Georgia Students to Pay More, Again

Just like the sun coming up in the morning and Bobby Franklin proposing something that makes me slam my forehead into my desk, tuition fees will rise in the state of Georgia once again next year.

The claim is that it’s only a 3% hike, but of course, then there are fees…  and if you add it in the new and additional fees, as another blog points out, it really turns out to be 9%.

My Senator*, Jason Carter, sent out a press release today, in which he says:

“I am glad that the tuition increase was the smallest we have seen in awhile, but I am still convinced that the changes to HOPE will hurt the students who need HOPE most and result in fewer students who can afford to stay in school,” said Senator Jason Carter (D-Decatur).  “The relatively small increase in tuition still yields a dramatic cut in the HOPE Scholarship and an increase in fees at a time when students and their families can least afford it.”

Carter, you may remember, attempted to “grandfather in” students currently enrolled but was shot down on a party-line vote.

As someone who worked through two years of high school and all through college, I’ll be waiting for Georgia Republicans to say “well, in my day we had to get a job to get through college” so that I can slap them down with this article.

* = Jason Carter is not actually my Senator, but given who my Senator is, I claim him instead.

Full press release from Carter below the jump.

HOPE Plan Leaves Students Paying More in Tuition, Fees

Concerns Remain about Impact of HOPE Cuts on Students, Families

Atlanta, Ga.– The Board of Regents voted today to increase both tuition and fees for the upcoming 2011-2012 school year.  With the recent changes to the HOPE Scholarship, that means that HOPE-eligible students and families will immediately be forced to shoulder roughly 13% of their tuition bill, plus the full cost of books and an additional $100-$350 in fees per semester.

“I am glad that the tuition increase was the smallest we have seen in awhile, but I am still convinced that the changes to HOPE will hurt the students who need HOPE most and result in fewer students who can afford to stay in school,” said Senator Jason Carter (D-Decatur).  “The relatively small increase in tuition still yields a dramatic cut in the HOPE Scholarship and an increase in fees at a time when students and their families can least afford it.”

During the legislature’s HOPE debate, Senate Democrats advanced an alternative proposal for HOPE reform to maximize the number of students who receive full tuition HOPE scholarships.  That plan would have called for an income cap for the HOPE Scholarship.  “Given the 3% increase in tuition, our plan would have been an even better option because it would have covered even more than the 94% of Georgia families originally reported,” said Carter.

Additionally, Senator Carter introduced an amendment to “grandfather” in current HOPE recipients and high school seniors who have had no time to plan for the cuts. It would have allowed them to receive full tuition coverage for at least a one year “grace period,” and possibly for the remainder of their time in college.  This amendment would have been fully funded by excess reserve revenue in the Lottery for Education account – money that has been collected over and above the necessary reserve and is not currently allocated for use.

That amendment was defeated by a party-line vote in the Senate.

“With the 3% increase in tuition for next year, it is now even easier to grandfather in current HOPE Scholars,” Carter said.  “We owe it to our current students who have come into college with the promise of HOPE to keep our promise as best as we can, and to do everything we can to see them graduate.”

The “grandfathering” or “grace period” proposal could be enacted by the Governor and Student Finance Commission without additional legislative action.


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13 responses to “Georgia Students to Pay More, Again”

  1. JMPrince Avatar
    JMPrince

    Just to be more clear for those who’ll never read the econ stuff:

    1.) There would be little problem with integrating and having more youth & college educated youth enter into the labor force in ‘normal times’. At full employment? That’s the expectation. As we’ve seen we’re a far distance from that stated policy ideal.

    2.) Most of the new jobs being created will require some more schooling beyond HS. Yes, much of this may be ‘satisfied’ with some training short of a full 4 year degree, and likely will.

    3.) Still declaring or imagining we’ll need a Less skilled labor force in the future is both silly & supremely counterproductive.

    4.) There are sprawling arguments about the best composition of said labor force, and the most cost effective ways of achieving same. Still, as others have alluded to above, even with a lowly BA or BS you’re More likely to be employed, and your unemployment level is about half (officially only now) of those stated for the top line number. Ergo, it’s seems to be good for something.

    5.) That said, it should be abundantly clear by now that student loan debt is deadly, and is a huge ongoing problem for many.

    Again, with all the gooey good charts, EPI’s analysis here:

    “THE CLASS OF 2011
    Young workers face a dire labor market without a safety net”
    By Heidi Shierholz and Kathryn Anne Edwards
    http://epi.3cdn.net/c7d6ec52122ea9c188_rbm6bc14a.pdf

    JMP

  2. JMPrince Avatar
    JMPrince

    More real data on the problem of Youth Unemployment: via EPI.org Updated here:
    http://www.epi.org/publications/entry/bp306-class-of-2011/

    The longer older version with all the nifty graphs is here:
    “The Kids Aren’t Alright—A Labor Market Analysis of Young Workers” by Kathryn Anne Edwards Alexander Hertel-Fernandez
    April 7, 2010

    epi.org/publications/entry/bp258

    The conclusion is inescapable: Clearly the worst youth labor market in 40 years, and possibly longer. (I suspect that’s as far as the BLS numbers go too). JMP

  3. Trevor Southerland Avatar
    Trevor Southerland

    I understand where you’re coming from, I guess I just look at it from a different point of view. If a job tells me I have to have a degree to apply and I don’t have a degree, I’m screwed.

    The “value” of the degree has certainly fallen but the “necessity” of it has gone through the roof.

    Also, they don’t really teach grammar much anymore in high school or in college… so that’s why writing standards are declining. I believe the USA Today’s standard is a third grade reading level or something like that.

  4. Jen B. Avatar
    Jen B.

    No. It’s like a high school diploma. If everyone requires it, it loses its meaning. Not to mention, diploma mills and grade inflation has caused higher education to turn to shit. Critical thinking skills are severely lacking. And considering that most young people spend a great deal of time online, you’d THINK their writing would be better.

    Damn. I am a cantankerous thirty year year old.

  5. JMPrince Avatar
    JMPrince

    Moreover, let’s also smack down (a bit) the last CalRisk ref. with the infamous Sandwich Man, Tom Walker here, via Angry Bear on more on the problem, and how to begin to measure it better:

    http://www.angrybearblog.com/2010/12/facts-or-fallacies-part-i-bls-data-v.html#more

    One man, one issue, 25 years of thoughtful work there. JMP

  6. Trevor Southerland Avatar
    Trevor Southerland

    HA! Ed just got smacked down by JMP.

    Wow.

  7. Trevor Southerland Avatar
    Trevor Southerland

    Well, you can’t say that it doesn’t mean much anymore if it’s virtually required. That would mean it matters a whole hell of a lot.

    BUT, I completely agree that we’re not putting enough focus on vocational endeavors and that not everyone should be required to have a Bachelors degree.

  8. JMPrince Avatar
    JMPrince

    Well how about some facts in there to support your suppositions Ed? Start here: Look for Youth Labor Force Participation, which is now at about 40 year lows. While you’re there, also notice that our labor force participation has never actually recovered to the year 2000 levels. And of course the last time that happened? Yeah. About 70+ years ago.

    http://www.calculatedriskblog.com/2011/02/participation-rate-update.html

    Nothing beats the original. JMP

  9. Jen B. Avatar
    Jen B.

    In all the seriousness, Ed’s last three # (points?) are valid. A four year degree doesn’t mean much anymore since it’s virtually required by everyone. In addition, I completely agree about vocational degrees (in both high school and beyond). Not everyone should go to college and this expectation is ridiculous. The people profiting most from this are the private loan companies / banks, not the students.

  10. Trevor Southerland Avatar
    Trevor Southerland

    I fear you’ve surpassed JMPrincian levels.

  11. Jen B. Avatar
    Jen B.

    A lot is two words.

  12. Ed Avatar
    Ed

    There are too many people with degrees, far too many people in college who shouldn’t be, not enough people entering vocational careers, and more dudes getting screwed who don’t want to pay into a great investment.

    Why is this problematic?

    OK so the last line is mostly snide but… if it is going to cost you alot of money, and you actually should be in college, it is more than likely going to be the best investment you’ll ever make in your life, both financially and un-quantifiably. If it is expensive, there are loans and scholarships.

    I will say that HOPE changes should be grandfathered in though.

    Sorry but I can’t ever get too upset about increasing college costs.

    I was going to get JMPrincian but I’ll throw out several, loosely connected items for consideration…

    #The value of a bachelor’s degree has been watered down to the point where it is now much less of a terminal point than it was before. This is due to a race with institutions to enroll more and more students which leads to

    #Being in senior level liberal arts courses and dudes don’t know what a complete sentence is.

    #Not everyone deserves to go to college.

    I think I just repeated alot of what I said above. Sorry.

  13. Jules Avatar
    Jules

    Thank you for posting this Trevor…I too claim Sen. Carter as my Senator, cause omg mine’s completely hideous.

    Can’t wait to use a 9% hike in a convo with local GOP boosters in Cobb, seriously with the other options they were offered to close this gap..well the idjits chose very poorly with the slamdunk policy they went with.

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