Idaho
Idaho should consider bringing transparency to college costs and data on in-demand careers • Idaho Capital Sun
Is the cost of college still worth the price?
According to the Education Data Initiative, the average student loan debt in the United States currently totals $37,338. The average student borrows more than $30,000 to pursue a bachelor’s degree. And more than 45 million Americans have student loan debt.
High school students considering whether it is worth it to pursue a college degree usually consider two major questions: how much debt will I incur, and how much will I make when I finally achieve graduation and a career? Unfortunately, it can be very difficult to easily find the answers, which can result in students taking out large college loans for careers that might not provide the adequate salary to pay down the loans.
Many colleges and universities have been criticized for offering classes and degrees that put students little in the way of career benefit. At the University of Houston, you can obtain a degree in foresight – or the ability to predict the future. A Georgetown, you can take classes called “Philosophy and Star Trek.”
A recent survey by the Wall Street Journal found that 56% of Americans believe a four-year college degree isn’t worth the cost. Depending on the career choice, they may be right. Attendance at universities throughout the region and nation show precipitous declines.
Between 1963 and 2021, cost of attendance at a four-year college rose 165%. Increases can be found in both public institutions, where the average cost is now $19,374, and private, where students can now pay $45,920. Interestingly, private, for profit colleges have been successful in lowering their costs, from a peak of $31,709 in 2004, to $27,470 today.
It is not a given that the cost of college must increase, however. Consider the example being set by Purdue University.
Purdue University has kept its tuition frozen for 13 years – at less than $10,000 per year. Former Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels – who became president of Purdue – says it has been a top priority to keep the number affordable for families. As a result, student loan borrowing at Purdue has decreased by 40% since 2012.
Now, 11 graduating classes at Purdue have never experienced a tuition increase.
Daniels says the key has been an effort to manage expenses, and asking alumni for more contributions. But as Purdue has kept tuition frozen, student enrollment has increased, allowing the university to more easily balance its books.
While we are hopeful that other higher education officials can learn from the Purdue example by adopting policies that make tuition more affordable, policymakers can also help provide data that informs a student’s decision on which colleges to attend and degrees to pursue. One option to make the decision easier is a concept Mountain States Policy Center is calling a Career Transparency Act or CTA.
The act would require the state to make a variety of statistics and information publicly available to high school students considering a college path. The information would include:
- A listing of the state’s future workforce needs;
- Starting wage information and education requirements for the top 25 high demand jobs in the state;
- A listing of the 40 baccalaureate degree programs with the highest average annual wages following graduation;
- A listing of the 20 associate degree programs with the highest average annual wages following graduation;
- The cost of obtaining the degree or certificate at state institutions of higher education, including;
- Tuition and fees
- Room and board
- Books and supplies
- Transportation
- Other costs
- The median wage earned by students who graduated with the certificate or degree;
- The median student debt of those who graduated with the certificate or degree;
- Progress on repaying student loans by those who graduated with the certificate or degree; and
- The percentage of students who withdraw from the institution and do not enroll in the program at another higher education institution.
With this information readily available, students could better understand whether the long-term career benefit would be worth such a large financial burden.
Policymakers may not be able to control all college costs, but they can help inform better career and financial decisions by students considering higher ed. Identifying workforce needs, a listing of wages, clear information about the cost of obtaining a degree, and more should all be made readily available via a Career Transparency Act.
GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Idaho
Idaho Man Chooses Chaos; Dives Off of Bridge With An Inflatable Unicorn
It’s one of the most legendary sights anywhere in the State of Idaho! The Perrine Bridge, in Twin Falls, Idaho!
If you have ever driven through Twin Falls, odds are that you have crossed it and maybe didn’t know its significance. The bridge is 1,500 feet long and it offers amazing views for drivers and pedestrians alike. That said, you can hike anywhere along the canyon and the bridge itself, from afar, is a sight!
Over the years, it has become a popular destination for base jumping! There’s nothing illegal about it, even Visit Idaho brags about its appeal for the adventure enthusiasts!
One base jumper that has made a real name for himself online for jumping the Perrine Bridge has taken his viral hobby to a new level–this time, but having a ‘colorful creature’ join him!
Take a look at these amazing shots captured as this Idahoan did the craziest leap imaginable!
Flying Unicorn? Only in Idaho!
Take a look at the journey this inflatable unicorn and one brave Idahoan took over the weekend
Gallery Credit: Credit: Mateo, 103.5 KISS FM
Do you think you could do something like this?
One can find dozens and dozens of videos of base jumping from the bridge online but this one might just be the most unique and the most Idaho of them all.
We suppose if base jumping is such a normal activity for this guy, there are only so many ways to ‘spice it up’. He certainly found one!
You can watch this brave bridge-jumper and his unicorn friend take a leap of faith, below! Video posted by Jonathan Cox and DZONE Skydiving!
Man Jumping Off Perrine Memorial Bridge
He has done it over 160 times.
Gainer Off The Perrine Bridge
Gallery Credit: Shannon Buccola
Idaho
A New Strain of Norovirus Attacks Idaho
I was diagnosed with a norovirus once. A dozen years ago. It wasn’t pleasant. Driving home from work one day, I had to pull over and get out of the car, where I was unwell along the roadside. Too much information? Consider it a warning. I had GI issues for a couple of days, and was advised to avoid other people for a week. It was a boring stretch and a waste of personal time off.
This is Sweeping the Country
A highly unusual strain of norovirus is afflicting some parts of the country, including California. Being that we’re at the start of the summer travel season, it’s only a matter of time before it becomes widespread in Idaho. You’ll know if you have it, and possibly 24 hours after exposure. My experience was that it came about fast, and it was furious.
Check out this link for more details. People don’t have much immunity to this particular strain. The usual advice is to wash your hands frequently. But we’re not always near a sink, and we share a lot of door handles. I was at a busy travel plaza a few days ago, and dozens of people were going in and out of the building in the few minutes I was there.
Disease of the Week
I can’t speak for every case, but what I had wasn’t pretty, but the worst was over in a couple of days. Then I self-quarantined for a few more days. It should sweep across the state quickly, and then be gone, and offer some immunity for the foreseeable future.
LIST: Norovirus Symptoms
If you begin to feel any or all of these symptoms, see your doctor to make sure youw on’t spread the bug to others!
Gallery Credit: CANVA
Idaho
America 250: Famous Idaho Ice Cream Potato helps put Boise landmark on the map
Westside Drive In has been serving burgers, fries, and milkshakes from its corner at State and 21st streets for decades. Many know them for their Famous Idaho Ice Cream Potato.
The dessert, which resembles a baked potato complete with toppings, has helped put Westside Drive In — and Idaho — in the national spotlight. The sweet treat has been featured on national television and has become one of the state’s most recognizable culinary creations.
“This is the greatest drive-in in the United States of America, bar none,” said longtime customer Victor Miller.
WATCH | “Food, fun and fifties”—
Famous Idaho Ice Cream Potato helps put Boise landmark on the map
The novelty dessert offers a sweeter version of Idaho’s most famous crop. Made to resemble a baked potato, it has attracted attention from customers across the country and around the world.
The restaurant’s roots stretch back decades, but its modern identity took shape after Chef Lou Aaron purchased the business in 1994.
“When I bought the West Side, I thought I got to make this 50s [themed],” Aaron said. “So we came up with a little slogan, and the slogan was, I mean, when you think of fun, and happy days, you think of 50s.”
Now, Aaron’s daughter Emily Bolton and son Josh Aaron help oversee operations, continuing the family legacy.
“We both grew up working, you know, I cashiered, he cooked, and we both laughed and said never again, and then here we are,” Bolton said.
The restaurant’s profile grew even larger when Food Network personalities, including Guy Fieri of “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives,” featured Westside Drive In and its signature dessert.
“He says, you know, you better be ready because the people are gonna be flooding in here after this episode airs,” Josh Aaron recalled. “And he came here and really put Boise on the map by, you know, featuring us and all the other restaurants that he has the last few times he’s been here.”
For customers like Miller, the appeal goes beyond the food, “It’s a special Idaho place. It’s like a place that identifies Idaho, Boise, and it’s put us on the map.”
While families continue gathering at the restaurant for a classic American dining experience, Aaron says Westside Drive In also serves another purpose.
As someone in long-term recovery, Aaron has made hiring people facing difficult circumstances a core part of the restaurant’s mission.
“I’m an alcoholic, and I’ve been clean for 36 years now,” Lou Aaron said. “Someone picked me off the ground when I was in the gutter, and it helped change my life. So, almost 90% of our employees at both places are either out of prison, in prison, homeless, you name it. So, we try to help them to rehabilitate them.”
Customers say that commitment to helping others is part of what makes the restaurant special.
“That’s what West Side is about,” Miller said. “It’s about second chances and the lives that he has improved and saved in a lot of ways by giving people another chance in life.”
For the Aaron family, preserving that mission is just as important as preserving the menu.
“You have so many memories here. We have so many customers who’ve been coming here since they were kids,” said Lou Aaron. “It’s more of an institution than it is a restaurant. We will never sell it. I’ll always be in the family.”
Today, Westside Drive In continues serving customers at both its original State Street location and its Parkcenter Boulevard restaurant — carrying on a legacy built on food, family and second chances.
-
Technology35 seconds agoYour Microsoft text codes are going away
-
Business4 minutes agoCompany wants to revive Primm, the gambling spot turned ghost town. Owners say: Not so fast
-
Entertainment9 minutes agoMarcia Lucas, Oscar-winning film editor of ‘Star Wars,’ dies at 80
-
Lifestyle15 minutes agoWant to feel more loved? You’re probably going about it the wrong way
-
Politics19 minutes agoNBC News will put ‘Kornacki Cam’ on the L.A. mayoral, California gubernatorial races
-
Sports31 minutes ago
Augie Lopez powers USC baseball into super regionals for first time in 21 years
-
World39 minutes agoCelebration, shock and scepticism follow Colombia’s presidential election
-
News1 hour agoA New Jersey immigration detention center on edge. What comes next? : Consider This from NPR