Last week, President Obama revealed a lofty plan to transform the way higher education is financed. The plan would tie federal aid to both studet and college performance. The plan aims to make student-loan debt repayment more manageable by lowering interest rates and could also potentially curb rising tuition costs by rewarding cost-effective and fiscally responsible schools. Do you think the plan is feasible?

Anita Palmer '15

It is assuredly certain that students and families alike seek access to certain metrics when reaching a decision on their chosen higher education institution. Nevertheless, it is just as important to recognize that there is a huge spectrum of educational institutions in the country that serve to suit the varying needs of their students. Using a standard and potentially trite method to evaluate these schools could deteriorate the very characteristics that are the backbone of American higher education. A school focused on vocational workplace training shares little in common with a research university promoting a liberal and innovative career path. Proposed factors such as graduate earnings could further undermine a liberal arts education and emphasize the need for timely majors that stereotypically yield high incomes. The success of Obama's proposition is heavily dependent on the factors chosen. If done thoughtfully, with the cooperation of Congress, federal aid could be appropriately allotted to those who need it most and political friction surrounding student loan rates could be minimized. Deciding on which students and what institutions deserve it, however, will be difficult to determine.

Anita Palmer '15 is the president of the Brandeis Economics Society.

Andrew Wingens '14

Expanding access to higher education is one of the most important steps this nation can take toward bolstering our economy and improving our quality of life. However, just as higher education has become a prerequisite for many jobs, the costs of attaining a degree have skyrocketed. The president's focus on this issue should be applauded because he can leverage the distribution of federal financial assistance to force colleges to find new and innovative approaches to provide a more affordable model. The president's plan is necessarily bold and may face resistance from institutions of higher education entrenched in ways of the past. The plan's quantitative approach is an effective means to hold colleges accountable. The difficulty, however, may be in which statistics the government uses to evaluate the schools. If the administration works in conjunction with universities to determine the best metrics by which to evaluate these institutions, then the plan can be both feasible and transformative.

Andrew Wingens '14 is a Politics major and senior editor for the Justice.

Max Moran '17

While President Obama's education proposal is in the right spirit, it is utterly implausible and is designed as a distraction, not a serious initiative. The president's proposal comes on the heels of a scandal: the White House is peering into Americans' internet activities, threatening net neutrality, a huge issue for Obama's young, liberal support base. So, to save face, Obama did what he does best: he gave a speech, a fiery one surrounded by University of Buffalo's young and liberal students, on an issue that appeals to the young and liberal-college costs. The devil, as usual, is in the details: How does one measure college "performance" or "value" accurately? How can yet another college ranking system enact any change? How will Obama make a deadlocked Congress approve anything he proposes, especially legislation that won't be enacted untill after he leaves office? Education needs real reform, not a presidential bluff to save face.

Max Moran '17 is a first-year at Brandeis University.

Adam Rabinowitz '14

President Obama's transformative student-loan plan is certainly innovative, incentivizing universities across the United States to raise retention rates, employment for its students, as well as various educational standards. Instead of indiscriminately allocating financial aid, the federal government will hopefully be wiser in distributing its Pell Grant funds toward colleges that provide concrete, tangible benefits to their students. While this makes higher education more accessible and allows for student-loan repayment plans to align more closely with one's salary, the feasibility of the plan will still rest on a highly intransigent Congress and additional funding that is just not present. It is also critical to note that schools with limited endowments and fewer resources may suffer from an inability to meet the seemingly lofty standards of the ratings system, leading to a potential results-driven disparity between particular tiers of institutions. It is an ambitious plan that may change the landscape of college affordability-but at what greater cost?

Adam Rabinowitz '14 is the former president of Brandeis Democrats, a Community Advisor and the managing editor for the Justice.