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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Camila Gallardo
cgallardo@nclr.org
(305) 215-4259
Washington, D.C.—Today, President Obama announced a broad plan to help bring college tuition rates down through a new rating system that would provide federal financial aid primarily based on how institutions scored. The cost of college tuition has increased rapidly in the last several decades; in fact, a recent report by Moody’s Analytics indicates that it has nearly doubled since 2000.
“Both the enormous expense and the fear of crushing debt once they join the job market have long prevented millions of students, especially in the Latino community, from pursuing higher education. We welcome the positive steps that the president has taken today to help rein in the cost of going to college,” said Janet Murguía, President and CEO of NCLR. “Helping to make college more accessible is essential to preparing the next generation of Latino leaders with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed and move our nation forward.”
“We look forward to working with the White House to implement some of the ideas discussed today, and we urge Congress—which also must act—to come to an agreement on legislation that will help mitigate the costs of obtaining higher education for our nation’s young people. Investing in our nation’s future through building a strong educational foundation is critical, and we believe that Congress can play a vital role in that by reauthorizing the Higher Education Act,” Murguía concluded.
NCLR—the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States—works to improve opportunities for Hispanic Americans. For more information on NCLR, please visit www.nclr.org or follow along on Facebook and Twitter.
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