Jersey Goes Crazy Evil on Higher Education

[Khendon Sevon]

The state government of NJ is currently about 4 billion $$ in debt and has been in debt for a while now. Indeed, they are one of the most-in-debt states in the US.

Their solution? Raise taxes, cut spending. Alright, an increase from 6% to 7% sales tax, $.25 added to cigs, all that is cool.

But, wait! They're cutting $160 million from gov't funded education! That means TCNJ (The College of New Jersey), NJIT (New Jersey Inst. of Technology), and RU (Rutgers University) will all suffer. RU is being hit particularly bad taking about $100 million of the cuts--the New Brunswick campus has about 40,000 students alone.

That means tuitions will go up.

Okay, that's why we have Federal Aid and Federal Loans, right? Wrong.

The Bush admin. has cut back several billion dollars on aid and loans for students. On top of that, incentives for banks have been reduced. As such, some loans are going up to 8% for students. With aid cut back, it's getting harder and harder to pay for school.

Now, I go to a private college in NJ. Really, none of this affects me (my parents already pay an obscene $41,000/year). However, most of my friends go to RU or TCNJ. They're getting kicked in the ribs. I don't like it when people bother my buddies.

/End Rant.

[Ryan Pode]

Tuition is going up in Virginia and North Carolina as well. Even though Virginia has one of the better state economies.

[Lilaena De'Ville]

Tuition goes up every year.

[Miranda Tarkin]

Yep, my tuition is going up this year as well... -_-

[Fiona Devlin]

It pretty sad that our own government doesn't pay for education. :(

[Khendon Sevon]

Yup, tuition goes up every year for almost everybody. Stevens right now is about $41,000, next year it'll probably be around $43,000-$45,000.

But, RU is around $17,000 'cause it's a state school. Now, if they have $100 million taken away from them, what will the tuition jump to?

[Miranda Tarkin]

No one is arguing against the fact that sucks Khendon.. just that we're all in the same boat with how badly the tuition increases are across the board -_-

[Khendon Sevon]

Ah. Truth.

It's crazy how the gov't always says it's trying to increase the quality of education, funding to it, etc. Yet, in the end, it keeps taking away.

Bah, politicians.

[Lilaena De'Ville]

This is why you shouldn't depend on the government to give you money or take care of you. Ultimately, you should do it yourself.

Depending on the government to hold our hands and wipe our noses = big government and less liberties.

This has been your heavy-handed generalization brought to you by ...er.... my brain. The views stated within actually have little to do with federal student loans, and or tuition increases (which are part of interest increases and inflation and the economy?). That being said, I could never get a federal student loan or grant to save my life, and I hate them.

edit: also if the government paid for education, ultimately you'd be paying for it anyway through more taxes. Even if you didn't go to college. That, in my opinion, would suck.

[Fiona Devlin]

Originally posted by Lilaena De'Ville
Depending on the government to hold our hands and wipe our noses = big government and less liberties.

so not what I meant, but I'll shut up now.|I

[Lilaena De'Ville]

Originally posted by Lilaena De'Ville
This has been your heavy-handed generalization brought to you by ...er.... my brain. The views stated within actually have little to do with federal student loans, and or tuition increases (which are part of interest increases and inflation and the economy?).

:)

[Khendon Sevon]

Eh, actually, tuition is increasing faster than inflation ;p and I'd say it has no correlation to the economy. The economy could be in the gutter (no comment as to its current status) and we'd still see an increase.

The institutions themselves are becoming bigger and more involved in economics.

[Lilaena De'Ville]

Well I never said that what I said was the truth. :) Hence the (?)

[Khendon Sevon]

:) Very good point.

In other news:

Took my first final today. Only 11 more days 'till this semester is officially in the past.

[Miranda Tarkin]

Nine more days for me! :D three finals and a project left to go. And my clinicals end this saturday which means I have my weekends again! ^__________________^