Editorial: Higher education for all

‘ ‘ ‘ A new report from the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education paints a… ‘ ‘ ‘ A new report from the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education paints a worrying picture of the future of college affordability. ‘ ‘ ‘ The report, ‘Measuring Up 2008,’ found that college tuition and fees soared 439 percent, accounting for inflation, from 1982 to 2007. ‘ ‘ ‘ Median family income, on the other hand, increased 147 percent. ‘ ‘ ‘ Furthermore, the rate at which students take out loans has more than doubled in the past 10 years, and students are receiving smaller grants from colleges. ‘ ‘ ‘ Patrick M. Callan, president of the center, told The New York Times, ‘When we come out of the recession, we’re really going to be in jeopardy, because the educational gap between our work force and the rest of the world will make it very hard to be competitive. ‘ ‘ ‘ Already, we’re one of the few countries where 25- to 34-year-olds are less educated than older workers.’ ‘ ‘ ‘ This is a serious problem, especially when considering the current economic climate, as many Americans are struggling to make ends meet. ‘ ‘ ‘ If tuition and fees continue to rise at this alarming rate, fewer and fewer students will be able to attend college. ‘ ‘ ‘ Callan said that while college enrollment has risen in the past few years, this most likely will not continue. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘The middle class has been financing [higher education] through debt,’ Callan told the Times. ‘ ‘ ‘ At this pace, colleges are well on their way to becoming strictly elitist institutions, much like they were in the past when education was restricted only to those who could afford it. ‘ ‘ ‘ Cash-strapped students are burdened with debt when they graduate and head into the professional world. ‘ ‘ ‘ Universities have become businesses, seemingly more concerned with making money than educating students. ‘ ‘ ‘ Somewhere down the road, the emphasis on academics was lost. ‘ ‘ ‘ It’s time for the government to make a decision to drastically change the education system in the United States. ‘ ‘ ‘ Perhaps the solution to this growing problem is socializing higher education. ‘ ‘ ‘ Most Western, post-industrialized nations, including France, the United Kingdom, Switzerland and Germany, have socialized education. ‘ ‘ ‘ With socialization, higher education will no longer be restricted to those who can afford it, but to those with the academic qualifications. ‘ ‘ ‘ Not only is this beneficial to students of any socioeconomic status, but it would also do a great deal of good for the United States as a whole. ‘ ‘ ‘ The effects of a skilled and educated society will undoubtedly spread throughout the country. ‘ ‘ ‘ In today’s professional environment, it is safe to say that a college degree is not simply an asset, but rather a prerequisite for success. ‘ ‘ ‘ In the United States, every high school graduate should have a chance at this success. ‘ ‘ ‘ Higher education should be made available to all, regardless of where they stand on the financial ladder.