The stew of rising tuition costs and higher education cuts already is laden with the conflicting tastes of states who need to trim budgets and students with empty pockets. But now U.S. representatives want to jump into the boiler.
In an effort to restrict rising tuition costs, the College Affordability and Accountability Act was introduced Tuesday by two state representatives in the U.S. House.
If passed, the act will give aid to students at universities that maintain tuition prices at or below the Higher Education Price Index, which measures inflation.
The College Board, a nonprofit organization based in New York, recently found tuition increased during the 2003-04 academic year by an average of 14.1 percent at four-year public colleges and universities nationwide. MSU raised tuition for the fall semester by 9.9 percent.
While this particular bill might not be the exact answer to tuition woes, it's about time someone not directly affected by the increases went to bat for those who are. It's good to see U.S. representatives caring about this issue enough to create a bill.
One goal of the bill is to form a national campaign that would cut costs while requiring universities to report ideas for reductions. Requiring universities to provide information regarding costs of tuition, books and housing also would be encouraged with the bill.
But there is a problem with the bill's strategies. The bill places the responsibility of reducing tuition solely on the shoulders of public colleges and universities, without asking the state for help.
Many tuition increases are the result of state budget cuts, because higher education typically is not very high on states' priority lists. MSU saw a $21 million decrease in state appropriations this fiscal year.
Universities are forced to depend on outside donations from private companies, parents and alumni to curb rising tuition costs - but if there still isn't enough money after donation campaigns, the only option is to raise tuition.
MSU is just one of many schools experiencing rising tuition costs because of budget shortfalls.
But the state's monetary problems might lead to slashing funding for specific programs related to the university.
The MSU Extension program and the Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station might lose all funding in order to balance the state's $920 million budget shortfall.
Both programs are on Gov. Jennifer Granholm's list of possible areas to be cut in the budget.
Cutting funding from university programs should be a last resort for legislators.
Universities typically are seen as harboring unnecessary fat to be cut - but at this point, all the excess has been slashed. Universities are starting to get hit where it hurts.
The College Affordability and Accountability Act is a step in the right direction because the increase of tuition is a problem that deserves attention from people other than students and school officials. But the responsibility should not rest with just the universities, but with the states.
Higher education in all forms should be a higher priority.
