This AP article picked up by WRAL looks at some New York college students’ reactions to NY Governor Andrew Cuomo’s proposed program for taxpayers to pay for tuition not covered by existing financial aid programs. Their response? It’s good, but still not enough:
That’s because tuition, at around $6,500 a year, is just about a third of the typical four-year student’s total public college bill in New York. Room and board are the bigger-ticket items at nearly $13,000 a year, and student fees and books tack on another $3,000.
Those extra expenses would not be covered under Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Excelsior Scholarship proposal, which would pay only the difference between financial aid and tuition at State University of New York or City University of New York campuses for full-time students from families earning $125,000 or less.
Students interviewed by The Associated Press said that any tuition help is welcome, but they could also use help paying for the many other costs of a college education.
So not only do these students feel they are entitled to have others forcibly pay for their college tuition, but to pay for their living expenses at college as well.
My colleague Bob Luebke recently wrote about why free college tuition is a bad idea. Paying for room and board just doubles down on the bad idea.
Far too many college graduates find themselves on the outside of the workforce because their degree has little to no marketable value. Many more college students are confined to entry-level type jobs not requiring any college training for the same reason. This problem would only grow worse if tuition (and room and board) would be completely subsidized by taxpayers. With no personal investment in their education, students have less incentive to carefully consider the market value of that education.
The economy would struggle to find workers qualified to contribute to the production of goods and services actually demanded by consumers, instead it would be flooded with youngsters filled with knowledge they themselves may find interesting but brings no value to satisfying anybody else’s needs.
I hate that I have to “forcibly” pay for room and board and equipment of the US Arm Forces. I really hate I am forced to pay for some of those highways I never use ………. I really, really hate that people are forced to pay my salary… NCCivtas should be able to post better arguments.