DEARBORN — Millions of Americans may have the opportunity to attend community college tuition-free under a proposed plan by President Obama to expand the access of higher education for the lower and middle classes.

The Universal Community College Plan would provide two years of free community college for students if they maintain a GPA above 2.5, are enrolled at least part-time and are making progress towards a degree or transfer to a four-year university. The education overhaul, if passed, is estimated to cost $60 billion over the next 10 years. 

The federal government would cover 75 percent of community college tuition costs and require states to foot the bill for the final quarter. States would also be required to stick to reforms outlined by the plan, which include changes to a campus advising, curriculum and student support services. 

Educators, both local and national, have praised the plan for lifting economic barriers, allowing more people to attend college and the positive impact it would have on the economy. 

“In Michigan, the number of those with an associate’s or higher is only 36.8 percent,” Henry Ford College President Dr. Stan Jensen said. “And because Michigan ranks in the top 10 for student loan debt nationally, this program would help individuals achieve their goal of a college education without incurring debt.”

According to the Lumina Foundation, Michigan falls just under the national average for those with higher education degrees or certificates. 

“Based on initial analysis of President Obama’s Free Community College Tuition proposal, it appears that the effort would help increase access to postsecondary education for those citizens who may have thought a college education was out of reach,” Jensen said.

Obama’s plan would cover tuition for both current and future Henry Ford College students, as well as Michigan’s 30 plus community colleges.

“It also has the potential to help students complete their associate and bachelor’s degrees and spur growth in our state economy,” Jensen added. “We look forward to hearing more about the details and potential positive impact of this effort.”

Henry Ford College serves the Dearborn community and deems itself “one of the most affordable colleges” in the state.

The Michigan Community College Association (MCAA) has also publicly supported the president’s initiative.

“Obama’s proposal has great potential for minimizing the financial barrier to access and increasing the number of adults with credentials and degrees of value,” said Mike Hansen, the president of the MCAA. 

Hansen said that by 2020, two thirds of all jobs will require some kind of postsecondary education, with wages directly correlating to an individual’s education. Education beyond a high school diploma will be crucial to most and the free tuition plan “clearly underscores the importance of obtaining a postsecondary education in today’s economy.”

Although the president’s community college initiative is gaining national support from educators and scholars, many experts predict the steep price tag could deem the plan dead on arrival when it reaches the Republican-controlled congress. 

In an open statement about the plan, The Institute for College Access & Success (TICAS), a national nonprofit tuition advocacy group, warned that similar “free tuition” initiatives failed to make a meaningful impact on low-income students. 

“Consider California community colleges, with the lowest tuition in the nation and waivers for low-income students,” Debbie Cochrane, the research director at TICAS, said. “The result? Federal student aid application rates, even among low-income students, have been notoriously low and part-time enrollment rates sky-high. ‘Free tuition’ is not a panacea.”

Regardless of whether Obama’s plan tanks, the rising cost of tuition and mounting student loan debt has opened a nationwide conversation about how to get more people into school affordably. 

“Question is, how do we get there?” Hansen asked.