Rising Tuition

Remedying state budget shortfalls by raising tuition costs has students, educators, and policy makers struggling to find a middle ground.  Students' concern that they will not be able to pay for their education and the resultant protests mean that lawmakers need to come  up with a quick solution.  Education should be one of the last areas that budget shortfalls touch.  It seems like lawmakers are looking to cut costs in an area that will be the least politically damaging (and offend those with the least political power).  If the state concludes that raising the cost of education is its only option, it should condense universities instead of compromising current educational standards (larger classes, no work study, lower-salaried professors).  By accepting smaller classes with the same demographic makeup as now exists, the policy makers could cut their overall spending without enraging and financially penalizing the student population.  Unfortunately, this is contrary to the goal of educating more citizens and does little to make education more accessible.  Passing the penalty of budget concerns on to students is just not the answer.  Education is an investment, the state needs to realize that the return is far greater than the initial cost.