Budget cuts, tuition hike shortsighted in long run

Staff Editorial from March 11, 1985

Although North Carolina’s university system has had a reputation of giving a quality education at a low cost, it may be a thing of the past.

In the past, many North Carolinians have enjoyed inexpensive college educations. However, Gov. Jim Martin has proposed increasing tuition by 10 percent. This hike is part of his plan to reduce the state taxes and stimulate the economy.

This solution may help the state’s economy in the short-run, but in the long-run it may prove detrimental.

While cutting taxes may stimulate the economy, cutting education will definitely reduce economic growth. A society will only make progress based on the quality of its education. If Martin’s suggestion to raise tuition to the University is followed, the number of students attending North Carolina universities could steadily decline.

Furthermore, students can no longer look toward the federal government for financial aid. Regan has proposed to sustainably reduce the volume of aid money available to needy students. In addition, he also suggested placing a ceiling of $4,000 on the total dollars one might borrow and/or receive as a grant.

As many students know, the total cost of attending a university can soar above $4,000, even at an inexpensive university such as State.

This tuition increase coupled with increases in dorm rent, food, book prices and other costs of living will seriously dampen the possibilities of many high school graduates of lower-income households from attending universities.

Why, during an acknowledged economic recovery, does Martin insist on placing additional financial burdens on families who wish to send their children to college? Instead, during this recovery we should extend a helping hand to these families and to the university system.

We cannot allow our university system to become available only to the rich. It is unfair and unethical to pace higher education out of the reach of poor students.

The benefits of the lowered taxes simply do not outweigh the burden that would be placed on those students who wish to further their education. The benefits of a strong educational system that are available to many students do much more to strengthen North Carolina’s economy in the future than some of his tax cuts. Cutting in education is simply a very shortsighted decision based only on short-term economic gains.

North Carolina will find a greater economic growth from improved higher education—not short term tax cuts—in the long-run.

They still haven’t learned their lesson

Trey Ferguson, Viewpoint Editor

For those students cursing under their breath about there being yet another budget cut story in the paper, as this column shows, this issue is not unique to the current classes of N.C. State. Over 25 years have passed, and the threat of budget cuts is still as prevalent as ever. Back in 1985, the University was described as an affordable school. While this is seemingly true, students today might disagree. Many believe this high-way robbery N.C. State calls tuition fees is continually increasing, with no $4,000 ceiling our 1985 counterparts had the luxury of relying on. The problem remains– the state and federal governments seem to believe the solution to this monetary nightmare is to cut away at higher education—a solution they will find will come back to haunt them.

Much like the budget cuts of 1985, these present-day cuts come from the cuts in government funding. By cutting the budget of institutions that provide education to those who will be in the future jobs of our government, the current government is setting their successors at a major disadvantage. So government officials should take note of this 1985 issue and how it is still prevalent in today’s society, and base their decisions not on the quick-fix to financial restraints, but rather the long-term outcomes from an effective educational system.