Colorado students are picking up a larger proportion of college costs than ever before and may have to borrow even more student loans to pay for college if state lawmakers approve yet another round of budget cuts for higher education. The poor economy and sharply increasing college tuition costs have combined to create a challenging situation for the state’s college students. A decade ago, the state picked up more than two-thirds of the tab for public college courses. Today, students pay two-thirds of the bill while the state pays one-third. Some state officials fear that if college costs continue to rise while the state’s higher education budget continues to suffer cuts, the state’s share may eventually become zero. “That’s clearly where we’re going,” Lt. Governor Joe Garcia said. “If things don’t change at all, it could be a matter of a few years.”
