Junior architecture major Alicia Thueme doesn't pay attention to politics.
Like many students, she doesn't have time.
Between going to her five classes and teaching a weekly Sunday school class, Thueme has to try to pay off her collegiate debt. A Michigan resident, she'll have more than $72,000 of it after graduation.
Her story is becoming increasingly common. During the last 10 years, tuition prices at public universities have increased more than 50 percent, according to The College Board. Ball State University has followed the national trend, raising tuition an average of 5.8 percent per year for the last 10 years.
But, like many of her peers, Thueme is just trying to keep up until she receives her diploma. As an architecture major, Thueme said the lengthy classes and hands-on projects take up a lot of her time.
"They expect a lot from you financially and time-wise with field trips and supplies," she said. "They have a building with 24-hour access knowing we are expected to use it."
Despite the cost, the financial upside of a collegiate diploma is hard to ignore. According to the 2006 Current Population Survey, full-time, year-round workers with bachelor's degrees earned an average of 76 percent more than the same worker with a high school diploma.
A study done by the Center for College Affordability and Productivity showed that four college graduates are more productive than seven people with high school diplomas given matching criteria.
Andrew Gillen, research director for The Center for College Affordability, said the ability to afford a college education would only get worse.
"Incomes are not keeping up with increases in tuition," Gillen said. "The middle class is struggling with rising costs. There will be a point where they won't be able to keep up with the increasing prices. That will be a breaking point."
Randy Howard, associate vice president for finance and assistant treasurer, said Ball State is trying to keep that from happening.
Howard said Ball State tuition pays for the costs accrued to run and operate the university. These costs include faculty salaries, medical benefits, utilities, supplies and expenses.
About 45 percent of Ball State's income comes from tuition, another 45 percent comes from state funding and the remaining 10 percent is from other sources, such as interest from university bank accounts.
"We're trying to keep tuition as low as we can without compromising the quality of education students will get," Howard said.
Many factors are included when setting the cost of tuition.
The amount of funding by the state changes based on in-state student enrollment. Because state money covers Indiana students, out-of-state students have to pay more than $10,000 in additional fees to cover the difference.
When the economy is bad, the state legislature alters the amount of money given to Ball State, Howard said. Depending on the level of state funding, the Ball State Board of Directors determines the cost of tuition each year.
"The economy is on everyone's mind when setting tuition," Howard said. "You can't set the tuition so high no one can afford it. At the same time you can't undercut costs and give everyone an inferior education."
The Indiana legislature has increased its funding 1.7 percent while university expenses have gone up 3.9 percent, Howard said.
Gillen said while some people believe state legislatures and cutting back the amount of money given to universities, the truth is legislatures never gave much money to universities to begin with.
"The cost of colleges just keeps going up," he said. "But, it seems, students are willing to still pay for it because they know it's needed. They expect to accumulate a large debt."
The nationwide rise in college tuition has not been subtle. Adjusted in 2006 dollars, the average four-year public college cost $617 per year in 1976. In 2006, the average was $5,685; an 823 percent jump, according to The Center for College Affordability.
Private schools showed a similar increase of $2,534 in 1976 to $20,492 in 2006 - a 700 percent increase.
Gillen said competition in the higher education market is to blame for the increases in tuition costs and similar increases in student lending.
The competition in the lending market, along with government help, has led to low interest rates, Gillen said. These increasingly lower rates show schools that students can pay off their fees, causing the university to raise tuition and maximize profits.
Gillen said dropping tuition prices to "stay competitive" might send a negative signal about the school.
Instead of being a sign that a university may be a more affordable institution than its competitors, decreasing tuition might show that it is "cutting corners" or "inefficient" in some way that won't benefit the students, he said.
Presidential candidates from both parties have said they have answers to the problem of college affordability.
Democratic nominee Barack Obama favors a $4,000 refundable tax credit that he made a popular policy during last spring's Democratic primaries. But Obama said the tax credit is not free money. One hundred hours of community service is required of students who want the extra financial help.
However, the details of the Illinois senator's plan haven't been revealed. For instance, the questions of how Obama plans to pay for the tax credit and who will keep track of the community service requirement have yet to be answered.
Republican nominee John McCain wants to remove government regulations on universities, improve the information flow between colleges and parents of potential students, simplify tax benefits, improve university research by eliminating earmark and reform the private student loan sector, according to his Web site.
Like his rival's plan, specifics on how the Arizona senator plans to accomplish these goals remain sketchy.
The only point both sides agree on is simplification of the 127 question Free Application for Federal Student Aid in an effort to encourage more students to apply.
Multiple calls to both campaigns about the details of the candidate's plans went unanswered.
With Election Day one week away and a new administration coming into the Oval Office, Thueme said she doesn't see why the government can't help students pay for the cost of college.
"It would be nice," Thueme said. "Though, I'm not going to bank on it."
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