Vice President Joe Biden will visit West Los Angeles College today to meet with students and administrators to discuss the importance of helping people achieve their higher-education goals.
The meeting is likely an effort to tout President Barack Obama’s recently announced proposal to make community college free for two years for students who maintain a grade-point average of at least 2.5 and make steady progress toward a degree or transfer to a four-year university.
During his State of the Union address Tuesday, Obama said 40 percent of college students attend a community college.
“Whoever you are, this plan is your chance to graduate ready for the new economy, without a load of debt,” Obama said.
The proposal calls for the federal government to cover 75 percent of the average cost of community college, with states picking up the rest.
Congressional Republicans have essentially called the plan, which would be funded largely by tax hikes on high-income Americans and a fee on large banks, a non-starter.
“He knows we’re not likely to pass these kinds of measures,” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, said.
At West Los Angeles College, Biden will hold a roundtable discussion “that will focus on the importance of helping more Americans go to college and the critical role that partnerships between community colleges and employers can play in helping Americans obtain the skills they need to succeed in the workplace,” according to the White House.
In addition to students and administrators, local business owners are also expected to take part in the event.
On Saturday, Biden will be in Irvine to deliver the keynote speech at the Patient Safety, Science and Technology Summit at the Hotel Irvine, 17900 Jamboree Road.
Motorists in the West Los Angeles area should anticipate delays and street closures to accommodate Biden’s motorcade as it makes its way to the campus at 9000 Overland Ave. in Culver City.
Los Angeles police advised motorists to avoid the following areas between 8:30 and 10 a.m.:
— Wilshire Boulevard and Rodeo Drive;
— Wilshire and Santa Monica boulevards; and
— Santa Monica and the southbound 405 Freeway.
From 9 a.m. to noon, motorists should avoid:
— Jefferson Boulevard and the southbound 405; and
— Jefferson Boulevard and Overland Avenue.
From 10:30 a.m. to noon, motorists should avoid:
— Overland and Freshman drives;
— Westwood and Wilshire boulevards; and
— Wilshire and Rodeo drives.
On Saturday, when Biden is scheduled to travel to Irvine, motorists should avoid:
— Wilshire and Santa Monica boulevards, and Santa Monica and the 405 Freeway from 7:30 to 9 a.m.;
— Pass Avenue and the 134 Freeway, and Verdugo Avenue and Hollywood Way, Hollywood Way and Vanowen Street, and Vineland and Sherman Way from 8 to 9:30 a.m.
