As the budget crisis escalates, Oregon legislators look for easy ways to make cuts. Cutting $75 million from the higher education budget seemed easy, because colleges can make up for it by raising tuition. However, steep tuition increases will be detrimental to both higher education and our state’s long-term economic health.
Affordability has gone out the window. In 1999, students split the cost of education, with the state paying 50 percent and students funding the remaining half. Four years later, 64 percent comes out of students’ pockets. Some students have seen the cost of tuition jump as much as 50 percent. And Oregon ranks near the bottom nationally in state-funded financial aid.
The combination of soaring costs and weak financial aid will cause enrollment to decline. So, the beating higher education took this legislative session set off a chain reaction that will result in further tuition hikes and dwindling enrollments. Traditionally, students who cannot afford university costs fall back on community colleges, but they didn’t fare much better when budgets were slashed.
While demand for their services increases sharply, community colleges have been left reeling from a $38 million cut in funding. An increasing number of Oregonians need job training from community colleges, and university students save money by taking transferable courses. Shrinking budgets and growing enrollments hinder the ability of community colleges to provide access to high-quality service.
As lawmakers and voters hold the line on taxes, higher education loses. The public insists on getting more but paying less, so students are left paying more but receiving less. And if citizens overturn the tax package passed by legislators, higher education will lose an additional $11 million.
While skyrocketing costs price a growing number of students out of higher education, the availability of financial aid continues to plummet. Because of the tireless advocacy of students, there were some bright spots. The legislature restored some funds to the Oregon Opportunity Grant and Childcare Block Grant. Still, Oregon provides less financial aid than most other states.
The Oregon Opportunity Grant turned away over one-third of eligible students during the last two years. New, stricter eligibility requirements mean that even fewer students will meet the criteria for receiving the grant. Although legislators restored $4 million to the fund, students will still be turned away at the same rate.
Last October, the Student Childcare Block Grant, which covered childcare costs for nearly 500 student parents, was eliminated. During the recently adjourned session, legislators supported student parents by adding $1 million to fund the program. While this money will allow about 100 parents to attend school, at least 1,000 others will be left unable to afford the combined costs of childcare and tuition.
Balancing the budget on the backs of college students is not the answer to Oregon’s budget crisis. Cuts to universities and community colleges limit access to post-secondary education, ensuring that fewer Oregonians are prepared to make significant contributions to our economy in coming years. To secure a productive future for Oregon, legislators and citizens must make higher education a priority.