The Kept-Up Academic Librarian

Lower Tuition Rate For Illegal Immigrants Not Without Controversy

Monday is the first day of the school year for Metropolitan State University of Denver, a compact, urban campus in the heart of the city’s downtown. It also signifies the dawn of a controversial new policy for this institution of 24,000. Among the crowd of students who will show up for class next week are dozens of illegal immigrants who, as part of a specially tailored tuition rate, can now qualify for a reduced fee if they live in Colorado.Read more at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/18/us/denver-college-policy-aids-illegal-immigrants.html?_r=1

Students Stressed Out About Paying For Higher Education

Three of four students ages 14 to 23 have “some” or “major” concerns about how they’ll pay for college, according to a new study released Wednesday. The cost of higher education is so high that some high school seniors and their parents are questioning how they will be able to pay for it – or if it’s worth the huge expense.  Students in college aren't the only ones feeling the financial stress. The survey of 1,500 students by the Horatio Alger Association included kids as young as 14 and found that they had major concerns about paying for higher education. Read more at:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/topic/kcpq-3-of-4-students-concerned-about-how-theyll-play-for-college-survey-shows-20120808,0,5697898.story

Cost Of Higher Ed Goes Up In Virginia But Not As Much As Last Year

Virginia undergraduates heading to class this month will benefit from the lowest increase in tuition and mandatory fees in a decade, paying on average an additional $384 at four-year institutions and $165 at community colleges. The average increase at all public colleges and universities is 4.1 percent this academic year for in-state students, compared with a 7.9 percent increase the previous year. Read more at:
http://www2.timesdispatch.com/news/state-news/2012/aug/09/tdmain01-va-college-costs-rise-less-ar-2118409/

College Cost Is Becoming The Deciding Factor For Many Families

A recent study by the research group Ipsos and the student loan giant, Sallie Mae, shows that approximately 70 percent of families are eliminating college choices based on cost. More students are also now choosing to enroll in community colleges, which is often the most affordable option. This fall, Emily will be a transfer student at Northern Arizona University, which costs only about a third of the cost of the University of Vermont. "I loved it and it is a shame that I can't go back again in the fall," she says. "But then again, I have to look on the bright side of things, I'll be saving a lot of money." Read more at:
http://www.npr.org/2012/08/02/157657475/families-make-big-changes-to-pay-for-college

Resort Town Considers Offer Of Free Tuition To Attract Year-Round Residents

A select board member in Killington has proposed giving free tuition to families who relocate to the resort community and send their children to college in the town. With Green Mountain College in town and increasing student debt, Rome says the ingredients for Killington offering free tuition are already in place. Read more at:
http://www.vpr.net/news_detail/95365/to-attract-residents-killington-board-mulls-free-t/

No Easy Fix To The Rising Cost Of Higher Education

The primary factors driving the cost of education have to do with an increase in the cost of basic, essential operations. Everyone has been struggling with rising health-care costs over the last decade or two. For a while, the cost of energy was going up double digits every year, but we’ve taken steps to reduce it with conservation and green initiatives. But I think the biggest piece of all is financial aid. Financial aid has become even more challenging in recent years, with the recession driving more requests for assistance. Read more at:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/college-inc/post/no-magic-solution-to-college-affordability/2012/07/25/gJQA3d0G9W_blog.html?wprss=rss_college-inc 

 

To Reduce Tuition University Experiments With Discounted Credit Hours

University Center, an extended campus that offers classes from state universities in South Dakota's largest city, is kicking off a four-year pilot program this fall that offers the first 60 hours of degree work at a reduced cost. The cost of basic courses would be $189 per credit hour, instead of the normal state university rate of $289. The program is among a number of experiments under way across higher education to help students earn degrees without having to go deeply in debt. Read more at:
http://www.grandforksherald.com/event/article/id/241447/

Over Students' Objections U Of California Hikes Fees For All Professional Degree Programs

Over the objections of student protesters, theUniversity of California regents hiked fees by up to 35 percent for dozens of professional degree programs - from nursing to business. The daylong meeting reflected the troubling issues and began with students pleading with the regents not to raise the price of the professional degree programs. Read more at:
http://www.sfgate.com/education/article/UC-to-hike-professional-degree-fees-3718173.php

California Legislators Offer Extra Funding If Colleges Freeze Tuition

California's public universities could lose out on an extra $125 million in state funds if they hike tuition in the fall under a budget agreement that legislative leaders have reached with Gov. Jerry Brown. Lawmakers and the governor have no authority over tuition. The deal represents a bold attempt to use the state budget in their ongoing effort to force the University of California and California State University systems to keep the price of higher education in check. Read more at:
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-state-budget-20120626,0,1925801.story

Report On College Affordability Finds Tuition Continues To Escalate

When those college tuition bills come in, be prepared for sticker shock. The average tuition at a four-year public university climbed 15 percent between 2008 and 2010, fueled by state budget cuts for higher education. The U.S. Department of Education's annual look at college affordability also found significant price increases at the nation's private universities, including at for-profit institutions, where the net price for some schools is now twice as high as Harvard. Read more at:
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2012/06/12/average_price_of_4_year_university_up_15_percent/