A lack of concrete higher-education platforms dealing with financial aid, student loans and college admissions makes choosing a presidential candidate based on their higher-ed platforms a tough call.
Some of Sen. Barack Obama's plans aim to put control of scholarships and grants in the hands of the national government, while Sen. John McCain's plans intend to give states a say over their students' awards and scaling back unnecessary spending poured into research.
THE PROPOSALS
For a 20-something looking for relief from college debt, both candidates provide a modest model for scholarship money, post-school health care plans and tax breaks.
McCain added a list of bullets to his Web site Aug. 14 that charted his course for four years of privatized policies. McCain wrote he would work with governors to ensure states are fulfilling lending requirements with student loans. He also plans to eliminate earmarks, which would ensure research grants are given to legitimate university researchers and not just pork barrel or pet projects, according to his site.
Lynn Leverty, a UF political science senior lecturer, said research initiatives that are necessary deserve proper earmarks.
"Funding for special circumstances such as national park conservation or brain research at universities, for example, is fine," Leverty said. "But earmarking funds such as the famed 'bridge to nowhere' proposals - that may be an unreasonable use of money."
McCain also wants to ensure tax rates are low to allow the economy to grow and provide a permanent tax break for corporations that spend money on research.
McCain doesn't provide any national initiatives in his plan, but he does plan to designate additional tax money for student loans.
"For students on campus, the biggest thing is that the government makes sure that the financial aid that they need is still there, and they're not left out in the cold due to the financial crisis," said Joshua Simmons, Gators for McCain chairman.
The fundamental difference between both senators is that Obama would like the federal government to oversee and implement college grants.
Conversely, McCain wants the states to control programs like Bright Futures or Georgia's HOPE scholarship because they work more closely with students and can administer programs on a smaller scale.
Bright Futures is a privatized program that is funded through the Florida Lottery. Such privatized programs may be more reliable over the long run than federal grants, said Ryan Pahota, UF College Republicans secretary.
Obama plans to create an American Opportunity Tax Credit, a universal credit that would ensure the first $4,000 of tuition costs is free for most American students, who would be required to complete 100 hours of community service.
"With the very same standards that applied to us getting our Bright Futures Scholarship, you can work in a library, soup kitchen or even the Peace Corps," said Eric Conrad, co-chapter coordinator for UF Students for Barack Obama. "And in return, America pays for you to go to college."
The credit would mostly benefit low-income students dealing with paying off loans and the increase of tuition.
"Obama was recently able to pay off his student debts with the sales of his first book 'Dreams from My Father,'" Conrad said. "He knows the effort we've had to go through."
National scholarships such as the Federal Pell Grant would increase under Obama's platform. Obama would continue to try to increase the maximum Pell Grant award of $4,050 to $5,400 over the next few years.
Peter Laumann, volunteer co-coordinator for UF Students for Barack Obama, said changes to Pell Grants are years overdue.
"A lot of my friends are going to community college right now, not because of their grades, but because they can't afford to go to somewhere like UF," Laumann said.
Pell Grants don't cover private school tuition, and at an average new award of $2,945 in 2008, they rarely keep up with public school tuition, according to the U.S. Department of Education's Web site.
McCain calls for the grants to cover in-state undergraduate tuition, but he hasn't proposed any new money for the program.
"Both candidates should make it an issue of lowering public school tuition costs more than inconsistent amounts of grant money dispersed, which are insufficient," Leverty said. "Higher education is just not one of McCain's stronger issues."
'BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE'
One issue the candidates agree on is simplifying the federal financial aid application process.
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, is a multi-page application used to determine eligibility for federal aid, including PLUS loans, Pell Grants and Stafford Loans.
Conrad said students find the aid process daunting and complicated.
Both candidates plan to eliminate this process by checking a box on a family's tax form, authorizing their tax information to be used, the eligible federal financial aid would be determined and eliminate a FAFSA.
"It's an idea that has support from both sides of the aisle," Laumann said.
Still, Leverty said a streamlined application process doesn't solve the accessibility of seats at universities.
"If this was part of a program to increase access to universities, then it'd be a much stronger ticket," Leverty said.
OTHER ISSUES
There are other policies related to health care and job availability that may interest graduating students.
Obama wants young adults to remain on their parents' health care plan until they are 25 years old so they are insured when they go to graduate school or get a job.
McCain plans to offer most individuals a $2,500 tax credit to the health insurance company of their choice.
McCain plans to establish a permanent tax credit of 10 percent of wages that are spent on research and development in the U.S, which would help provide an incentive to innovate newer technologies and reward activity within the U.S., according to his Web site.
"Jobs in research are what a lot of UF students would go into because we're the flagship university to say 'We're the best and the brightest,'" Simmons said.
