Students who have the misfortune of coming to college now, as states reel from one of the worst economic pictures in decades, face a triple whammy of financial obstacles. State support of public higher education has dropped sharply, tuition and fees are soaring and, in many states, financial aid is being cut as much or more than the percentage increase in tuition.

A report, "College Affordability in Jeopardy," released in February by the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education shows what has happened state by state to public tuition and fees, state appropriations for higher education, state student financial aid and personal income for fiscal years 2002 and 2003. The national trend is a cost shift. "The states are responding to the budget crisis by passing major cuts on to colleges and universities--and colleges and universities are responding to these reductions by passing on the cost to students and families," says Patrick M. Callan, president of NCPPHE.

As AFT On Campus went to press, for example, at public four-year colleges and universities, 16 states have increased tuition and fees by more than 10 percent. Massachusetts had the largest increase--24 percent, followed by Missouri, Iowa and Texas at 20 percent and North Carolina at 19 percent. The picture only worsens, as states like New York consider a tuition hike of 35 percent.

At public two-year colleges, 10 states have increased tuition and fees by more than 10 percent.

At the same time, many states have been disinvesting in student aid. The worst case is Massachusetts, where the 24 percent tuition increase is framed against a 24 percent decrease in student financial aid. In Illinois, public four-year college tuition went up 9 percent, while the state cut financial aid by 10 percent. All told, only 14 states increased their financial aid spending by more than 10 percent, while 17 have decreased it.

"The cumulative effect is a major assault on college affordability," says Callan. "This comes at a time when unemployment is high, personal income is basically flat, and college-level education and training is a requirement for most well-paying jobs."

The report can be downloaded at http://www.highereducation.org/. [Barbara McKenna / AFT On Campus]

[April 29, 2003]