In view of the fact that the federal government has acted to alleviate the financial difficulties encountered by college students in these days of economic stress, the recommendation by the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce that tuition fees be levied on the students of the three city, colleges is somewhat incongruous.

           Although the United States government has provided part-time emergency relief jobs for more than six hundred needy students in this college alone, the Brooklyn Chamber would have the City of New York add to the students' financial burdens by the establishment of tuition fees.

           Not only would the proposed measure counteract the benefits now derived from the FFRA grant, but it would mark the end of the present system whereby city-subsidized higher education is open largely to those who can profit from it rather than to those able to pay.

           The provision for free scholarships would not help matters much. It would necessitate the appropriation by the City of sc large a sum for scholarships that the projected economies would be prevented.

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May 20, 2004