It all comes down to a simple equation. Rising tuition plus stationary financial aid equals less people being able to afford college.

There are some lucky undergrads who can manage through four (or more) years of college sans interest-happy loans, but for many students, the rapidly rising bills accompanied by stagnant aid monies is a cause for concern.

For once, this isn't a problem that Penn State can be blamed entirely for.

Private financial aid institutions, as well as the government, shoulder responsibility as well.

But to cut those institutions some slack, it's hard to keep up with a 35 percent tuition increase in five years.

With applicants for the 2007-2008 school year reaching a record high, it's easy to see why Penn State might not find it necessary to help those falling short on the $10,000-plus yearly bill.

But Penn State is still a public university, and it shouldn't be the elitist school that it's in danger of becoming if only the rich can afford it.

The commonwealth campuses aren't cheap by any standard, so if someone wants a Penn State education, they have to dig deep into the wallet.

Public universities are supposedly founded on the premise of a good education that is affordable to many.

Penn State clearly has the good education part down - where's the affordability?

The Cost Savings Task Force has supposedly continued to find ways to recycle money into academic functions and cut budgets, but tuition is still going up and students aren't receiving any more aid money.

As said before, this isn't Penn State's fault entirely.

The state government is continually decreasing the amount of money given to the university, and that reflects in this financial aid problem.

With a plethora of higher education institutions in Pennsylvania, why aren't the leaders in Harrisburg trying to find ways to help those who can't afford a college education?

It can only help to better the future of the state and the country.