The plan to change Maine's existing Technical College System arose last summer when System administrators presented a series of studies and surveys showing the many barriers adult student face when taking higher education courses. Some of these barriers included: cost and ability to pay; lack of time, uncertainty of career goals, and lack of child care. When asked what factors would help them go to college, many adult students cited the following: financial assistance, convenient location, small classes, part-time schedules, courses available during evenings/weekends academic help, assistance in career planning, and child care. These attributes are hallmarks of community colleges, which have traditionally served a large adult population.

Eastern Maine Technical President Joyce Hedlund expressed appreciation for the vote and compared it to the successful effort to create the Penquis Higher Education Center in Dover-Foxcroft. "This shows a strong level of support for a community college at the grass roots level," said Hedlund who said she realized that many in the Penquis Region have come to depend on the Higher Education Center for classes. According to Hedlund, the new community college system will offer the same- if not greater- coursework for area residents.

For more information on the proposed Maine Community College System, see the http://www.mtcs.net/CCforME.html.