Do you know how much debt you will be in when you graduate? Do you know how much of what you will ultimately pay for your student loan will go towards education and how much will end up lining the pockets of financial institutions that contribute nothing to education? Higher education is the fundamental bedrock of American society. Education drives our ability to innovate, and is directly correlated to our future as a prosperous, successful nation. Education is the pathway for immigrants to find success and contributes to students becoming upstanding citizens and life-long taxpayers and learners.
With the cost of a college education becoming increasingly unaffordable, we propose a NO CUTS, NO COMPROMISE petition to all 50 Governors to urge them to commit to refrain from making ANY cuts to education in their state budgets this year. We ALL have the right to an affordable, high quality education and ask that our Governors consider their priorities by upholding these rights.
The average cost of college has gone up by over 66% over the last 20 years(http://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=76) while administrator salaries have risen considerably. At Ohio State University, President E. Gordon Gee is the top-earning public college President in the nation, bringing in over 1.8 million dollars per year. (http://chronicle.com/article/Presidents-Defend-Their-Pay-as/126971/)
At the same time, it has become harder for graduates to find well paying jobs. In fact, recent graduates have seen a 10% decrease in their income since 2006, according to the New York Times. (http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/19/business/economy/19grads.html)
It is time that we stand together and protect higher education in America. Let's stop burdening our youth with over $20,000 in student loans by the time they graduate. We believe that everyone should have the right to an affordable, quality education without fear of financial ruin. Education for the 99% should NOT be dictated by the financial gains of the 1%.
We ask all America's Governors to make No Cuts to Education, in their state budgets.
