The numbers are alarming. The real cost of a college education in the United States has grown more than 100 percent over the last three decades, a rate that is exponentially higher than the wage increases and cost of living adjustments of most Americans, says Eugene J. Cornacchia, president of Saint Peter’s College in New Jersey, for the Washington Post. The latest figures from the College Board put the average cost for 2011-2012, including tuition, fees, room and board, at $17,131 for four-year public colleges (a 6 percent increase over the previous year) and $38,589 for private, nonprofit institutions (a 4.4 percent increase over the previous year). At this rate, it is estimated that a private, four-year undergraduate education will cost $280,000 or more when today’s preschoolers enter higher education in 2026. Perception, for the most part, has driven the national dialogue about the rising price of college. One view, held among elected officials, the media and even the general public, is that gold-plated amenities, prestige games among colleges and universities and bloated administrations are chiefly responsible for escalating costs that take an increasing share of middle-class incomes and price the less-privileged out of a college education…
…Read MorePodcast Series: Innovations in Education
Explore the full series of eCampus News podcasts hosted by Kevin Hogan—created to keep you on the cutting edge of innovations in education.
Making college affordable: five ways that states, schools are trying to help
Student debt and skyrocketing tuition make headlines. But this week, both Democratic and Republican lawmakers have sought to highlight the silver lining – examples of how states and institutions have been trying to reduce the cost of higher education, the Christian Science Monitor reports.
“Now more than ever, public higher-education institutions and state officials will need to work together to improve access and performance while spending resources wisely and cutting costs,” said Scott Pattison, executive director of the National Association of State Budget Officers, in a hearing Wednesday held by the House Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Training. Here are some ideas presented in that hearing, and another Thursday morning before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions…
President Barack Obama expected to make an announcement about college affordability
In his second presidential appearance in Colorado in a month, White House officials have confirmed that President Barack Obama will discuss student loans and make an announcement about college affordability on Auraria’s campus at 10:45 a.m. Wednesday, the Huffington Post reports. While the president will spend tonight attending two fundraisers at the Pepsi Center, approximately 700 lined up for tickets on the Auraria campus to see President Obama Wednesday according to a Denver Post report. All 4,000 of the tickets being given out to college students were taken by 11 a.m. and several roads downtown are due to be closed Wednesday because of the event…
…Read MoreObama: College affordability a key priority
Education is one of the few areas of the federal budget that would not see a spending freeze, if President Barack Obama gets his way this year—and making college more affordable will be one of his main priorities.
In his State of the Union speech on Jan. 27, Obama called on Congress to finish work on a measure to revitalize community colleges. And he called for a $10,000 tax credit to families for four years of college, as well as an increase in Pell Grants.
“In the 21st century, one of the best anti-poverty programs is a world-class education,” Obama said.…Read More