College costs a focus of State of the Union

President Barack Obama focused on boosting economic growth and proposed measures to reduce rising college costs in his first State of the Union address of his second term.

“A growing economy that creates good, middle-class jobs — that must be the North Star that guides our efforts,” he said.

Obama outlined initiatives in manufacturing, energy and infrastructure to generate new jobs and proposed raising the minimum wage to $9.

He also called on Congress to enact measures that would steer more federal aid to universities and colleges that keep prices low.

“Taxpayers cannot continue to subsidize the soaring cost of higher education,” he said. “Colleges must do their part to keep costs down, and it’s our job to make sure they do.”

UNC Young Democrats and the Black Student Movement co-hosted a viewing party in Gardner Hall.

Peter Vogel, president of UNC Young Democrats, said Obama has managed the economy effectively, but that economic growth will be a slow process.

“I’d like to see him focus on job creation rather than deficit reduction,” Vogel said.

But the University’s other political organizations were not as enthusiastic about the speech or Obama’s plans.

David Deerson, president of UNC Young Americans for Liberty, said that Obama should place more of an emphasis on states’ and human rights.

Deerson opposes Obama’s increased use of drones overseas, which the president did not specifically mention in his speech.

Obama’s job creation policies, especially for young people, have not been successful, said Garrett Jacobs, chairman of the UNC College Republicans.

In 2011, 53.6 percent of bachelor’s degree holders under the age of 25 were jobless or underemployed nationwide.

“Unemployment for our age group is worse than any other age group by far,” he said. “We’d like for him to talk about what he is going to do differently over the next four years to help people our age.”

Greg Steele, chairman of the N.C. Federation of College Republicans, also said Obama’s policies have failed to benefit students.

Steele said in the next four years Obama should focus on the economy to benefit students.

“A lot of that comes back to the economy and getting our finances in order,” Steele said.

But he also said increased government intervention is not the best way to combat rising tuition costs and youth unemployment.

“I think we need to be privatizing student loans and keeping the government out of that,” he said. “As we see in college tuition, prices continue to go up any time the government gets involved.”

Contact the desk editor at state@dailytarheel.com.