The New York Times reports:

“The rising cost of college — even before the recession — threatens to put higher education out of reach for most Americans, according to the biennial report from the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education. Over all, the report found, published college tuition and fees increased 439 percent from 1982 to 2007, adjusted for inflation, while median family income rose 147 percent. Student borrowing has more than doubled in the last decade, and students from lower-income families, on average, get smaller grants from the colleges they attend than students from more affluent families.

“If we go on this way for another 25 years, we won’t have an affordable system of higher education,” said Patrick M. Callan, president of the center, a nonpartisan organization that promotes access to higher education.”

This is becoming a sad sad truth in America. How else but through college do those have the opportunity to advance themselves and change social classes? Perhaps Penn State should take a stand on this issue and actually lower tuition. As OS previously posted, tuition will be going up next year, so such a stand is unlikely.

Those that say a decrease in the cost of tuition would leave the Penn State budget in the lurch should look towards the Pennsylvania Legislature to do their duty and provide an adequate sum of money for the Penn State budget. Funding public education at all levels should be one of their priorities if they wish Pennsylvania to grow economically.

[NYT via SaxaSpeak]