"Education is the responsibility of the state, and there isn't much the government can do to oversee it," said Shirleyne McDonald, associate director of AU's Office of Financial Aid.
On March 30 the House passed a bi-partisan revision of the Higher Education Act, which aims to make college education more affordable, according to CNN.com.
The revised Act will make it easier for students to apply for federal aid and will pressure colleges that continuously increase their tuitions to explain why, according to
CNN.com.
Republicans and Democrats debated how the federal government should deal with rising college tuitions. Republicans favored increased government oversight over college tuitions, whereas Democrats favored cutting interest rates on student loans in half, CNN.com reported.
The law will require colleges and universities to post information about their costs on the Education Department's Web site, according to CNN.com.
Aaron Bregman, a junior in the College of Arts and Sciences, said he supports the act.
"I think colleges and universities should have to explain why every year, tuition is raised higher and higher," he said. "Being a Democrat, and as much as I am for privacy and non-government control, I feel that in this case having the government step in and make sure that the universities are spending their money wisely and cost effectively is very important."
Megan Pusecker, a freshman in the School of Public Affairs, said she would like college to be cheaper but understands the rising costs.
"We should make colleges explain why their tuitions are going up, but at the same time it is understandable because there are capital increases at universities as well," she said. "A lot of it comes down to personal finances on students and their family's parts."
The law also increases the maximum amount given for the Federal Pell Grants, which are the chief federal aid programs for low-income students, according to CNN.com.
McDonald said that after students complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, the Pell Grants are distributed based on the Expected Family Contribution level - a number that helps the government determine what level of financial aid should be given. The lower a family's level is, the higher the amount of Federal Pell Grant money is given. The current maximum for Federal Pell Grants is $4,050.
"Any change in the amount given in grant aid will help the needy students at AU and students everywhere," McDonald said.
The enacted Higher Education Act will be effective in AU's financial aid policy very soon, McDonald said. The Office of Financial Aid is currently drafting a newsletter to send to all AU students describing how these federal changes will affect their financial aid.
Bregman said he is glad Congress sees a problem with the price of college tuition in the U.S.
"Hopefully, lawmakers will one day stop playing politics and actually remember there are students and families out there who are suffering financially at the moment and cannot wait for them to decide five years from now," he
said.
