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An 'F' in affordability

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By MELISSA LEE / Lincoln Journal Star

Thursday, Sep 07, 2006 - 03:52:34 pm CDT

This is one report card that won’t be going on the fridge. Nebraska has earned a mixed bag of grades — including an “F” in affordability — from a national higher education study to be released today.

Only seven states didn’t flunk that category, which is evidence, education officials here say, that universities must work harder to avoid pricing out low-income families.

“We’re losing ground in affordability. We can’t ignore this,” said University of Nebraska President J.B. Milliken.

Story Photo
Students take a test in a software design methodology class at UNL. (LJS File)

“I continue to believe we need to provide affordable education to the state, and we’ve got some work to do on that.”

The study — from the California-based National Center for Public Policy in Higher Education — found the average Nebraska undergraduate borrows $3,447 a year, up from $2,665 yearly in 1992.

And an average family pours 27 percent of its annual income into a public, four-year college education, according to the study, up from 17 percent in 1992.

All that factors into Nebraska’s glaring “F,” the same grade it earned last year.

Craig Munier, director of scholarships and financial aid at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, said the state needs to boost its need-based financial aid offerings.

Otherwise, he said, low-income families will be shut out of higher education, eventually leaving Nebraska with an uneducated adult workforce.

“It’s better to educate people than to not,” Munier said. “It’s a good investment. It’s money well-spent.”

NU also should initiate more opportunities for high schoolers to gain college credit before ever arriving on campus, Milliken said. And once they come to college, they should be encouraged to graduate in four years, which could save them thousands of dollars.

“We need to look for ways to innovate to address these questions of affordability,” he said.

Still, Regent Charles Wilson of Lincoln bristled at the flunking grade, saying the report doesn’t fully reflect Nebraska’s efforts to keep tuition from mounting too rapidly.

“Our tuition and fees are very comparable with our peers’,” Wilson said. “We’re competitive.”

Besides, he said, the report also reflects plenty of good things happening in Nebraska. The state received a “B” in preparing high school students for college, a “B+” in graduating students in a timely manner and a glowing “A” in enrolling young people in higher education.

Three-quarters of freshmen in the state’s four-year colleges return for their sophomore year, the study found. And 55 percent of first-time, full-time students graduate in six years or less.

Furthermore, the percentage of Nebraskans ages 25 to 65 with a bachelor’s degree or higher rose from 23 percent in 1992 to 29 percent last year.

“Nebraska has a long history of doing well in those areas,” Wilson said.

But gaps remain.

Among 18-to-24-year-olds, 40 percent of whites are enrolled in college, compared to just 24 percent of non-whites, the report says. And young people from affluent families are twice as likely to attend college as those from low-income families.

It’s Milliken’s hope those gaps will shrink — and soon.

“We’ve got lots of room to improve.”

Reach Melissa Lee at 473-2682 or mlee@journalstar.com.

Husker report cardHere’s how Nebraska fared in a report to be released today from the National Center for Public Policy in Higher Education.

 

Preparation: B (measures how well high school students are prepared for college)

Participation: A (measures enrollment in higher education among all age groups)

Affordability: F

Completion: B+ (measures retention and graduation rates)

Benefits: B (measures economic and social benefits the state reaps for having a well-educated population)


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Duh! wrote on September 7, 2006 12:38 am:
" This is one the reasons I can't go to school even part-time, the per credit or per unit rate here is very high. There need to be more affordable classes to get better paying jobs. And what about those that want to enjoy higher learning for fun? At these prices you can't have fun. "
whatever wrote on September 7, 2006 5:21 am:
" If it is true that an average family spends %27 of it's annual income on education, then there are dark days for higher education in Nebraska. That seems like a very high figure. "
Deborah Pierce wrote on September 7, 2006 5:57 am:
" Maybe you should talk to Warren Buffet and Bill Gates, education is one target they are aiming at with the charitable money they are spending. "
ed wrote on September 7, 2006 6:51 am:
" With a 250 million budget and 80 thousand fans at each game and a new 75 million dollar north end zone complex maybe football is out of balance and the education side and affordable issues could use more effort from the Univ. President and the general public. Why do so many people waste time at football games? Are the real issues in life so beyond our abilities and care as a Christian Nation that we hide our shame and guilt as nonparticipating sideline observers in sports? Is the UNL or any college football program worth the cost to the rest of the school? I’m speaking to the focus that is lost on all education programs that lose money because so many simple minded Christians give to the football program and not to the real heart of UNL education. "
Dan wrote on September 7, 2006 7:09 am:
" Sure, blame it on football. Good grief!! I see it as just another Ivory Tower study that our head hanchos will use in another effort to get more tax dollars. The football program uses no tax dollars. "
Betty wrote on September 7, 2006 7:16 am:
" So what ever happened to the FOUR year degree? How many students graduate in four years? Perhaps that's part of why kids don't pursue higher education. I personally don't think 55% in 6 years is anything to brag about!! "
Lisa wrote on September 7, 2006 7:24 am:
" Ed is way off base! The athletic program is self-supporting and if people choose to give, it is their business. This has nothing to do with being Christian and contributions - many people give their time and money to worthy social/educational causes and then who cares if they choose to also support sports! Also, there are plenty of scholarships and financial aid programs for low-income families - it is harder to find funds (grants) if both parents work and make a decent salary. We just went through the college financial aid process for the first time this year. If a kid wants to go to school, then he/she needs to either work their tails off in school to earn scholarships and/or get a summer job to help cover costs! Our family had to come up with just $1,000 of our freshman's nearly $18,000 bill for school this year because our kid worked his tail off. You can't wait until your senior year of high school to start thinking about paying for college. Grades, entrance exam scores, community service and participation in school activities all make a huge difference if you want to earn scholarships. "
go gaurd wrote on September 7, 2006 8:11 am:
" if you can not aford school. The National Gaurd is looking for people. They will pay you to go to school. Quit whining and do something about it yourselves. Those of us who do should not have to take care of those who don't. "
Susan wrote on September 7, 2006 8:15 am:
" If immigration accounts for this disparity and hardship, is it the federal government wh o failing to secure borders and is a root cause of the increase in low incomes? States should not be the victim of reckless federal neglect at the borders and failed federal funding. Fortenberry, Ricketts, Smith and the others who aren't presenting sound plans originating from the people are a problem; voters can restore integrity to our state. Citizens, as voters, can summon the will for change. "
Brian in Lincoln wrote on September 7, 2006 8:26 am:
" The athletic department gets NO state money and is self supported. Trying to link 80,000 fans at games and the price to go to school is kinda odd and not correct. "
Misinformed wrote on September 7, 2006 8:48 am:
" It is amazing to me the rising cost of tuition at UNL. When I first went to UNL 10 years ago, tuition was only $80 per credit hour. Now it looms close to $150, ridiculous! Not to mention all of the fees associated with tuition. But I do have to say that not a single dollar of a students tuition goes to the athletic department. Either way education in Nebraska is soaring, go to Wesleyan, they have more financial aid available and most students end up paying less for tuition there then UNL. "
A-UNL Student wrote on September 7, 2006 8:51 am:
" I am a huge Husker fan but if Nebraskans cared more about adequately funding higher education just as much as they care about Husker football then things would be a lot different on the University and in the state of Nebraska as a whole. Students shouldnt have to be forced to go to the national gaurd because the citizens of a state and nation turned there backs on them financially for education. The less loans I graduate with the more I will be able to invest into Nebraska and whatever field I go into. A lot of the extras that make UNL a competitive and attractive school as compared to its peers is student fees that fund such things such as the rec center, computer labs in the union, wireless internet and other things that students look for when choosing a University these days. I love Nebraska but Nebraska does not take Nebraska University seriously when it comes to making it affordable. P.S. we should not be worried about being comparable to our peers, we should be worried about providing a quality education to NEBRASKANS. "
Hjalmer wrote on September 7, 2006 8:55 am:
" It is a fact that as the years have passed the percentage of public college education costs covered by public funds has dramatically decreased. State support for public universities has declined across the nation. The fact is medical costs in the form of Medicaid are swallowing the money. The majority of that Medicaid spending goes to nursing home to pay the medical costs of impoverished elderly. As the baby boomers retire, these medical costs are going to rise and further threaten the availability of higher education. Now, keep in mind that what we've spend in Iraq so far would have paid all the cost of 4 year degrees for 26.5 million people. The money to pay for things is available. It's just a matter of priorities. "
Jake wrote on September 7, 2006 9:02 am:
" The athletic department for the University is a joke and it drains all the money out of the University as a whole. I wish they'd get rid of all athletics and get it back to what it should be, A LEARNING INSTITUTION!!!!!! "
Andy wrote on September 7, 2006 9:09 am:
" One of my biggest complaints of having recently graduated from UNL is that the academic advisors do NOT push students to graduate in four years. It is very common for advisors to in fact tell students, that it is ok to take an extra year (or even more). Having done my post graduate work at another school, the practice at UNL is unheard of in other parts of the country. All colleges at UNL need to enhance their policies for pushing students toward not taking 12-14 credit hour semesters and rather focus on 15-18 credit hour semesters allowing students to graduate in four years. "
Bubba wrote on September 7, 2006 9:17 am:
" The athletic department is self funding and provides an anchor of stability to UNL. Regents might do a better job in assuring there is minimal duplication of expenses. How many campuses need teacher programs? Could all engineering students be on one campus or all art students or all business students? Sure, we want well rounded education, but why have an academic menu that is over priced and has too many selections when consolidation is a way to reduce fiscal spending? "
ALW wrote on September 7, 2006 9:19 am:
" I take offense to being called a simple minded Christian. I am a Christian and I am not simple minded. I have a BA and an MED from Doane College. I am currently paying student loans. I did not expect others to pay for my schooling. I know higher education is expensive, but that is why you study hard to get scholarships and grants. There is money to help you out if you are willing to work for it. I also worked part time during college both on the campus and in retail to help pay for school. Yes, I had to get student loans, too. I don't know why Ed felt it necessary to make derogatory reference to Christians, but I am getting tired of it day after day on this blog. If you want to complain about why you aren't getting yours...I guess blame a Christian or a conservative. "
Matt wrote on September 7, 2006 9:23 am:
" If you knew anything about the University of Nebraska, you would know that the sports at UNL are funded by the money that the football team brings in, and by donations from donors, and not by student tuition, etc. "
mike wrote on September 7, 2006 9:23 am:
" everyone seems to be ignoring the fact that I, like a majority of fomrer UNL students have to work full time to pay for college. We are unable to participate in 15-18 credit hours a semester. Therefore graduating in under six years is acceptable because we are making it on our own. I am sorry for all the trust fund babies out there that feel we aren't applying ourselves because they can finish in 4. Tuition needs to be lower, or how about we fund it like in most of the European countries and have the colleges be free? Or is that too radical and forward for some of you? "
Larry Loveland wrote on September 7, 2006 9:32 am:
" The athletic department generates money not drains it from the Univ. 85,000 tickets a game, 7 home games times $60 a ticket do the math Jake, not to mention the addidas contract and tv contracts. oh i almost forgot the entire economy of the city of Lincoln depends on athletics. "
Andy wrote on September 7, 2006 9:39 am:
" Believe you me, if I had a , trust fundI probably would have found a different school than the U. But I do firmly believe that a stronger academic environment is fostered when the students are dedicated to school (not their part-time jobs). I have the student debt to prove it, but I realy feel that I earned a better education by studying my tail off every night of the week; and not just a piece of paper for floating by because I didn't studying due to a work schedule. "
Gerard Harbison wrote on September 7, 2006 9:41 am:
" So we get B, B+, B and F, and the article is entirely written about the F grade, which we shared with 43 states. Nice fair and balanced reporting, LJS! Got agenda? If I see a class where 80% of the students get an F, I don't put primary blame on the students. "
ch wrote on September 7, 2006 9:42 am:
" More government funding is not the answer to anything. You go out work hard and get it for yourself. The only thing holding people back from getting an education is themselves. The governments money has to come from somewhere. "
UNL Grad wrote on September 7, 2006 9:45 am:
" C. Wilson says the tuition/fees are comparable with our peers...duh! All of our peers are flunking in affordability with us!! Only 7 states passed the affordability test. Education is attainable only for the rich or the very poor - just try to get a student loan if you're middle class. The only financial aid my son could get were PLUS loans, yes, "Parent" loans, where Mom and Dad make the monthly payments. My husband and I put ourselves through college and post-grad by working and taking out student loans. It should be feasible for kids today to do the same - it builds character and provides incentive. Now it's just too darned expensive! "
J W Grieninger wrote on September 7, 2006 9:47 am:
" How times have changed. I started college at UNL in 1955 and finished January 1960 (four and one half years) with a BSEE. I paid the whole thing from working summers on construction, mining, manufacturing, drafting and graduated debt free in the top third (barely) of my class. I wasn't ready for college and had to start in the junior division with remedial math and English courses. But the University gave me the chance and I took it. After a successful career in electrical engingeering I am grateful for the opportunity. Something is wrong if this still can't be done. "
DLM wrote on September 7, 2006 9:48 am:
" It's always been and always will be "Rich man goes to college and poor goes to work or in dept for the rest of his life to pay for college". The university doesn't really care because it's always been this way... "
BAH wrote on September 7, 2006 10:14 am:
" Poor kid can get plenty of federal/state grants - and if he/she can EARN scholarships. Middle income kid may be eligible for state/fed grants, eligible for student loans, parents eligible for loan, kid can EARN scholarships. Rich man's kid is not eligible for grants, can get loans, kid can EARN scholarships but can't get any based on financial need. There are more scholarships out there if you are a minority student. If you are whining about cost of college because it's just for the "rich man", you didn't work hard enough during high school or didn't look hard enough for financial aid from sources other than "student loans"! The poor man has just as many opportunities, or more, to find student aid in the form of grants/scholarships that don't have to be paid back. Quit blaming UNL and other colleges. Take it upon yourself to find those financial resources and it starts by working hard om high school! "
XRepublican wrote on September 7, 2006 10:18 am:
" There is no such thing as free education, teachers and professors don't volunteer (that would be a socialist/European concept). Taxpayers are funding education and grants are just another taxpayer/government funded revenue source. Capitalsim and corporate sponsorship of education are not driving education, you'd think Pete Ricketts would have an answer for offsetting tax cuts with corporate funding...there is a disconnect between corporations enriching society and taxpayer driven economics. "
L wrote on September 7, 2006 11:30 am:
" There is PLENTY of government money to fund ALL higher education - take a look at the literally billions upon billions of dollars spent every month on defense, the space program, and the war(s). It is not impossible to fund most college students all the way through 4 years. And there's only so much scholarship money to go around for all those apparently slow, slovenly, stupid poor kids. Yeah you can work for it, but you have to fight tooth and nail against the thousands of other poor kids who are being left behind every year by our capitalist government. The real solution is to stop private funding of University programs and make it all publicly funded. Why do you think the hard sciences and CBA are so very "well endowed" by private organizations? Because more business graduates and bioengineers means more middle managers and weapons manufacturers. Since no one in Nebraska actually wants to do anything about Nebraska's public education, the rest of the programs get left behind. Public funding for public education. Period. "
Hey L wrote on September 7, 2006 12:13 pm:
" I agree a socialist government is exactly what we need. "
Ed Jr. wrote on September 7, 2006 1:15 pm:
" Keep cutting taxes and tuition will continue to rise. "
Bias story wrote on September 7, 2006 1:55 pm:
" Flat out this is a joke, its harder to get into a school if you parents make to much money rather then if you are flat broke. If your parents are making over 100,000 a year and tell you that you will have to pay for your own college ....... guess what ..... you are out of luck and have to go to a 2 year school with the hopes you can afford their classes with the near minimum wage job you have straight out of high school. If your parents are flat broke and tell you they won't help you go to college ...... guess what the government, the state, plenty of businesses, and special aid foundations will jump all over you ...... and even better yet if your a minority or a woman ..... you get even more of them practicly throwing them selfs at you to take their help so they can say they helped some poor starving kid in (insert your hometown here) get to college so they could get their degree in (insert your major here). Kids should not be bound on how much aid or assistance they can or can not recieve based appon what their parents take home because just because they make (x ammount) doesn't mean you will recieve (y ammount) for aid. "
Dick wrote on September 7, 2006 3:46 pm:
" i think the reason they made such a big deal about the 'f' in affordability is because we could have straight 'a's in everything else, but it wouldn't matter because people can't afford to go. "
To wrote on September 7, 2006 3:48 pm:
" Please tell me where you can get this great aid from the state and other places because I am a minority and a woman and was a ward of the state until age 18, my husband and I make 30K a year and both go to school full time and get absolutely no help. So if it really is how you say it is, point me that way (then again, I am married to a white man, maybe that makes a difference - give me a break with this already)!!!! It is up to the student to find out how they are going to pay for thier education. You can't say that minority women get more, I am a minority woman and get no free money, in fact, don't even get enough loan money to pay for all my classes, let alone books, and I have excellent credit (if that even matters). It all has to be paid back, DUH! Nothing in this world is free. That is, unless you are 18 and single with 1 or 2 kids. Then you get a free education so you aren't stuck on welfare for the rest of your life, although I would say that is money well spent on the state's part. As far as if the parents have a lot of money, then I agree the kid shouldn't be able to get free money, why aren't those parents willing to contribute to thier kids' education? It goes off of how many dependents you have and how many are in college, if you have enough to be over the limit why not contribute? I would do it for my future children. What a better gift to give than education? If education were free, everyone would have it and there would be no value in it financially speaking, you go to college to get a higher paying job so you can live comfortably, think about-high school diplomas, they are free for all kids and those who have it make minimum wage or just over. "
lake wrote on September 7, 2006 5:00 pm:
" for "to" its called a pell grant check into it "
Bill wrote on September 7, 2006 5:31 pm:
" The Athletic Department is self-funding at less than $50 million/yr. The north stadium was $50 million. The Athletic Dept kicks into the Academic budget. Now, aside from that, being a Land Grant University, I thought the principles and philosphy for the University of Nebraska was to make education affordable to all Nebraskans. It's not happening and unless the legislature triples what the University currently receives, it never will. "
Lisa wrote on September 7, 2006 5:37 pm:
" in addition to pell grants, there are state grants, grants offered by the college you plan to major in. Enroll, then complete the federal financial aid form (FAFSA), the college will do the rest. There are tons of free resources available in Lincoln alone to help you like the EduQuest Foundation. As for your kids start now, make academics, service in school/community a priority so the can qualify for scholarships. "
response to To wrote on September 7, 2006 6:12 pm:
" To - depending on your current age, you should check into the "Former Ward Program" to see if you qualify for assistance with Higher Education. As for the postings in general, what I find unfortunate is how much assistance a person can get for an athletic scholarship opposed to an academic scholarship. I realize this has to do with where the money comes from, but I was "brains" not "braun" and I have student loans I will be paying for a long time. I worked very hard to get through and pay for college and it seems SOME (not all) athletes didn't pay a cent, and then quit sports anyway, still maintaining part or all of their scholarship. If my GPA dropped below a certain level, I would have lost what little scholarship money I was getting. If people go to college for a 'higher education' shouldn't academic performance have a greater incentive??? "
Rb wrote on September 7, 2006 10:49 pm:
" I doesn't make any difference if Nebraska will end up with and uneducated work force cause that ain't no jobs!!! And if there was its too dam expensive to live in this state. "

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