Potential 2004 presidential candidate Sen. John Edwards, D-N.C., called for making the first year of school at public colleges and universities free and for ending early admissions policies, in a speech at the University of Maryland on Friday, Nov. 22.
Edwards said the federal government should offer a free first year of college to any student admitted to a public school or community college and who spends 10 hours a week performing community service or working at a part-time job.
Edwards spokesman Carlos Monje said the program would encourage more students to attend college.
"Once you get them in the system they start to see the opportunities for financial aid," Monje said.
The chances of the proposal making it into law are not necessarily good.
Politics Prof. Larry J. Sabato said the free first year of college was "a great campaign promise" but had "virtually no chance of being enacted into law."
"It's just too expensive," Sabato said.
In the speech, Edwards said the proposal would cost a total of about $3 billion per year if the government saved $2 billion by making student loan payments directly to students rather than through banks.
Dave Schnittger, a spokesperson for the House of Representatives Committee on Education and the Workforce, said President Bush and the Republicans would rather see money go to the Pell Grant program -- a federal grant for undergraduate students.
"Money doesn't grow on trees, particularly in a time of war," Schnittger said.
Edwards also called for colleges and universities to end early admissions and "legacy" policies that give preference to relatives of alumni.
Edwards criticized these policies for benefiting the wealthiest and best-informed applicants, Monje said.
"Instead of valuing parents who have worked for years so their child could be the first in their family to go to college, these schools actually put that child at a competitive disadvantage," Edwards said in the speech.
Edwards is asking colleges and universities to end such policies voluntarily for now, but has not ruled out the idea of offering legislation eventually, Monje said.
Legislation to end early admissions or legacy policies also is unlikely to pass Congress, Sabato said.
Edwards also proposed paying the entire tuition for any student who agrees to spend five years teaching in inner city or urban schools, and encouraging high schools to make college prepatory education standard for all students.
Pundits have mentioned Edwards for months as a potential 2004 Democratic presidential nominee.
Speeches like the one Edwards made Friday indicate he will run, Sabato said.
"He's clearly running for president," he said. "There's no doubt about it."
Edwards is among three or four frontrunners for the Democratic nomination, he added.
Edwards still is deciding whether he will run, Monje said.
Read More
Will Ryan’s resignation impact the University’s reaccreditation?
By Leigh Bailey | 2 days agoDr. Janea Johnson, public relations and data specialist at SACSCOC, said in a written statement to The Cavalier Daily July 28 that “a change in leadership does not automatically become a compliance concern.”
United Healthcare takes over as student health insurance provider
By Lauren Seeliger | 2 days agoAll University students are required to be medically insured, but the University student plan is only required for students who do not have other, valid health insurance.
University community leaders gather at the Rotunda to speak about interim President Mahoney
By Xander Tilock | 2 days agoEach speaker addressed concerns over a lack of input from students, faculty, staff and community members in the circumstances which led to former University President Jim Ryan’s resignation and the decision-making process since then.
