He’s right, something must be done – but what?

Sen. Bill Lieske, R-Lonsdale, recently authored a column published in our Oct. 12 edition reminding people who took out federal student loans the pause on repayment issued during the pandemic has been lifted. For those concerned about repaying their loans, he offered a couple of short-term options.

According to Earnest, a company providing student loans, while college tuition prices have seen a modest decrease since the start of the pandemic, costly degrees still remain out of reach for millions of Americans, and millions more are grappling with crushing student debt. This hasn’t always been the case. In fact, 40 years ago, college cost nearly a third of what it does now. So, what happened?

Back in the 1980s, if recollection serves me well, a year’s tuition at Mankato State University, with books, cost about $4,500. Thank goodness for grants and a part-time job at Carlson Craft (known today as Taylor Corp.). In 2018, the tuition for one three credit class at MSU topped $1,000.

The Minnesota Department of Higher Education reports the average annual full-time undergraduate resident tuition and fees for the University of Minnesota in 1994-95 was $3,583. In 2019-2020, it was $15,142.

According to College Board Trends, tuition and fees for public four-year universities (adjusted for inflation) increased by 9 percent between 2011 and 2021. While 9 percent would be significant on its own, it comes on top of steep tuition increases from the previous decade: between 2001 and 2010, the price of a four-year college degree soared by a whopping 73 percent, according to Earnest.

U.S. wages, meanwhile, have not kept up. The U.S. Census Bureau reports the average median family income declined 2.9 percent between 2019 and 2020. And over the past 30 years, income inequality has been increasing, leaving lowerincome households — especially those in Black or Latino communities — further and further behind.

So what’s the solution?

Sen. Lieske expressed concern over the rising cost of college tuition and indicated the inflation of college tuition needs to be brought under control. This expression of concern is nothing new and has been on the minds of college students and their parents for decades. As a state lawmaker, Sen. Lieske is in a position to address this issue. Dad always said, you’re part of the solution or part of the problem. Which will you be?

Sen. Lieske is right on the money. The question now on the table is what is he planning to do about it. We asked him for his suggestions.

Can’t wait for his ideas.

In August of 2022, President Biden suggested eliminating a portion of the debt of college graduates. Part of the rationale is graduates struggling with the weight of repaying their federal loans are unable to contribute to the economy because of the debt they chose to incur and also deliver help to supporters for a likely re-election bid. The U.S. Department of Education estimate in September of 2022 one-time student debt relief will cost an average of a staggering $30 billion a year over the next decade.

Not surprisingly, the GOP scoffed at the idea. While that’s way too much, we’re still waiting for them to offer a suggestion to better the situation.

Years ago, high school students were told the only way to make anything of themselves was through a college education. Perhaps that’s not as true today as it was back then. There are jobs out there – good jobs paying a livable wage available through trade schools. My two elder brothers, both professional mechanics, worked hard and earned admirable wages.

According to Indeed, an online firm matching jobseekers with jobs, there are plenty of good jobs for people with two-year degrees. From being a medical assistant to a graphic designer, a police officer, a technical support specialist, a respiratory therapist or a radiation therapist, there are opportunities to be considered.

While the government should not always be so quick to bail out people who’ve created their own challenges, government is intended to help people truly in need. Therefore, if the government really wants to invest $305 billion in student debt relief, perhaps the money would be better served curbing the rate of inflation in college tuition or reducing interest rates on incurred debt.

Just a thought.