A recent article in the Chronicle of Higher Education highlighted the Republican Party’s position on higher education. “Republican Platform Notes Tuition Costs but Says Little on Student Aid,” by Karin Fischer offers an overview of the Republican Party’s platform as it was recently approved at the national convention.
The platform acknowledges the key role that higher education must play in maintaining the United States’ edge in a competitive global economy, but also criticizes the “’leftist dogmatism that dominates’ many colleges and opposing efforts to provide education benefits to some illegal immigrants, a break once strongly advocated by Sen. John McCain.” In addition, the article notes concerns about the rising costs of tuition and asks colleges to spend more of their endowment fund on low- and middle-income students. Unlike the policy statement approved by Democrats at their convention, the Republican platform says little about expanding student aid.
In a statement outlining his higher education positions released last month, Mr. McCain sounded some similar notes, highlighting the need to streamline federal aid and educational tax benefits for students and families. The party’s platform also highlights an exceptionally sensitive issue: immigration. The Republican platform specifically opposes permitting states to “flout the federal law barring them from giving in-state tuition rates” to illegal immigrants. This contrasts with Sen. McCain’s record, including his support of a measure known as the “Dream Act.” The measure, which died in the Senate last summer, created a path to legal residency for some illegal immigrants who had been enrolled in college, and could have allowed them access to federal student loan and Work-Study programs.
The Republican platform does include praise for community college as the “first responders” to economic development demands and worker retraining needs. It also calls for new and expanded programs to prepare more Americans for high-skill jobs.
“It is encouraging that the platform has that explicit a statement of support of community colleges and recognition of our role,” said David S. Baime, vice president for government relations at the American Association of Community Colleges.
