Republicans unveil higher-ed bills

Proposals include breaks on tuition

Erika Gonzalez, Rocky Mountain News

Published October 24, 2007 at midnight

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Colorado Republican legislators offered a package of bills Tuesday that could provide some relief for parents and students struggling to cover tuition at the state's public colleges and universities.

One proposal, co-sponsored by Sen. Shawn Mitchell, R- Broomfield, would give in-state students the option of locking in a guaranteed tuition rate for a four-year degree.

"Higher education has been shooting out of control for decades. This would give families a better idea of what to expect over four years," said Mitchell.

Mitchell said students would probably pay a higher rate to lock in - just as home buyers do for fixed-rate mortgages. Students would still have the choice to pay regular tuition but risk having it rise annually.

The University of Colorado already offers nonresidents a guaranteed rate good for their college careers.

The average tuition increase for four-year state schools was 16 percent this fall - one of the steepest rises in the nation, according to a report released Monday by the College Board. Higher ed officials say funding cuts have forced the state's institutions to raise tuition.

Last week, University of Colorado President Hank Brown said CU's Health Sciences Center is on the verge of outpricing middle-income students because its in-state tuition has jumped 52.4 percent over the last five years.

Tuition hikes might slow if Colorado's institutions receive an influx of cash from oil and gas development. Sen. Josh Penry plans to introduce a bill that would funnel revenue from that type of development into a higher education trust fund.

While some university presidents are concerned about whether that source is an appropriate funding mechanism, Brown has said that he supports using money from mineral leasing to create a "rainy day" fund that public institutions could tap during recessions.

The Republicans' plan also includes a bill to provide more merit-based scholarships for needy students.

Other measures include:

• Setting standards that would make colleges more accountable for their performance. There might be financial incentives for a university or college that exceeds its performance standards.

• Requiring school districts to cover costs of remediation courses for students who lack the skills they need for college.

Although he had not seen the Republicans' proposals, House Speaker Andrew Romanoff, D-Denver, said he was happy to see higher education earning some attention from the GOP.

"If my Republican colleagues are now interested in showing up for the colleges and universities in the state and making higher education more affordable for more kids, I say welcome aboard," said Romanoff. "We've been trying to make that case for last three years."

Romanoff said Democrats will unveil their education proposals after Gov. Bill Ritter's P-20 Council issues its recommendations next month. The council is studying education reform from preschool through college.

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