Private Colleges Do Their Part to Make Education Affordable
Published in USA Today
September 29, 2004
Private colleges and universities across the nation share the commitment
of the authors of the report from the National Center for Public Policy
and Higher Education, "Measuring Up 2004" ("Progress report
on higher-ed rolls: Needs improvement," Life, Sept. 15).
By substantially increasing grant aid during the past 10 years, our institutions
have been doing their part to keep high-quality college education affordable
for students from all backgrounds, by reducing real out-of-pocket family
expenses.
Largely because of substantial increases in institutional grant aid,
net tuition-list price minus grant aid-at private colleges dropped by
$100, adjusted for inflation, from 1992 through 2000. At the same time,
the proportion of students receiving institutional grants rose from 50%
to 65%.
The apparent contradiction between these findings and those of "Measuring
Up" can be explained in part by looking at trends in government funding.
Students at private colleges now receive four times as much grant aid
from their institutions as from the federal government.
Many states are struggling to make up for severe student-aid cuts in recent
years. Without a redoubled commitment from policymakers, the opportunity
for all students to attend the institution of their choice may be lost.
Although private colleges have increased grant aid by more than twice
the rate of tuition in the past decade, affordable higher education will
only be possible through a partnership of all stakeholders-federal and
state governments, foundations and corporations, the families of college-going
students and institutions of higher education.
David L. Warren
President
National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities
|
Letter
to the Editor, USA Today
