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colleges separate then I know a massive exploitation of these students, who are
barely making ends meet, will grow to a stage where we might as well say that
education, whether you believe it is a right or a privilege, is neither. Local
small and large business, industry and other forms of capitalistic enterprises
will make their mark on these colleges and the students will suffer. It happens
everywhere in society now, and I am not willing to allow this to happen
anymore. The purpose and mission of the community colleges will be
destroyed.

      There is another issue at hand here as well. My African-American
friends and members of various ethnic minorities across the state are
frightened. Demographically and socio-economically one can see that many
African-American and ethnic minorities across the state come from lower to
middle class backgrounds. Community colleges are important to them, as they
were to my family as middle class Latinos (Cuban-American), because they
allow access to a quality education so that they can either enter the work force
and/or transfer to a university after they were able to save up and/or receive
state and federal assistance. Prove to me that this plan will benefit not just my
African-American, Asian-American, Latinos and other under-represented
groups, but also people of all walks of life in lower and middle class status, and I
will support it. It doesn't, why? Because we live in a country where there isn't
enough funding for higher education, not enough loans, not enough grants,
plenty of scholarships but not enough access to them.

      I am willing to work for change. I have been a strong advocate for KERA
in this state. I believe in the democratic process and my liberal political views, I
believe, are of equal access for all, especially those who are under-represented.
But if you ask me, if you want to decentralize aspects of our state, you
decentralize the coal industry, decentralize government and decentralize big
business, but let higher education reform to the needs of the students, not to the
needs of those who will capitalize and gain profit; mainly business and
industry. Keep the community colleges working with UK not because they
should have the power or control over them, but because they bring about a
balance, access, and a preparation for life's many battles for the students of the
state. Students and faculty will continue to win whether they're on main
campus, or over in Ashland, Somerset or Owensboro.

      I have a suggestion: Let's make a new plan, let's call it "the students
plan." Let's see what they have to say. I know changes have to be made, but I
know that the changes proposed here are not only not what the students want,
but won't lead to the changes that the students do need.

      Imagine if we lived in a society where peoples needs are met, where
structures weren't in place that oppress people who are of different race or
ethnicity, where education was a right not a privilege, where business and