Task force created to research college cost

With the increasing cost of higher education, Indiana students may find themselves continuing to struggle to find ways to pay for college. However, earlier this year, Gov. Joe Kernan took steps to address college affordability by recommending that public colleges and universities hold its tuition increases to no more than 4 percent and created a task force to make recommendations on the rising cost of tuition.\n"I'm excited about this new task force created by Kernan, because we need a serious look at higher education in Indiana," said Patricia Moss, executive director of State Student Assistance Commission of Indiana.\nBefore the task force was created, the governor only reviewed research completed by organizations. The information gathered on college affordability was then pieced together. \n"The Commission of Higher Education and State Student Assistance Commission both provided separate pieces of data on college costs for the governor," Moss said. \nThe 13-member task force is composed of representatives from public and private higher education institutions, state legislators and the State Student Assistance Commission of Indiana. Gov. Kernan said he wants the task force to research all aspects of college affordability. Aspects of the in-depth research will include tuition and fees, financial aid and multiple affordability issues.\n"Instead of looking at a single point, we will be looking at the entire picture of cost and affordability," Moss said.\nGov. Kernan said he wants to make college education a realistic option for everyone. By having easier access to higher education, the state's economic growth will improve, Kernan said. One of the aspects of making higher education cheaper would be to re-examine financial aid. Bringing more federal money to Indiana may allow more financial aid to those who can't afford college. \n"Increased funding from the federal government is one of the main points that the task force will be looking into," said deputy Press Secretary Lisa Sirkin. \nSirkin said she believes the task force will have a great impact on higher education in Indiana. The task force's first meeting will be in August, and they are required to have recommendations for the governor by Dec. 15. Sirkin said he thinks the task force's recommendations will have a positive impact at IU. \n"(The) governor has good channels of communications with Indiana University, and I believe that the University will follow Kernan's requests," Sirkin said. \nBesides public colleges and universities, the task force will also consider private higher education. However, private colleges and universities in Indiana will not have to follow any of the guidelines. \n"Private organizations set their own tuition costs, and the task force was designed to mostly focus on public universities in Indiana," Sirkin said.\nJunior John Paszkiet said he believes the task force should have been created a long time ago.\n"I would have thought that the governor would already have (a) committee in place to review the cost of attending college," Paszkiet said. \nPaszkiet is one of the many Indiana students who has federal loans and works a part-time job to help pay for college.\n"Many students go into heavy debt due to the loans to pay for college," he said. "I hope that Kernan soon will take a strong stand on lowering the cost of college."\n-- Contact staff writer Nick Pittman at npittman@indiana.edu .