IN A TOWN not more than 45 miles from where I was born and raised, President Bush recently announced his proposals to increase Education Department spending by 11.5 percent. The rural school in the small town of Townsend, Tennessee where he made his statement stands as an example of how far our nation's educational system still has to go. Bush will outline this plan further in an address before Congress tomorrow evening.
The need to address funding issues also has been raised recently in the context of higher education. Princeton University decided to eliminate student loans, and the University of Pennsylvania - another Ivy League institution - is considering doing the same. Dipping into its mammoth endowment, Princeton is trying to help students ease the burden of paying for their top-level education. More specifically, however, this action demonstrates that Princeton's administrators are hoping to attract cash-strapped students to their schools.
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In the ever-increasing competition for customers, or students, in the business of education, we should not be surprised that such steps have been taken. The decision to share the school's wealth with its students certainly deserves praise. However, the underlying motives and resulting consequences must be examined, especially as they pertain to the University.
Grants, work-study and loans make up most financial aid packages granted to students who qualify when they apply to colleges and universities. Acting on the belief that staggeringly high tuition rates were keeping some students from attending their schools, they are now eliminating loans in favor of grants that will not require repayment. Such a move is highly commendable; for the first time, some of the nation's most prestigious schools will be well within the reach of anyone with the desire and qualifications to attend. This stands as a classic example of how a piece of the American Dream can belong to everyone. Hopefully, this program will indeed generate higher application and acceptance rates from students who rely upon such forms of financial aid.
The ability to attract prospective students remains a priority for any college or university, especially those in the perpetual race to win the favor of U.S. News and World Report's illustrious ranking experts. The decision to eliminate student loans almost certainly will have a significant impact on these numbers, which must be a cause for concern among our University's administrators.
The $8.5 billion private endowment that Princeton has stashed away enables the school to provide such substantial economic relief to students. Our state-funded institution, however, does not enjoy access to such plentiful coffers. Consequently, our ability to reduce the financial burden for incoming students pales in comparison and we stand to lose appeal among college-bound high-schoolers. Though it may be tempting to allocate privately raised funds to programs like the one at Princeton, the University simply cannot afford to do so. The best-intended motivations would not justify such an allocation of funds.
The fact remains that many internal needs sorely require University funds. The disrepair of classrooms, plans for projects in technology and the arts, and lack of academic department funding must take priority over financial aid concerns.
Therefore, the University must strengthen its efforts to attract a wide array of prospective students and ensure them that several financial aid options exist. Additionally, recruitment tools such as the Echols and Rodman scholars programs must seek to select incoming students who represent a cross-section of socioeconomic backgrounds. Because these programs are designed to attract students who would otherwise attend an Ivy League school, the selection of future scholars must demonstrate recognition of what now constitutes a "typical" Princeton-bound student. Doing so will strengthen the Office of Admission's ability to choose incoming classes as selective as any Ivy League institution.
Children across the country increasingly enjoy the opportunity to go to the colleges of their choice, with hard work and dedication. Though financial aid options vary, the University offers an education as complete and fulfilling as other prestigious schools. The University will stand apart, however, if it demonstrates an equal appreciation of students from all walks of life. For the children in Townsend, Tennessee, and across the country, it means all the difference in the world.
(Katherine Martini's column appears Mondays in The Cavalier Daily She can be reached at kmartini@cavalierdaily.com.)
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