Three months after the UC Board of Regents raised student fees
30 percent, a California congressman introduced a bill Thursday
that would allow the federal government to financially penalize
colleges and universities for “exorbitant tuition
hikes.”
Rep. Howard “Buck” McKeon (R-Santa Clarita) unveiled
the Affordability in Higher Education Act in a press conference in
Washington, D.C. for students, parents and members of the higher
education community.
If passed, the act would allow the government to cut federal
funds to universities, including the University of California, as a
weapon against large tuition increases.
“Our nation is grappling with a college cost crisis that
is threatening to push higher education out of reach for low- and
middle-income students. This is unacceptable, and today I’m
pleased to be offering legislation that will turn this trend
around,” said McKeon in a statement.
Some higher education officials support McKeon’s attention
to the financial difficulties of universities across the country
but said his bill might not be the best solution.
“We remain concerned that the bill could propose an
oversimplified solution to a complex problem,” said UC
spokesman Chris Harrington.
McKeon said the bill is not intended to allow federal
restrictions on tuition; rather, it aims to increase affordability
of higher education and hold universities accountable for
“unreasonable cost increases.”
The statement cited a study by the College Board ““
creators of the SAT standardized test ““ that shows a 38
percent increase in tuition at four-year colleges during a 10-year
period ending in 2003.
Under McKeon’s proposal, beginning in 2008, a
“College Affordability Index” would be implemented to
rank universities across the country and determine which schools
would be subject to federal funding restrictions.
Universities that increase tuition more than double the Consumer
Price Index would be subject to such sanctions.
Offending universities would be required to submit explanations
for the increases in tuition and a plan for how stop them.
If an institution fails to lower their tuition after three
years, it would be removed from participation in federally funded
programs included under a provision of the Higher Education
Act.
Programs that offer direct aid to students such as Pell Grants
and Stafford Loans would be exempt from cuts. Others, such as
work-study programs, could be cut.
The bill also allows exemptions for schools in the bottom 25th
percentile of tuition costs.
McKeon’s spokesman, Vartan Djihanian, said the bill was
necessary because universities have not done enough to keep costs
down but added, “Generally speaking, California has done a
better job at keeping their tuition reasonable.”
Harrington said UC officials have not had a chance to look at
the bill closely but said they “stand ready to work with
(McKeon) to develop innovative solutions to address these
matters.”
David Ward, president of the American Council on Education, said
in an Oct. 1 statement that his organization is strongly opposed to
McKeon’s proposal, which he described as “complex and
highly regulatory,” but nevertheless expressed his support
for McKeon.
“If you look at the formulation of federal higher
education policy over the last decade, it would be hard to find a
more thoughtful member of Congress than (McKeon),” Ward
said.