We can all applaud the responsible efforts of the new Congress to reduce the federal deficit. However, their true challenge is to make sure they preserve the programs that actually return value to all our communities.
Support of higher education should be at the top of that list. College is no longer a luxury, it is a necessity. According to the Department of Labor, by the year 2000 a majority of new jobs will require training beyond high school. Unlike other developed countries, the primary responsibility for financing education in the United States rests with students. Since 1980, tuition has increased more than health care (a House Select Committee reported 146 percent versus 117 percent).
For many, college is an essential part of the American Dream. Accessing higher education represents ideals on which the United States was founded. Furthermore, a highly educated populace is necessary to the effective functioning of democracy and a prosperous economy. And statistics prove that student aid more than pays for itself by expanding the tax base and decreasing dependency on the public purse.
As a student at Northwestern University, I can’t imagine attempting to meet astronomical tuition costs solely with my own resources. Even though I was a salutatorian of my high school class, scholarships cover only part of my educational expenses.
If these programs are dismantled, my dreams would become improbable dreams.
