Published: Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2014, 11:45 p.m.
Updated 2 hours ago
Officials with Carnegie Mellon University, Allegheny College and Washington & Jefferson College are expected to announce initiatives on Thursday to make it easier for low-income students to complete college degrees.
Presidents of those schools will join officials from more than 100 colleges and universities in Washington for a White House summit on higher education, aimed at bringing educational leaders together with those of nonprofits, foundations, businesses and state governments to discuss expanding college opportunity.
The by-invitation gathering occurs as the Obama administration refines policy proposals to reward colleges for success in expanding access and affordability and increasing degree completion rates.
Though some laud such goals, others caution they could come with strings.
Penn State University President Rodney Erickson, who declined to attend the summit and instead will meet with Penn State trustees, said he shares President Obama's concerns about college access and affordability.
“That said, I hope that universities such as Penn State, which traditionally have served a high proportion of first-generation and lower-income students with high retention and graduation rates, will be rewarded for that performance rather than penalized. If the outcome of the agenda is greater regulation for already high-performing colleges and universities, the desired outcomes will be more, rather than less, difficult to achieve,†Erickson said.
Carnegie Mellon President Subra Suresh and W&J President Tori Haring-Smith said their schools â€" with respective tuitions of $46,670 and $39,710 â€" long have provided aid and opportunities to low-income students.
As private institutions, those schools can route cash from students paying full tuition to give deep discounts to needy students, something typically prohibited or limited at public universities.
Suresh said Carnegie Mellon has extensive outreach efforts to engage “young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to ensure that they are excited about and prepared for the challenges and rigors of postsecondary education.â€
Haring-Smith said she looks forward to working to expand the reach of financial aid.
Debra Erdley is a Trib Total Media staff writer. Reach her at 412-320-7996 or derdley@tribweb.com.
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