Tuition Hikes Harm Students Who Already Face the Greatest Barriers. Prop CC Would Help.
By Ali Mickelson
Tuition at Colorado universities has been skyrocketing and as the cost of a college education continues to shift to students and families, many Coloradans are struggling to cope. This is confirmed in a new report from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) that highlights how deep cuts in state higher education funding have led to rapid increases in tuition and less support for students.
And while these challenges will persist regardless of the outcome of the 2019 election, voters can start reversing this trend if they pass Proposition CC. That measure, which would allow the state to invest all the revenue it keeps at current tax rates in good economic times, would direct an anticipated $135.7 million towards higher ed funding over the next two years.
In the last decade, state funding for public two- and four-year colleges has decreased by $6.6 billion across the country. In Colorado, state support has dropped by nearly 10 percent, or by roughly $510 per student. This has resulted in dramatic tuition increases across the state, with tuition in Colorado increasing 69.3 percent over the last decade. This is the sixth-highest increase in the country.
This shift from state funding to family budgets has had many negative impacts, particularly for Black and Latinx students and for families with low incomes. The average cost of attending a public four-year institution – including room, board, fees, books and tuition – accounts for 24 percent of an average family’s budget in Colorado. This burden is even greater for Latinx and Black students (32 percent).
Research also shows that increasing tuition consistently results in declining enrollment, especially amongst students of color. As a result, tuition increases can lead to less diverse campuses and fewer opportunities for many Colorado students.
Furthermore, tuition increases may cause students who struggle to pay for college to choose less selective public institutions, which can decrease their future earnings. Research from the Brookings Institution found that a large share of high-achieving students from struggling families don’t apply to more selective colleges and universities, in part due to financial constraints.
Finally, the rise in the cost of higher education has also driven unprecedented levels of student debt. According to the Pew Research Center, 54 percent of students took on some debt to pay for college and about one-third of all adults under age 30 have student loan debt. A 2018 survey showed that student debt prevented 80% of borrowers from saving for retirement, 56% from buying a home, 42% from buying a car, and 50% from contributing to charity, according to the report. More than 85% said student loan debt was a major source of stress, and one in three said such debt is the biggest stress in their lives.
As the CBPP report illuminates, lawmakers need to consider the increasing costs of education if they want to ensure that all Coloradans have access to the opportunities afforded by a college degree. Continued cuts in the state’s higher education budget make college less accessible and inclusive and jeopardizes the future of our communities.
Though the challenge will be slightly less daunting if voters approve Proposition CC, lawmakers will still have their work cut out for them.
