The University of Kentucky dealt the state's economic prospects another blow by matching U of L's recent tuition increase with a 6 percent increase of its own, proving once again the need for a moratorium on tuition increases. This is just the latest piece of evidence that higher education costs are completely out of control and that college and university administrations are not taking the student debt crisis seriously.
UK apparently thinks we're all supposed to be overjoyed that they're not raising tuition by double digits. Huh? The next time someone fleeces you, make sure you thank them that they didn't do worse things to you.
These institutions have long made a claim on public support because raising the level of education in the state will improve the long-term economic picture of the state. But it is becoming increasingly clear that they are putting out more and more graduates who will spend a good part of the professional lives trying to pay back the debt they incurred to get their degrees.
As of 2009, the average college graduate had incurred student debt of over $24,000.
Here's the Louisville Courier-Journal's article today in which I am quoted.
These are schools, mind you, who seem to have a bottomless purse when it comes to promoting themselves with the public and with state lawmakers. How much money are they spending on lobbyists and on promotion in order to convince us that then need more?
Part of the problem is that state legislators have not asked university leadership the tough questions that need to be asked about their lack of cost control. It's time for someone to hold these people's feet to the fire.
C'mon guys, let's show some leadership on this issue.
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