Five years ago, a college education was expensive.

Now, a college education is very expensive – and outside the reaches of many prospective students.

Central Michigan University should follow the lead of other Midwest schools and expand its financial aid offerings.

Wayne State University, Oakland University and Bowling Green State University all have expanded tuition assistance. Oakland’s “debt-free” plan is especially laudable: The university will fill the gap between tuition and the student’s family’s expected contribution on the FAFSA.

Yet CMU has remained idle. This is not to say that the university does not offer many great scholarships; it does. But with economic troubles hurting students and their parents, supplemental aid is warranted – and greatly appreciated. Past levels of aid are not adequate in today’s economy.

Though tuition costs always are claimed to be a priority, this year they should be the top priority. Gov. Jennifer Granholm’s proposed tuition freeze emphasizes this.

But public universities should go beyond the call of duty. Low tuition cannot be accomplished unless the university seriously evaluates its other projects and makes substantial cuts.

The entire point of these institutions, CMU included, is to provide a quality education at a reasonable cost for the citizens of Michigan. Wayne State and Oakland are making special attempts to live up to this role. CMU should do all it can to follow suit.

Similarly, Granholm should emphasize, aside from the tuition freeze, that stimulus funding must be dedicated primarily to keeping tuition low. The money is meant to get people back to work; a college education can provide the skills they need.

She and the Michigan legislature should be especially stringent on capital projects. CMU’s sought stimulus projects, 10 proposals ranging from a biotechnology building to Story Festival funding, would benefit students to some extent. But that money, if spent on tuition assistance, could better aid students in dire economic straits.

Stimulus projects should be approved on a by-need basis -

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