UT's Powers Responds to Obama's Affordability Push
In a Friday morning speech at the University of Michigan campus in Ann Arbor, President Obama addressed college affordability and higher education reforms, which have been hot topics in Texas throughout the last year.
"We are putting colleges on notice," he said, echoing a sentiment from his recent State of the Union address. "You can't assume that you’ll just jack up tuition every single year. If you can’t stop tuition from going up, then the funding you get from taxpayers each year will go down."
Administrators at the University of Texas at Austin have proposed raising tuition ...
Comments (5)
T D
Perhaps Obama meant to say "If the funding you get from taxpayers each year goes down, you can't stop tuition from going up"?
Richard S. Moore via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Why is there so little support for the “Public Good IRA Rollover” act? This could bring substantial contributions to Colleges and Universities. You would think that this would be something that has bipartisan support.
David Spratt
instead of Race to the Top ,, this sounds like a Race to the Trough , that holds 1 billion $.
College has never been "affordable" to every family any more than owning a home or driving a Hummer. The Prez State of the Union and all subsequent ramblings will be a rehash of all previous ramblings and has mass appeal to be sure. Not one rational person would disagree with the idea of more equality, bigger paychecks and just more free stuff in general,,,,, until you figure out you are the one paying for it all. At an early age I was taught there is no such thing as a free ride,,, as adults many have forgotten that concept and now believe in this false idea. No question about it costs in health care and education are out of control and something needs to be done,,,, but making promises like the ones Obama is making is unrealistic. He is playing on what he believes is the childlike mentality of the American People in that if you will just be good , do the right thing, and vote for him he will provide everything you need , want or desire. Common sense tells me to evaluate the efficiency , and efficacy of every department and government agency and what they accomplish now when deciding whether new rules and regulations will lead to a more productive , fair and efficient use of tax $ . The result of this evaluation is that almost without exception anything the government tries to run or regulate is fraught with waste, fraud, misuse and leads to inefficiencies , redundancies, and reduces the productive value of any private endeavor. Personal choice and the free market system provides for proper regulation of itself. If you spend money and get value for it more people will follow. If the price is too high and the value is not there people will not buy . Education is a product and should be treated as such. When you leave college you are a product and as such you will have to market your services or knowledge as a product. Just because you have a degree does not mean anyone is obligated to pay you for it , or maybe they will be in the future if Obama has his way? Just because you enjoy art or music does not mean you can make a living at them . Students bear a responsibility to study wisely and invest wisely in their future. As well Universities have a responsibility to provide education in areas of study that will provide value and make those who graduate into marketable employable people. useless electives may make you a well rounded person possibly , but will anyone care about your vast knowledge of the Occupy Movement, dance theory or the impact of baseball on American society.
There is a general idea that College is supposed to be a fun experience , filled with taking easy courses , spring. winter and summer breaks. A more practical and realistic view would be that it is actually a job in itself. Expectations that just by paying money and showing up will make you a marketable and valuable employee are just wrong.
The concept of education itself needs to change both in the providing of it and on the part of those recieving it. Only when those on both sides are on the same page as to the purpose and what the end result should be , will there be a change .
gypsy314 ne
We know who is making all the money now is it worth it is the big question now
Anyone but Obama!
Remember a vote for a democrat is a vote for Obama and illegal aliens , homosexuals and terrorist.
Milan Moravec
Foreign student tuition at UC Berkeley (UCB) is subsidized in the guise of diversity while instate student tuition/fees are doubled. UCB Chancellor Robert J Birgeneau displaces Californians qualified for public UCB with a $50,600 payment from foreign students.
UC Berkeley is not increasing enrollment. Birgeneau accepts $50,600 foreign students and displaces qualified instate Californians (When depreciation of assets funded by Californians are in foreign and out of state tuition calculations, out of state and foreign tuition is more than $100,000 + and does NOT subsidize instate tuition). Like Coaches, Chancellors Who Do Not Measure Up Must Go: remove Birgeneau.
More recently, Chancellor Birgeneau’s campus police deployed violent baton jabs on students protesting Birgeneau’s tuition increases. The sky will not fall when Birgeneau and his $450,000 salary are ousted. Opinions make a difference; email UC Board of Regents marsha.kelman@ucop.edu