UNIVERSITY TUITION COSTS vs. STATE FUNDING

University Tuition Costs vs. State Funding

Abstract

In this paper we tried to analyze the University Tuition Costs vs. State Funding. As tuition rates soar both in dollars and as a proportion of household income, scholars are increasingly concerned about the ability of students and their families to access postsecondary education. Adequate understanding of federal, state, and institutional aid programs has also recently become a concern as many researchers argue for more streamlined, standardized, and student-friendly processes. All areas of higher education are affected by racial inequities. According to the U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, minorities currently constitute less than 15% of total college and university faculty members. Many minority faculty members are concentrated at the community college level, with fewer working at the university level. But efforts are being made to increase minority faculty members because they are important for creating a diverse college environment, and many minority faculty members have made significant contributions to restructuring college curricula and creating new pedagogies.

Accessibility of higher education for the economically challenged is becoming more difficult. Most college funding comes from the state level, and the amount of available state funds for higher education has decreased. To offset this, colleges and universities are placing the burden on students by raising tuition

University Tuition Costs vs. State Funding

Thesis Statement

On average, college tuition is rising by 5% to 8% annually. The tuition fee hikes are being promulgated at a rate faster than the growth in family income, so college tuition requires a greater share of household earnings.

Introduction

This paper critically analyzes the escalation in tuition costs compared to state funding for higher education. One of the most pressing issues facing students and parents planning for higher education is the continuing increase in the cost of tuition costs and fees well above the typical rates of inflation (Altbach, 2007).

Tuition fee is the amount that a student must pay to enroll in subjects that are part of a curriculum leading to a degree. Prices vary depending on whether the title is official or not, and whether the university is public or private (Boswell, 2008).

The amount that the student will pay, depends on the number of credits and the surcharges if a student registers for second or subsequent times in one or more subjects (Bowen, 2005).

One can calculate that a student who pursue studies at a university official Spanish government pays 20% of the actual cost of their education, the rest is assumed by the State through public funding of universities (Coleman, 2006).

The cost of higher education is escalating. During the year 2006-07, the average college student spent more than $22,000 per year for tuition and fees at private colleges. At public colleges, students paid nearly $6,000 per year (Freeland, 2007). Low-interest federal loans, tuition reimbursement programs, and federal grant programs characterize government efforts geared toward ameliorating the burden of financing higher education (Gose, 2007).

Higher education is a central variable that affects people's ability to gain upward social mobility in ...