Budget cuts shifting tuition burden to families

President Obama focused welcome attention in his State of the Union address on the rising cost of a college education and the need to both expand federal financial aid and hold institutions accountable for affordability and student success. For a land-grant university like Colorado State — created to ensure broad educational access for people at all income levels — this is a core element of our mission, and we welcome the chance to participate in a national conversation about access and accountability.

At $6,307 in annual resident tuition, the cost to attend CSU is below the average cost of comparable…