"Democrats have to cover [higher education]," she said. "They need to make themselves stand out."

Geoff Thompson, Penn State College Democrats' treasurer, said one of the reasons higher education is in the spotlight is the lack of state funding.

"So many states are in a budget crunch right now," he said.

Penn State has not yet received its state appropriations for the current academic year.

The Bush administration allotted $1.8 billion in this year's budget to the Pennsylvania education system alone in an attempt to combat the problem.

However, the funding was not specific to university use.

Thompson said universities typically get cut from state funding grants before primary and secondary schools, which take priority.

Sean Misko, Political Science Association president, agreed that the lack of state funding has been a key factor in the tuition increases.

"Our tuition has gone up as the state has decreased the money it allocates here," he said.

Penn State tuition increased by between $504 and $644 per semester this year, depending on the number of credits a student has earned, causing burdens for many students.

Thompson offered a personal example.

"[As a freshman] out of state, it was $19,500 a year. Now it's $27,000," he said. "My parents are glad I'm graduating in May."

Students have different opinions of the Bush administration, which has been criticized recently for its work in higher education.

"The Bush administration has put the domestic issues on the back burner," Thompson said. "That's why the presidential candidates are campaigning for these domestic issues."

Iriana counters that there were fewer education cuts under Bush than former Democratic President Bill Clinton. She also blames the suffering economy.

Democratic presidential hopeful and former Vermont governor Howard Dean has made the largest allotment to university funding in his proposed budget, promising a $7.1 billion higher education plan and the possibility of a $10,000 deduction for each student's yearly tuition.

"He wants university students to check him out," Thompson said.

Misko said higher education has been getting favorable political attention.

"It shows they recognize the importance of facilitating higher education to those who are interested in it," he said.

Thompson said tuition increases need to be reduced, especially for the sake of low-income families.

"The only people that can afford to go to college are upper-middle class," Thompson said. "Who can afford to live the 'American Dream'?"