Rhoades Introduces Measure to Hold the Line on Rising Tuition Costs

HARRISBURG - Acting to help Pennsylvania parents afford college education for their children, Senator James J. Rhoades (R-29) today introduced bills that will cap tuition increases at the rate of inflation in the Commonwealth’s state-supported colleges and universities.

"A college education is not just a dream anymore, it is a ticket to good jobs and a fulfilled life," Rhoades said. "But we can’t keep telling people that a college education is a ticket to success if they can’t afford to buy it.

"We need to do something about it. Today."

According to Rhoades, tuition increases over the past fifteen years have averaged 5.5%, nearly double the rate of inflation over that same period.

Rhoades' bills would cap annual tuition increases for the four state-related universities, the fourteen universities in the State System of Higher Education and the fourteen community colleges at the annual inflation rate. Any college that acts to increase tuition by more than the inflation rate would forfeit its state appropriations.

"For years, I have been encouraging our colleges to hold down their tuition increases," Rhoades said. "Now, I am not asking them. I am telling them."

According to Rhoades, the General Assembly spent $1.2 billion on Pennsylvania's colleges and universities in 2007.

"There is no way that we can allow the price of tuition to put a college education out of reach for people who want to work for a better life," Rhoades said.

"This has to stop. We can do something about this. And we can make sure that not a single Pennsylvanian gets left behind."