Students have little reason to be optimistic these days. We’re repeatedly told we’re entering one of the worst job markets in history; national and state leaders seem to be in perpetual gridlock on every issue; and student loan debt has reached an all-time high, exceeding credit card debt.
It’d be nice to say things will get better, but political leaders and recent events have given us little reason to believe they will. Although congressional leaders announced Tuesday they had reached a tentative deal to prevent student loan interest rates from doubling, it only came after months of petty debates on how to fund the $6 billion bill. The news arrived on the heels of a slew of changes to the Pell Grant program – changes that will effectively reduce or eliminate the grant for hundreds of thousands of students on July 1.
Additionally, the freeze on student loan interest rates is only good for one year, meaning the same debates will most certainly resurface in only a few months. There are no long-term solutions in the works (at least that we can clearly see), so students are left with several stopgap measures, hoping each year they’ll find a way to finance that coveted college degree.
Any promises at this point are empty words, and students should accept the unfortunate truth that it’s pointless to count on political leaders to help fund their education or, at the least, even ease the burden. This editorial board feels there’s no use in calling on legislators to come to some sort of agreement. That’s why it’s time for students and university leaders to take matters into their own hands.
To prepare for the impending changes, the university should provide more scholarship opportunities for students so they don’t have to rely so heavily on federal loans to finance their education. Private donors have stepped up to fund a state-of-the-art turf field and a new multi-million dollar president’s residence in the last year – now that these projects are nearly complete, officials should redirect their efforts toward raising the same sort of money to pour into student scholarships and financial aid.
But university leaders aren’t the only ones who now have an added responsibility. Students should be prepared to speak up, write letters and travel to Washington and/or Annapolis to send the message that this lack of leadership is detrimental and ultimately puts the country at risk by not adequately preparing the next generation for the job market.
According to U.S. Census Bureau data, those with college degrees can expect to earn nearly twice that of high school graduates. Even though a college degree’s importance is reiterated time and time again, legislators aren’t providing students with the tools they need to graduate.
While these sorts of efforts may sound trite, students have already proven that their voices matter. In April, after the state General Assembly failed to agree on a budget package, a “doomsday” budget went into effect, which would have triggered millions of dollars of statewide cuts, including $50 million to the University System of Maryland. Gov. Martin O’Malley berated legislators for their failure to compromise and provided no indication he would recall them to Annapolis to work out an alternate budget package without already having reached an agreement. However, students still voiced their discontent, including staging a rally on McKeldin Mall. On May 7, O’Malley announced lawmakers would soon meet again in Annapolis, and at a special session the next week, they agreed on a budget with modest cuts to state institutions. Students have a powerful voice – especially in an election year – they just need to use it more often.
University leaders and students have proven they’re capable of changing things for themselves. Politicians have continuously disappointed their constituents, and likely will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. Even though this is a state university, it does not need to remain entirely dependent on legislators working out squabbles. Students have far more influence than they realize, and university leaders can certainly raise money when it’s needed. After all, what’s the point in fundraising for new projects if there aren’t students who can reap the benefits?
