Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Calls for Tuition-Free Public Colleges to Counter Rising Private Costs

At a “Students vs. Billionaires” town-hall hosted by the More Perfect Union, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) advocated making public colleges and universities tuition-free nationwide.

Breitbart

The discussion was prompted by reports that Cornell University recently set tuition above $100,000 per year. She linked such pricing to what she characterized as a “real-estate investment strategy” by colleges, noting that funds are often directed toward luxury facilities while adjunct faculty receive “barely a living wage” and overall educational quality declines.

Breitbart

Ocasio-Cortez emphasized accountability for institutions that receive federal aid, asserting that tuition dollars should be tied to direct educational investments rather than “people’s bottom lines.” She suggested that the current system allows schools to charge high tuition to qualify for greater financial-aid allocations, thereby inflating costs without improving outcomes. The congresswoman framed tuition-free public colleges as a realistic remedy, contrasting it with what she called “pie in the sky” progressive wish-lists.

Breitbart

• “For anyone who wants to say that that’s pie in the sky and unrealistic and just another expensive, progressive wish list, this is literally what baby boomers gave themselves,” — Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

Breitbart

The proposal reflects a broader progressive push to expand public higher-education funding and address affordability gaps that, according to Ocasio-Cortez, have widened as private institutions pursue profit-driven models.

Breitbart