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Proposed tuition bill counterproductive

On Sept. 4, two Republican representatives published a report criticizing rising tuition at American colleges and universities.

The two, John A. Boehner, R-Ohio, and Howard D. McKeon, R-Calif., are proposing a bill to address skyrocketing tuition rates at many public and private schools nationwide.

The conditions of the proposed bill state that if tuition grows at more than twice the rate of the Consumer Price Index — a figure, put forth by the federal government, denoting the cost of a “market basket” of goods and services purchased by the average American — over three consecutive years, the institution in question must bring about a plan for curbing costs. The school then has two to three years to implement the plan. If, after this period, tuition is still growing too fast, federal sanctions will be imposed.

To any college student — or college student’s parents — this sounds like a great way for the federal government to step in and keep costs under control. The report even states, “decades of uncontrolled cost increases are pushing the dream of a college degree further out of reach for needy students.”

Sounds like Reps. Boehner and McKeon are really looking out for the students’ bottom lines, right?

It does, until the sanctions themselves are considered.

A school that can’t get its tuition under control would face, according to the proposed bill, the loss of some federal student aid programs.

In other words, if tuition at dear ol’ State U gets ridiculous, students will have less help paying it.

This will help students to achieve the dream of a college degree, how?

There must be another way. The goal of the proposed bill is admirable — it’s just the means of carrying it out that stink.

Any financial sanction imposed on a college or university is ultimately going to hurt students. Whatever monetary penalties are imposed will be compensated at the students’ expense, either in terms of further increased tuition or a compromise in the quality of education.

Instead of hurting those whom the bill claims to be aiding, why not impose sanctions that no sane university will be able to ignore?

Consider threatening schools with a loss of accreditation. Without it, no school can stay in business. Or the federal government could create a new category and bestow upon or withhold a title or particular standing from schools, based on their tuition-raising record.

Give the proposed bill some teeth — just don’t bite students with them.

This is a Staff Editorial from The Pitt News at the University of Pittsburgh.
This editorial was distributed by U-Wire.