Gov. Gina Raimondo said Monday that if reelected she will revive her proposal to grant Rhode Island residents two years of free tuition at the University of Rhode Island and Rhode Island college.
Raimondo also called for additional job training for mid-career workers and increasing programs that link workers with potential employers by expanding trade and non-trade appreticeships.
The governor, running for reelection, is seeking to underscore the jobs and economy message that she used in her successful 2014 campaign for governor.
The expansion of the free-tuition initiative to URI and RIC is a sort of back-to-the future pledge. Raimondo attempted two years ago to get the General Assembly to provide free tuition for Rhode Island students at URI and RIC, but was rebuffed by the General Assembly. Lawmakers agreed only to the free tuition initiative at the Community College of Rhode Island.
Raimondo pledged to try again to expand the program to RIC and URI, saying that a college degree is the best springboard to the middle class. She also cited the high cost of college as a barrier for low-income students and Rhode Island’s status as a high student debt state. Recent graduates of Rhode Island colleges leave with an average student debt load of more than $35,000 – the second highest of any state.
“Four years ago, we shook up the old way of doing things to finally bring the change that Rhode Islanders need and deserve,” said Raimondo. “Today thousands of Rhode Islanders are getting the training and education they need to get the good jobs we are creating.”
“But there’s more work to do, and too much at stake in this election. If we don’t continue to expand our successful promise scholarship and Real Jobs RI partnerships, thousands of Rhode Islanders will never get the job training and education they need to keep up and get ahead.”