From President Obama on down, the public and private complaint is
"college costs too much, why is tuition going through the roof?"
I've been asking the same question, and it's personal: I am deeply
involved in the affairs and the success of my alma mater, I'm one of those
alumni who know the words—both verses—of the school song.
So I offer this fabulously interesting analysis of why college tuition
has been rising since the year 2000—this cuts right to the bone:
A current WashingtonPost.com series, "The Tuition Is Too Damn High," is taking a careful look at tuition and college finances in general.
Here's the short version of why college tuition rose during the
2000-2010 decade, a period when federal aid to college education and college
students was increased:
1. Public colleges and universities (all but the "research"
universities) didn't raise spending during 2000-2010, but their state funding was
cut drastically, so tuition went up to cover the shortfall. Students and their
parents are paying directly to make up for the state cutbacks.
Public community colleges have actually cut their spending during
2000-2010, but their state funding has been cut back so much that tuition had
to be raised.
2. Private non-research colleges
and universities have been boosting spending per student only moderately. However,
endowment revenues and donations from college boosters have declined, so
tuition is up more than 23% during
2000-2010.
3. Big public and private
research universities are boosting their spending, and raising tuition to cover
it. You want the prestige, you gotta pay for it.
There it is, in the old nutshell. Not
a pretty picture.
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