Dear Commons Community,

The issue of student debt and the affordability of college tuition increasingly is being scrutinized among policy makers and the media.  The topic was the focus of a recent PBS Need to Know telecast.  The reference below was passed on by colleagues, John Wallach and Manfred Kuechler at Hunter College.  A full video of the program  is available at:  http://watch.thirteen.org/video/2195311651

Tony

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To the Hunter College Community:

Last night, on the Channel 13 show “Need to Know” hosted by Ray Suarez, there was a story on mounting student debt.  The show itself was just okay, as Ray Suarez didn’t ask the best questions–such as why tuition has gone up at public universities (because of declining support from state governments–also not mentioned by President Obama in his State of the Union address which generically criticized high tuition at “colleges and universities”).  But the lead-off segment and bright thread through the story was an interview with a Hunter alum who has struggled with student debt–especially because of unjustifiable interest charges and fees from Sallie Mae (a private lender to students).  She was the best part of the show, and (unintentionally) made Hunter proud.

I tried to link Hunter-L to the story, but either it wouldn’t take or the story has not yet been archived–probably because it’s being aired again this morning, at 9:30.

Chrs, John.

Dear Commons Community,

In the past week a lot has been made of the controversy surrounding President Obama and new federal requirements regarding access to contraceptives at Roman Catholic institutions.  Similar laws are already in place in 28 states, without inflicting the slightest blow to the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church.  The argument that this is a religious freedom issue is strictly political theater in a presidential year.

As a New York Times editorial comments:

“If a religious body does not like a public policy that affects its members, it is free to try to change it, but it cannot simply opt out of society or claim a special exemption from the law.”

Regardless, yesterday, Mr. Obama’s revised the rules on birth control coverage to let institutions affiliated with a religion shift the cost of coverage to their insurance companies. In sum, Mr. Obama took an action that will help reduce the number of unwanted pregnancies, abortions and medical complications from pregnancy.

Tony