The Daily Egyptian is published by the students of SIU at Carbondale. Except during vacations and exam weeks, The Daily Egyptian is published Monday through Friday during the fall and spring semesters and TWThF during the summer semester."

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Kerry proposal pushes universities to keep tuition down

If U.S. Sen. John Kerry is elected President in November, universities across the country could have access to $10 billion in federal funds for the next two years. But to get those funds, those institutions' increases in tuition cannot exceed the inflation rate.

Democratic presidential hopeful Kerry mapped out a plan Thursday that would give colleges and universities the incentive to keep their costs down. With lower costs, Kerry said, a college education would be more accessible to more people.

"At a time when college is more important than ever, too many Americans can't afford to go," Kerry said in his speech. "And too many of those who are going to college aren't finishing."

By controlling tuition costs, Kerry is expecting to graduate one million more students from college than is projected during the next five years.

"If you don't think rising costs are squeezing America's families, then you should spend some time-as I have-talking to working families trying to put their kids through school," Kerry said in his speech.

For the 2003-04 school year, the Chronicle of Higher Education reported the average tuition increase at a four-year public college was 14 percent, while the 2003 inflation rate was 2.7 percent.

Kerry's other proposals include a $100 million fund rewarding colleges and universities for expanding the number of Pell Grant students who graduate from the institutions.

Kerry already announced cost-saving measures and revenue generators would help pay for his proposals. Those measures include repealing portions of President George W. Bush's tax cuts on wealthy Americans, auctioning off parts of the broadcast spectrum and seeking an overhaul of the federal government's guaranteed student-loan program.

Kerry's campaign office could not be reached for comment.

Steve Schmidt, a spokesman for Bush's campaign, told the Chronicle of Higher Education that Kerry's proposals were "full of empty promises." He said an expanding deficit in the federal budget would eventually force Kerry to scale back on his plans.

TyJuan Cratic, who was president of the SIUC College Democrats during the last school year, applauds Kerry's initiative to help spur higher education enrollment.

"That's what this country needs," said Cratic, a sophomore in political science and economics with a specialization in pre-law. "We need people going to college and getting bachelors, masters and doctorate degrees.

"Public education isn't public education if the public can't afford it."

Cratic also urges the SIUC student body the importance of registering to vote in order to make their voices heard. Whether it is a national, state or local election, he said he would like to see all students on campus turn out to vote.