
individuals as well as other unaffiliated churches and
mosques began talking about the importance of the ESL
program and collecting signatures as well. Signatures
have been collected from all over COD District 502,
from Addison to Darien, and from Oak Brook to Aurora.
We chose to keep the collection period short, so that
the petitions could be presented at the January board
meeting.
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