Rhode Island & College Affordability

"U.S. News & World Reports" had an editorial last week on the necessity of making colleges affordable. "Projo" has an article wherein Pres. Carothers suggests that URI must revinvent itself. He wants the legis. to allow the univeristy to spin off into its own independent agency (like the airport). It could then run itself & form partnerships & strategies to self-support. Bruce Sundlun (see: Jobs 4/17 ) also is thinking in a similar manner.

State colleges can no longer support themselves with tuition & grants (state finances about 20% of costs) & still remain affordable to qualified students. URI now has about 15,00 students & Carothers would like to see it expand to 22,000. URI aggressively seeks new applicants with phone-a-thons banked with professors. For the first time in recent history, the univ. has a slight majority of in-state students. In-staters pay about $7200 for tuition & $16,00 rm./board with out-staters paying about $30,000.

While we have concentrated efforts (but not always $) on our public school system, we must not forget higher education. Otherwise our colleges/universities might just become short term residences/occupations for scions of the "lucky sperm bank." A well-educated & trained workforce is our best insurance for a brighter economic future. CCRI, RIC, & URI need our support far more than we needed to reroute 195 in Prov.