Urge President Obama to Make Higher Education More Affordable

Urge President Obama to Make Higher Education More Affordable

The Issue

In a time of economic crisis, public colleges and universities must preserve, and even promote, undergraduate access and affordability. In order to repair and sustainably develop this country's economic system, we must have a wealth of skilled workers for every industry who receive realistic living wages and have the higher education to excell in their chosen fields.

The National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education has published a report titled "The Challenge to States: Preserving College Access and Affordability in a Time of Crisis" that outlines the necessary steps we must take in order to improve the economic well-being of our country.

"In this environment, states and their colleges and universities will only exacerbate existing problems of access, affordability, equity, and economic competitiveness if they follow past patterns of responding to revenue shortfalls by shifting the financial burden to students and their families, and by shutting out undergraduate students. Even when economic growth returns, states will still face structural budget deficits. The long-term educational and economic needs of the states and the nation demand that this 'business as usual' approach of shifting costs to students not be continued."

President Obama has promised to create the American Opportunity Tax Credit, a tax credit to ensure that the first $4,000 of a college education is completely free for most students, which covers two-thirds of the cost of tution at the average public college or university. This is an important step forward, but we need to urge him to enact stronger legislation to streamline our system - make it efficient, fair, and affordable for all Americans, not simply those with good credit scores and/or financial security.

This affects our society deeply and dearly. We have to invest in our collective future by urging President Obama to make higher education more accessible and affordable for the millions of Americans hurting right now.



Photo: Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. Washington DC circa 1943. The Library of Congress.

Personal note: I was forcibly removed from my university for financial reasons last year. I hope to resolve my personal financial aid troubles so that I may finish my remaining year of undergrad soon.

avatar of the starter
D WPetition StarterThere is still very limited awareness of the nature of the threat. This is an era of specialists, each of whom sees his own problem and is unaware of or intolerant of the larger frame into which it fits. It is also an era dominated by industry, in which the right to make a dollar at whatever cost is seldom challenged. When the public protests, confused with some obvious evidence...it is fed little tranquilizing pills of half-truths. We urgently need an end to these false assurances, to the sugar coating of unpalatable facts. It is the public that is being asked to assume the risks...The public must decide whether it wishes to continue on the present road, and it can do so only when in full possession of the facts. In the words of Jean Rostand, "The obligation to endure gives us the right to know." - Rachel Carson
Media inquiries
This petition had 82 supporters

The Issue

In a time of economic crisis, public colleges and universities must preserve, and even promote, undergraduate access and affordability. In order to repair and sustainably develop this country's economic system, we must have a wealth of skilled workers for every industry who receive realistic living wages and have the higher education to excell in their chosen fields.

The National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education has published a report titled "The Challenge to States: Preserving College Access and Affordability in a Time of Crisis" that outlines the necessary steps we must take in order to improve the economic well-being of our country.

"In this environment, states and their colleges and universities will only exacerbate existing problems of access, affordability, equity, and economic competitiveness if they follow past patterns of responding to revenue shortfalls by shifting the financial burden to students and their families, and by shutting out undergraduate students. Even when economic growth returns, states will still face structural budget deficits. The long-term educational and economic needs of the states and the nation demand that this 'business as usual' approach of shifting costs to students not be continued."

President Obama has promised to create the American Opportunity Tax Credit, a tax credit to ensure that the first $4,000 of a college education is completely free for most students, which covers two-thirds of the cost of tution at the average public college or university. This is an important step forward, but we need to urge him to enact stronger legislation to streamline our system - make it efficient, fair, and affordable for all Americans, not simply those with good credit scores and/or financial security.

This affects our society deeply and dearly. We have to invest in our collective future by urging President Obama to make higher education more accessible and affordable for the millions of Americans hurting right now.



Photo: Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. Washington DC circa 1943. The Library of Congress.

Personal note: I was forcibly removed from my university for financial reasons last year. I hope to resolve my personal financial aid troubles so that I may finish my remaining year of undergrad soon.

avatar of the starter
D WPetition StarterThere is still very limited awareness of the nature of the threat. This is an era of specialists, each of whom sees his own problem and is unaware of or intolerant of the larger frame into which it fits. It is also an era dominated by industry, in which the right to make a dollar at whatever cost is seldom challenged. When the public protests, confused with some obvious evidence...it is fed little tranquilizing pills of half-truths. We urgently need an end to these false assurances, to the sugar coating of unpalatable facts. It is the public that is being asked to assume the risks...The public must decide whether it wishes to continue on the present road, and it can do so only when in full possession of the facts. In the words of Jean Rostand, "The obligation to endure gives us the right to know." - Rachel Carson
Media inquiries

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Petition created on March 18, 2009