Kyle Allen
Sports Editor
As higher education becomes more and more of a requirement for entering the workforce, its cost has risen dramatically in the past decade. Colleges and universities must offer a three-year option to make higher education more affordable for students.
In a Newsweek article on the subject of higher education, former George Washington University President Stephen J. Trachtenberg said he believes that colleges use their facilities for a little over half of a year. While the facilities are not being used, they still must be maintained. In large research institutions, such costs drive up the price of admission.
According to the annual College Board report “Trends in College Pricing,” the net price of attending a private college has risen by about $9,000 since 1994. The cost of attending a public four-year institution has risen by nearly $4,000 since 1994.
Students are laden with ever-increasing bills, thus requiring them to take out large student loans in order to even think about attending the college or university of their choice.
Some say a three-year option for many students is not plausible, as it will accelerate the education process far beyond its intended speed. The process is already long, with some students taking more than four-years to finish their baccalaureate degrees.
Although dubious, these claims have some merit. In an era that already pressures teenagers to mature very quickly, reducing the amount of time a student spends in college may make it difficult for the average student to grow-up and try several vocations before entering the workforce.
However, the benefits simply outweigh the detriments. Establishing a three-year option is simply the beginning of higher education reform.
More steps can be taken to lower the current costs of providing higher education to students. A system should be created that operates two different sessions of the same school at different times of the year, allowing for the school to operate year-round, reducing wasted time and staff pay that is unnecessarily used to maintain the school when it is not in session.
In the Trachtenberg system, a university would operate two colleges on two different schedules, and either have one or two staffs that operate during the schedules. This would reduce wasted time for the institution, bringing down the cost and potentially providing students with a lower price to pay for their college education.
According to the College Board, just in the past year, the price of tuition, room and board has risen by six and a half percent for students attending in-state public universities. This rise in costs must be dealt with if higher education in the United States is to remain affordable.
Universities and colleges must create affordable three-year programs or at least a less expensive alternative to the current four-year tuition system in order for higher education in the United States to become economically sustainable.
With the nation in a deep economic recession, students are forced to make important college choices based upon the prices of the schools they are accepted to. They may have to turn down a top tier school for a cheaper alternative, a sad truth that should pressure colleges and universities to find ways to make their institution more affordable for students.
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