ACTA Statement on Squeeze Play 2010: Public Attitudes About College Access and Affordability

WASHINGTON, DC—Responding to the release of the latest Squeeze Play report by Public Agenda and the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education, Anne D. Neal, president of the American Council of Trustees and Alumni, made the following statement:

In this excellent new report, the American public has sent a message, loud and clear: enough with never-ending tuition increases! It’s particularly striking that the public feels stimulus funds should be used to reduce costs and not just maintain the status quo. This shows how truly concerned families are about costs. And they’re right. Over the past 25 years, average college tuition and fees have risen nearly twice as fast as health care costs—and borrowing by students increased by 25 percent just last year.

There’s another important message here: If we want to get serious about cutting costs, increasing productivity, and adding value, the “same old, same old” just isn’t good enough. Those on the inside can’t be counted on to control costs and increase value. We’re going to have to demand that trustees step up to the plate. They are, after all, legally responsible for these institutions and the use of student and taxpayer dollars.

The American Council of Trustees and Alumni is an independent non-profit dedicated to academic freedom, academic quality, and accountability in higher education. ACTA communicates directly with 10,000 college and university trustees across the United States who collectively oversee the education of more than six million students at over 600 institutions.