Show Tuition at Twice the Inflation Rate f. f Rising j P. P c By Edward Fuller Opinion Editor College students are paying rapidly escalating prices for higher l education A growing number of students students students stu stu- dents are going into debt and fewer of them are getting grants The College Board in Washington rr z- z DC D.C. reports tuition prices rising at twice the rate of national price tion Our nations nation's inflation rate is 2 percent Tuition and fees rose by an average of 4 percent at public four- four year institutions nationwide Those percentage points translate to an average price-hike price of for this school year As if most of us can afford to pay more money for tuition There is a reason why many of us attend community community com corn colleges take on jobs and seek to reduce living expenses in J whatever way that we can can can We We are td broke I have a Rising tuition is nothing that I J cant can't over over- come I have staked my claim to a aspot aspot aspot spot on an 15 1 exit ramp I got into a scuffle with the homeless veteran on who was begging on that corner and eventually worked out an arrangement where we wont won't be at atthe atthe atthe the same place at the same time A students student's got to do what a students student's students student's students student's stu stu- stu- stu dents dent's got to do I am making my cardboard sign right now It reads Please Help A Buddy Help Me Pay 4 College Study The College Board also reports that financial aid reached record levels last year Most of the increase was in the form of unsubsidized student loans instead of grants Unsubsidized student loans mean tougher times for low- low income students and those who dont don't get their degrees Many students resort to student loans because grants and their buying power have become inadequate The maximum federal Pell Grant used to cover three-quarters three of the cost of going to a year four-year public college in inthe inthe inthe the late Today the maximum only covers a third thin of college costs Tuition increases are nothing new According to the Associated Press college costs have increased at dou dou- ble the inflation rate every year since 1980 University and college officials officials officials say that increased demand for technology and decreases in state stale funding are to blame Allow me to pause for a moment to perform hoodoo-guru hoodoo controlled breathing exercises to lower my pressure blood-pressure so that the veins bulging from my forehead and tem tern pIes ples may become less conspicuous to alarmed passers Okay I think that my blood has cooled far enough below the boiling point Raising tuition to cover the cost of better technology in classrooms seems like money well Raising tuition to cover costs that are no longer paid by state governments governs govern- govern s ments is a w waste of students students' ts' ts money money ney We aie are e living investments in Americas America's future Our nations nation's future economy depends on our suc suc- cess Just like other investments maximum maximum maximum maxi maxi- mum performances and returns have havea a direct correlation to how much money investors are willing to risk State governments nationwide are increasing the amount of money moncy that they put into the prison system Which group of people are more deserving of money students or prisoners prisoners prisoners pris pris- If we college students are bet- bet I S ter investments why are state governments shortchanging us m reports that our nation pays 21 billion a year on prison construction and The cost of keeping one of Americas America's 18 million inmates behind bars ranges between 30 to 50 a day You dont don't have to be edu college to do the math Imagine how smooth college life could be if students students students stu stu- stu- stu dents received even half that amount per person It seems that the worst elements of society are receiving the a disproportionate disproportionate disproportionate amount of attention and money from state governments while students have to pinch pennies and do mental gymnastics to balance their checkbooks Show us the money Better yet grant us the money l While it is commendable that yea h President Clinton signed legislation to reduce the interest rate on student loans by half a percentage point we need more funding from state gov gov- There will be no reversal of the current trend of escalating college costs unless students are more active voters in m state and national elections Voters of college age are the least likely to participate in elections It should come as no surprise that we get insufficient attention and money from elected representatives While many young people feel that their votes cant can't change anything skyrocketing skyrocketing skyrocketing sky sky- rocketing are an indication of the price of young voters' voters apa apa- thy It is not too late Pay close attention attention attention atten atten- tion to the candidates in the upcoming upcoming upcoming ing Nov 3 election Vote for someone someone someone some some- one who seems committed to im improving roving our educational system That doesn't mean voting for a candidate who will encourage us to pray in our classrooms for tuition relief from heaven Vote for a candidate who seems willing to invest in Utah's educational education education- al institutions and in Utah's future Vote for somebody who is willing to invest the states state's money in you |