From PHENOM’s 2015/16 Newsletter:
PHENOM’s dual focus on short-term incremental improvements and real long-term solutions was on vivid display at PHENOM’s Forum on College Affordability, held October 14th at UMass Amherst. Congressman Jim McGovern and Chris Cappucci, aide to State Representative Paul Mark, presented honest appraisals of what was, what might, and what is not reasonable to expect through the legislative process in the next year.
Maggie Thompson, from Higher Ed Not Debt, and our own Natalie Higgins, discussed the growing movement for some version of free higher education. As Maggie said, we’re not yet at the point of choosing one over the other – we need to support any movement toward, free, debt-free or fully-funded two-years or four-years of higher education. As others commented, PHENOM’s talk about free higher ed was considered by many to be pie-in-the-sky just two years ago; now all the major Democratic Party candidates for President are singing this tune.