SOME of our neighbors to the south wanted to help middle-class families and decided to freeze college tuition rates for this school year. The move at the Texas Tech University system has been mirrored at universities in Ohio, Maryland and New York, according to USA Today.
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Oklahoma lawmakers have been concerned about rising tuition, too, and supposed they were doing Oklahoma families a favor in 2007 when they created a program allowing college students to lock in the same tuition rate for four years. So far, it doesn't appear many students are buying in.
This is the first semester that incoming, resident freshmen taking a full-time class load could sign up for the guaranteed program. Only 126 students at Oklahoma State University did so, with 60 at the University of Oklahoma. Final numbers from all the state's four-year schools won't be available until November, but the popularity isn't likely to be overwhelming.
The state's public four-year colleges and universities can charge up to 15 percent more for students who opt for a locked-in tuition rate. We'll find out in four years whether those with the tuition lock saved any money, and how many students managed to stay qualified for the stable rate.
The program is only good for four years unless students are in a five-year degree program, with lawmakers hoping the caveat will encourage more students to finish on time. Participants also must stay continuously enrolled in at least 12 credit hours each semester. The lock doesn't apply to housing costs or fees, which tend to go up each year and sometimes vary depending on a student's major.
OU officials advised students and parents that regular tuition rates would have to increase an average of 9.4 percent each year for a student in a four-year degree program to save money under the guaranteed rate.
Oklahoma is fortunate state lawmakers don't have absolute control over tuition rates. Tuition freezes may be politically popular but aren't a great option when state funding continues to make up an increasingly smaller part of the higher education budget. That leaves students to make up the difference.
Skeptics of tuition freezes elsewhere worry future students will bear the burden and face seriously steep tuition increases to offset the lost revenue. We have the same concern about the lock-in law and wonder if it will prove to be another politically popular law that's really not all that helpful.
Diane Dean, an education researcher at Illinois State University-Normal, told USA Today: "We may be creating the equivalent of academic rent control, by having today's entering students pay more to make up for the discounts enjoyed by those who entered three or four years ago.”
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Craig, unfortunately most employers look at a degree as merely one requirement to place a check mark next to in order to be qualified for a job. They rarely care where the degree is from, the grade point average or what classes were passed in obtaining the degree. When businesses start higher ing the most qualifed individuals rather than family, friends, alumni, etc, etc. then we will be more competitive. Actually more money needs to flow to failing schools K-12 so they stop failing - fire the principals and administrators that were hired due to the exact reasons earlier, and let people PAY for their own college expenses. It is not the responsibility of the state or federal government to pay for college. If it WAS - then we should have a system similar to Japan (who is kicking our buts technologically) where students take a standardized test at some point early in their education, and based on those results a percentage are forced out of school to become factory workers etc, and the others go on to a formal education based on TALANT - not parent's wealth, not frinds and relatives, and not race or religious reasons. The US would become extremely competitive, but it would suck the American Dream away faster than anything. Look at all the young business owners making millions that never finished or attended a university. If a person wants to go to college - they pay for it! Note: I have found it to be quite true that many businesses in the US are afraid to hire intelligent and highly educated people due to job security rather than worrying about being competitive.
IT IS A FACT that online curriculum does NOT measure up to a classroom experience. In fact, employers are starting to recognize this in their employment practices. If the college degree becomes little more than purchasing degrees, it does not help our economy or our companies who find it increasingly difficult to compete in a global environment. Too often we see this play out in the form of protectionism from politicians. Protection would not be needed if US companies could compete. What needs to occur is for less money flow into failing K-12 districts and more shifted to state colleges who often have to provide education students were supposed to receive from the K-12 system.
Put the blooming curriculiums on line and quit paying for brick and mortar expansions. Geez...to have such great minds the uiversities still don't have a realistic future vision.
Put the blooming curriculiums on-line and quit paying for brick and mortar expansions. Geez....to have such great minds the universities still don't have a realistic future vision.
"The state's public four-year colleges and universities can charge up to 15 percent more for students who opt for a locked-in tuition rate." A 15% increase doesn't sound like much of a lock. How often are they going to raise the rates higher than the 15%? Doesn't seem like students/parents are really taking that much of a risk by not signing up. A lock should be a lock. But then again look at the lock that was put on the education lottery, the Legislature figured out a way to pick the lock. Does anyone know what the tuition increases at OU have been every year since the Legislature gave up control a few years ago?
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Leave a comment. Log in below or sign up (it's free).Editor's note: It is not our intent to offer comments on crime or fatality stories.