When the news that our tuition was going to, then did, go up next year because of added fees, we weren’t happy — to say the least.

Yes, we all recognize that as the University loses funding, the costs we pay will rise, but it still hurts when we have to stretch our dollars a little further each year.

But now, thanks to a new plan introduced at Friday’s Arizona Board of Regents meeting by president Ernesto Calderón, generations of students after us could have it easier.

Calderón’s plan builds off President Michael Crow’s idea of expanding the role of community colleges by using them as a big part of college learning. Universities would choose four or five majors in high demand and develop a four-year curriculum for each. Students getting ready to enter college would apply as normal at one of the three state universities, and those interested in one of the aforementioned majors would be assigned to a community college.

For the first three years, students would take classes at the community college and pay community college prices.

Calderón said that would run about $2,200 a year, compared to the $6,800 the state universities charge. Based loosely off Regis College in Colorado, the plan would cut the cost of a bachelor’s degree by about 60 percent, he said.

This sounds just great to use, but of course there are a few hitches. In particular, the idea of a (most likely) small group of people choosing what majors could work with this system worries us. There’s no doubt those choices would move to the top of the list for some students looking into entering college after high school, and that could be a bad thing.

Say, for example, Betty Student was deciding whether she should major in mathematics or secondary education. Well, Betty, if you choose secondary education, you can take three-quarters of your classes at a community college, shaving thousands of dollars off your tuition bills. Betty would more than likely choose the option that saves her money.

By no means are we saying mathematics is better than secondary education — the point here is it makes sense that those “chosen” majors would flood with new applicants, which could throw things out of whack.

But maybe we’re just being cynical. A system that could allow more students than ever to get a degree can’t be all that bad. At least we hope so.