A bill to protect students from soaring tuition rates and overpriced textbooks passed through Congress Thursday. With a House vote of 380-49 and an 83-8 approval from the Senate, the bill now awaits a signature from President Bush.
The legislation would require the Department of Education to publish an annual list of schools with the fastest-increasing tuition. Those with the largest percentage increases would have some explaining to do by providing a reason for the hike and what steps will be taken in the future to keep costs low. Textbook publishers would have to sell supplemental materials separately and disclose book pricing to faculty, who would give their students advance notice of costs.
During the next five years, the seven-page version of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, would be streamlined and low-income families would receive even simpler forms of the application. Low-income students also would benefit from receiving Pell Grants year-round, should they decide to take summer classes.
Essentially, the bill is focused on looking out for the well-being of students across the country, helping them to get through college easier and at less cost than before.
For MSU students, this is news long overdue. It’s good to see the federal government finally looking out for our best interests, since it’s clear the state of Michigan isn’t doing so. The latest round of tuition increases on campus has made it clear the state doesn’t place higher education near the top of its list of priorities — when it comes to giving out appropriations to fund state universities, Michigan ranks dead last.
The bill also brings more transparency to the rationale behind raising tuition. This places the accountability back on university officials. If universities fear being put on the list of highest tuition raises in the country, they may be more conscious of the decisions they make that impact tuition rates.
Simplifying FAFSA and extending Pell Grant benefits can’t be bad either. Making the process of applying for financial aid simpler may help more people find the assistance they need to pursue a degree. Giving students year-round assistance, that often comes in the form of Pell Grants, makes it easier for them to work towards that degree — without having to worry about how to fund their summer semesters.
As for the cost of textbooks, it’s a rare student that would argue they like paying high prices and buying books bound with unnecessary materials that raise the already high prices.
Advance notice of how much one can expect to spend on textbooks could make or break a decision to take a class, since a textbook bill can often amount to the cost of a class.
Opponents of this bill say the annual submission of data on textbook prices, tuition and fees could amount to a lot more paperwork, which means more money spent to pay for the labor needed to process everything. But this isn’t necessarily a bad thing — why not just hire students to process the paperwork?
They could use the boost to their bank accounts, and it’s clear Congress would agree.
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