Press Releases

On Wednesday, November 30 at 10:00 a.m., the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Training, chaired by Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC), will hold a hearing entitled, “Keeping College within Reach: Discussing Ways Institutions Can Streamline Costs and Reduce Tuition.” The hearing will take place in room 2261 of the Rayburn House Office Building.

Over the last decade, college costs have risen dramatically. In the past year alone, in-state tuition and fees increased 8.3 percent at public four-year institutions, 8.7 percent at public two-year schools, 4.5 percent at private non-profit schools, and 3.2 percent at proprietary schools.

Several factors, including tighter state budgets and increases in costs of employee benefits, have contributed to the rising cost of college. While the federal government has taken steps to increase federal education subsidies to help students better manage their tuition, Washington can no longer keep up with the ever-growing cost of postsecondary education in America. Higher education institutions must find ways to offer high-quality education in a more cost-effective manner, and state governments must improve their systems for supporting students and schools.

Wednesday’s hearing will provide committee members an opportunity to examine the causes of rising college tuition and learn innovative ways some institutions are lowering costs. For more information about Wednesday’s hearing, visit www.republicans-edlabor.house.gov.

 

 

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WITNESS LIST

Ms. Jane V. Wellman
Executive Director
Delta Project on Postsecondary Costs, Productivity, and Accountability
Washington, D.C.

Dr. Ronald E. Manahan
President
Grace College and Seminary
Winona Lake, IN

Mr. Jamie P. Merisotis
President and CEO
Lumina Foundation for Education
Indianapolis, IN

Mr. Tim Foster
President
Colorado Mesa University
Grand Junction, CO