Funding cuts, rising tuition will have lasting, harmful impact on students - Dean Ali Malekzadeh, Arizona Daily Star

Higher-education budget cuts will have an impact on most students for years. Let's evaluate the economics of a college education today: First, nine out of 10 states are dealing with severe budget cuts. These cuts are causing employees to be laid off, social services to be slashed and funding for higher education to be threatened. The recession has left its mark on state budgets, and by most accounts, the situation won't improve for at least several years. Tax collections are down, and states can't do much except wait for the economy to improve. Second, the U.S. population is increasing, and with it will come more demand for higher education. This increase in population is substantial in the Southwest. If times were normal, Southwestern states would be building new campuses to meet the demand. Arizona, California, Nevada, Oregon, Utah and Colorado, for instance, would each build new campuses to welcome a new generation of state college students.