I just fired an EMail off to my State Senator and my State Representative, asking about the erosion of one of the benefits seniors have at UMass Lowell. As it stands now, those 60 and over may take Continuing Education course for $30 plus the books, as long as the course is being taught in a classroom and there is room.
This is a great deal for Seniors, especially married seniors who want to both test their brains and also do something together. Martha and I have been doing this for several years and greatly enjoy it.
The fly in the ointment is that this only applies to courses in the classroom. If the course is "online" it is full freight. For undergraduate courses that is $355 per credit hour or $1,515 for your typical 3 credit hour course. A big difference.
For the last several years the balance has been shifting from almost all courses in a classroom to more and more courses online. Thus, the options for classes has been diminishing. Take English. There are six classes in a classroom and 22 listed as "Online Course". History is four in the classroom and eight online. Languages (French and Spanish) are all "Online Courses". On the other hand, Mathematics is 22 in the classroom and four online.
I am not against online education. I think it is great. I would just like to see the benefit of $30 classes extended to online courses.
We will see what we hear from our legislators.
If anyone is interested, I will conduct a pool on when we get responses.
Regards — Cliff
I have already spoken to our State Senator Donoghue who explained to me that it was a matter of funding. The funding for Continuing-Ed online courses is "different" from in-class courses. The ordinance as passed by the lege giving seniors free tuition has very specific language only allowing free tuition for courses funded in a very specific way if I understand Senator Donoghue correctly. I have already asked her personally to look into amending the current law to allow online courses to qualify. However, knowing how the Mass lege operates I would not hold my breath until it passes! Cliff let me know if I can add anything to your letters or sign any petitions etc. Currently I am taking a State & Local Politics course with Bernie Lynch and have asked him to explain the "initiative petition" process where every citizen has a right to force his Rep to file legislation on his/her behalf. Once I learn more I will be taking advantage of this process to get legislation filed to make online courses the equivalent of in-class courses.
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