February 18, 2013

Obama Says Colleges Should Keep Costs Low and Hints at 'Alternative' Accreditation

Obama Calls for Spending on the Sciences and, From Colleges, Better Accountability 1

Photo by Mark Wilson, Getty Images

President Obama surprised some college-accreditation officials with references to reforming that process in materials supporting his State of the Union address. He also said now is the time to maintain spending levels on job-creating research.

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close Obama Calls for Spending on the Sciences and, From Colleges, Better Accountability 1

Photo by Mark Wilson, Getty Images

President Obama surprised some college-accreditation officials with references to reforming that process in materials supporting his State of the Union address. He also said now is the time to maintain spending levels on job-creating research.

By Kelly Field

Washington

For the second year in a row, President Obama used his State of the Union address to take colleges to task over rising tuition, warning that "taxpayers can't keep subsidizing higher and higher and higher costs for higher education."

"Colleges must do their part to keep costs down, and it's our job to make sure that they do," he said in his speech, the first of his second term. He called on Congress "to change the Higher Education Act so that affordability and value are included in