The Griffon News

Being a college student is tough. We all know that as students, but the faculty and administrators know it, too.

After all, they’ve been there; done that – got the degrees to prove it.

Because they know how difficult it is and that it is harder on some than others, Missouri Western has established policy and programs to give incoming freshmen the greatest chance
at success.

The newly established Griffon Gateway Program is another step in that direction.

Unless your degree requires a high level of math, most likely you dread the required college-level math courses.

And many students need developmental math before they even attempt the required courses.

The GGP allows students who have struggled through high school an opportunity to approach college life, with all its changes in cadence and personal responsibility, at a slower

pace.

Keeping these students at part-time status gives them a better chance to finish their developmental classes and gives them an opportunity to prove to themselves that they have the

personal drive it takes to succeed at a university.

It also makes the university look better to the state because the state only considers retention and graduation rates for first time, full-time freshmen. And GGP students are not full-time

students.

As The Griffon News reported in the Oct. 3 issue, that same part-time status puts an end to an important pact between its students and their parents.

If a parent can no longer claim their student on their federal income tax, the financial backlash is substantial in terms of tax credits, as well as medical insurance coverage, tuition
reimbursement and other benefits offered to a dependent by a parent’s employer.

This oversight was no doubt inadvertent and can be remedied.

For example, the university could make policy that the GGP students are in fact full-time, and the IRS will allow parents to claim them as a dependent.

However, if the university does declare GGP students as full-time, that will also cause the state to look at the GGP freshmen’s retention and graduation rates, which may not reflect

positively on the university.

On the one hand, the university’s image, which is unarguably important, is at stake if GGP students are considered full time.

On the other hand, many of the very students who need the financial support of their parents are put at an economic disadvantage by the program in its current state.

The university is at a crossroad. It’s time to ante up. How the university handles this dilemma with the GGP will tell a great deal about its priorities.