Students bear financial burden of education

According to a recent study conducted by the Delta Project on Post Secondary Education Costs, Productivity, and Accountability, students across America are contributing more to their education than they had in the past due to a struggling economy and an increased stress on educational institutions.

The study measures the amount of tuition payments that were designated toward the cost of education, a term encompassing the cost of instruction, student services, and maintenance. According to the study, the amount students who had contributed to their costs of education increased 10 percent from 2002 to 2006, while students at private institutions contributed approximately 3 percent more during the same time period.

Data from the study suggests an education system that is highly stratified, with 1 million students attending private research universities, which contribute more to student education, and 6 million students attending community colleges, which pay the least.

The study suggests that colleges and universities spending less on the cost of education relative to tuition will lead to a greater demand on students to produce their own funds for their education.

Administrators at Boston College said that although the University is not immune to the current economy, they do not expect any changes in the financial aid department that would deprive students of the funds needed to complete their education.

Bernie Pekala, director of financial strategies, said that it is one of BC's main goals to try to accommodate the financial needs of all its students, while keeping student loans to a minimum. "Our goal is to meet the needs of any student who feels that they cannot attend BC for financial reasons. If anyone has a problem at all, we will bring them into the office and find out a way to figure it out, hopefully without having them taking out unnecessary loans."

Robert Lay, dean of enrollment management, said that he believes that BC will be able to meet the needs of students in financial distress and that he does not expect current economic conditions to affect enrollment. "In these times, parents are even more willing to make sure their child can go to the best university possible," Lay said. "If they have the resources, or if they can get them, they will most likely be choosing schools like BC over others." It is true, Lay said, that enrollment in graduate schools may increase due to the economy. "It is true that some students will enroll in grad school to try to wait out the current economy and to try to boost their credentials, but it is an entirely different approach with the undergraduate population," Lay said.

Both Pekala and Lay stressed the importance of maintaining a need-blind admissions system, an issue that has been a concern during the past year, in the midst of difficult economic times. In an open letter to the BC community in November, University President Rev. William P. Leahy, S.J., said that BC will continue its commitment to offering students the financial services needed to assist with their education. "Financial deliberations and choices will give priority to continuing Boston College's commitment to need-blind admissions, meeting full demonstrated financial need of accepted students and pursuit of academic and student formation goals articulated in the Strategic Plan adopted by our Trustees in February 2006," Leahy said.

Pekala said that he has been impressed by the University's reaction to the current economic situation. "It has been impressive to work with a university that, when a national financial crisis arises, comes to us and asks 'What can we do for the students?'"

Students can also expect a degree of relief from the current economic stimulus package that is currently being debated in the Senate. The stimulus plan includes $150 billion in educational expenditures, including an increase in the Pell grant and an improved federal loan program.

Pekala said that he was in approval of many of the new administration's new policies, especially the increased Pell grant. "The Pell grant is a major tool utilized to help the higher education system," Pekala said. The administration is expected to increase the amount of students eligible for the Pell grant which will, in turn, expand the pool of students eligible for other forms of federal aid. "If they increase the eligibility of the Pell grant, it will make many more students eligible for loans they could not have received before."

While Pekala approves of an increase in funds going to assist students with tuition costs, he said that he would like to see students seek options other than student loans. "Some students see these new federal loans which they are eligible for and immediately take them without realizing the consequences," Pekala said. "It would be much better if they were to come into the office and talk with someone about their options before they do something which could hurt them in the future." Lay also said that it is in the best interest of any student to look to BC for assistance if they are struggling. "We have been preparing for an economic downturn for some time now. We're not counting on a government bailout to assist us in living up to the guarantees we make to our students."