Denise Goerisch, Ph.D.

Director of Integrative Studies, School of Interdisciplinary Studies (SIS)

The True Costs of College

Palgrave Macmillan, 2020

This book examines the true costs of attendance faced by low- and moderate-income students on four public college campuses, and the consequences of these costs on students academic pathways and their social, financial, health, and emotional well-being. The authors exploration of the true costs of academics, living expenses, and student services leads them to conclude that current college policies and practices do not support low-income and otherwise marginalized students' well-being or success. To counter this, they suggest that reform efforts should begin by asking value-based questions about the goals of public higher education, and end by crafting class-responsive policies. They propose three tools that policymakers can use to do this work, and steps that every person can take to revitalize public support for public education, equity-producing policies, and democratic participation in the public arena.