Education Secretary Wants Easier Financial Aid

In a series of plans announced Tuesday by Education Secretary Margaret Spellings, a specific area of concern was simplifying the process of applying for financial aid and enhancing mechanisms to compare the price and value of one college or university over another.

The secretary refused, however, to endorse calls to raise Pell Grant levels. Speaking to the National Press Club, Spelling asked, "Is it fine that college tuition has outpaced inflation? Is it fine that only half of our students graduate on time? Is it fine that students often graduate so saddled with debt that they can't buy a home or start a family? None of this seems fine to me."

The overall theme of Spelling's proposed changes is to make the college experience easier for all concerned. According to the Secretary, parents should be able to shop for a college education for their children armed with the comparative tools equal to those they would use to purchase a vehicle and they should have equal guarantees of quality assurance.

Reactions to the elements of Spelling's comments in regard to financial aid were mixed with the United States Student Association voicing its approval and the American Association of University Professors decrying an attempt to denigrate higher education as nothing but a marketplace.

On Capitol Hill, with the midterm elections nearing, response divided predictably along party lines with Republicans backing Spelling's position and Democrats labeling the speech as nothing but lip service.

Spelling's own commission recommended a hike in Pell Grant levels to cover some 70 percent of the costs for in-state tuition, a huge increase over the current coverage which is less than 50 percent. Spelling, however, would not commit to the increase. The Secretary does, however, advocate a web site allowing parents and students to compare educational institutions at an unprecedented level including the average salary earned by graduates of the school.