From: utzoo!decvax!harpo!npoiv!npois!cbosgd!mark
Newsgroups: net.followup
Title: Re: "re: Education as a right"
Article-I.D.: cbosgd.2774
Posted: Tue Nov  2 00:49:28 1982
Received: Tue Nov  2 06:58:39 1982
Reply-To: mark@cbosgd.UUCP (Mark Horton)
References: omsvax.187

Bruce Cohen has an interesting point.  Let me go him one further and
propose a solution to our problem of not enough trained computer
professionals, not enough jobs, and too high taxes.

We've got all these auto and steel and lumber workers out of work.
Lots of computer jobs open and not enough faculty to train enough
people to take the jobs.  Suppose Reagan were to create the notion
of a "free university" in every major city (or at least in cities
in areas hard hit by unemployment).  First priority for enrollment
would go to the unemployed, possibly with an aptitude test for
screening.  The classes would be of a technical nature, e.g. computer
programming classes (although other areas would be fair game as well).
The teachers would be volunteers, teaching one class per week, probably
at night.  To be a teacher, you would have to meet reasonable standards,
such as a BS in Computer Science (or a higher degree for upper division
classes).  The incentive for the teachers would be a tax break, for example
being able to deduct the value of your time while teaching the class.
Classes would be taught in otherwise unused classrooms in college or
high schools.  Computing facilities would be donated from some company
who gets a tax break for them, or perhaps students would buy their own PC.

Nobody spends any money, except the students for books and transportation.
By having classes at night, people with daytime jobs could still attend,
and classrooms would be available.  The "free universities" might grant
degrees, although they would probably not be accredited.  They would
provide training, which (I hope) is the main thing employers require.

Is this viable?  Would people reading this be willing to teach one class
each night for a tax break?  Would the existing 2 year schools be put
out of business?

By the way, there is a (long silent) newsgroup net.cse (Computer Science
Education) in which this discussion should probably continue.

	Mark