Today I had the pleasure of attending my first Senate hearing regarding college affordability.  Imagine my progressive giddiness as I watched Senator Kennedy enter the hearing room.  Camera’s flashing, the G.W. College Democrats behind me talking of tossing G.W. Dem’s underwear at him, and that school girl flustered feeling inside me from just seeing Kennedy in person, someone I hold at a high level of rock star status.  Unfortunately, that first impression faded quickly as I realized that Senators Kennedy, Enzi (ranking member from WY), and Isakson (republican from GA) were the only ones in attendance, eighteen others were missing.  Is college affordability that unimportant to our senators that they could not show up for a 90 minute hearing?  I was especially let down by my own senator, Sherrod Brown (OH), as his 2006 campaign platform was packed with promises regarding the issue at hand.

Witnesses at the hearing were Suze Orman, host of The Suze Orman Show, Tamara Draut, author of Strapped: Why America’s 20-and30-Somethings Can’t Get Ahead, Dr. Jon Oberg, former Department of Education researcher, and Dr. Sandy Baum, Senior Policy Analyst for The College Board and Professor of Economics at Skidmore College.

Senator Kennedy opened the hearing saying that “any individual, any student, young and old alike” should be provided with “help and assistance” from the federal government to obtain a college education.  Each of the panelists agreed, but had differing ideas on how to reach the ultimate goal of college affordability. 

Orman stated the only way to combat what she referred to as a “perfect storm” is to educate both students and their parents in financial aid issues specifically those regarding borrowing and repaying loans.  Draut proposed moving from our current “debt for diploma system” to a system where grants will cover three-quarters of the cost of college for those who qualify as low-income.  Oberg strongly urged the committee to read his report and pay particular attention to the footnotes and advocated federal loan auctions.  Baum felt transparency was best, that providing predictable aid quotes to students and their families at a young age would help them plan for the financial burden of college.

On my way out of the hearing room I thanked the man who not only invited, but snuck in myself and about 20 other college students.  This, he told me, was only the first of many hearings on this issue of college affordability.  I urge you to contact your senator, especially if they are on this committee, and tell them that as a voter you expect him/her to support this issue.  I agree with Orman, this is the perfect storm.  The average debt of a four year college graduate has almost reached $20,000.  It’s too late for me, as I will graduate in May, but with college tuition rising at an exponential rate, I fear for the future students of this country.