Cost of tuition getting out of hand

By Iowa City Press-Citizen

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It's time for the Iowa state Board of Regents to put the brakes on tuition increases.

While the cost of a college education is increasing -- just like the price of gas, groceries and so many other things we rely on every day -- it's getting out of hand. On Wednesday, the regents proposed a 5 percent base tuition increase for 2011-12 for in- state students. Regents say that cuts in state and federal funding make this size of an increase necessary -- without it, they say, budget cuts will hit classrooms hard..

The University of Iowa, and Iowa's two other public universities, must start getting creative. It's time to think outside the box. Regents considered ideas from a consultant last year. The budget situation has us asking some of the same questions again. Are there other ways to generate revenue? Are there ways to become more efficient without sacrificing classroom education? Are there new ways to cut students a break or rebate some of their money?

We think so.

Could students who maintain a certain grade-point average - say a 3.75 or higher - for an entire academic year be given a 5 percent tuition reimbursement?

Could families get a discount for having more than one student enrolled?

Could out-of-state and international students bear more of the burden of an increase?

Are there efficiencies to be gained at UI? The bottom line is UI is a business, and all businesses in this day and age have to take a hard look at what gets done and who does it. UI needs to ensure this has been done for each of its colleges and departments and report back to taxpayers on what it has found or the ways in which efficiencies have been created.

Statistics show that Iowa students have some of the highest debt in the nation. Forcing even more of our young people further into debt before they're even out in the working world doesn't seem wise.