AUBURN – The county’s future hinges on college-educated adults, former Gov. Angus King told a crowd of lawmakers, educators and business leaders Wednesday.
He predicted the region would face dire consequences if it didn’t boost college attendance immediately.
“This is essential. This is life or death for this community. This is life or death for Maine,” he said.
More than 100 people vowed not to let the county go down without a fight. At Wednesday’s College for ME-Androscoggin forum, they agreed to work on doubling the county’s college-educated work force over the next decade.
“It’s not a matter of, Do you want to do it?’ but, You have to do it,'” said Charles Collins, dean of students at Central Maine Community College.
According to the 2000 census, less than 30 percent of Androscoggin County’s working adults have college degrees. That’s compared to 37 percent statewide and 45 percent in New England.
Androscoggin has the fourth-lowest number of college-educated adults of the state’s 16 counties.
Solutions?
After King’s keynote address, the forum participants brainstormed ways to boost college attendance.
“Doubling the number of college graduates is challenging but it is doable. We just need some ideas,” said Chip Morrison, leader of the Androscoggin Chamber of Commerce.
Some in the meeting pressed for on-site child care at local colleges. Some wanted an extensive public relations campaign aimed at working adults. Others advocated an agreement among all colleges so students could enroll at one school but take a course at another when time, location or schedule make it necessary.
“You make it portable. You’ve got to make it portable because once you get started, you have to get it done,” Collins said.
Others said the county should offer school loans that would be forgiven if students work in the region after graduation. Some said businesses should offer more incentives for workers who go back to school and said that local colleges should add new degree programs to make college more attractive.
Organizers said they would take the ideas under consideration and plan their next steps. They pledged to be “very aggressive.”
Said Jan Phillips, head of College for ME-Androscoggin, “We’re already behind. We’ve got to be dramatic.”
College for ME-Androscoggin is an offshoot of a similar state initiative. Androscoggin is the first county with its own group dedicated to the issue.
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