It's the natural result of cutting taxes to the bone when you are an oil economy. Smart leaders build a reserve fund for bust times.
Smart leaders don't champion college is for everyone who can simply fog a mirror for a federal student loan!
Tuition inflation has been rampant for years and years. And, this has only gotten worse since Obama signed legislation in 2010--when the "1%" chanting and Occupy Wall Street was building steam--which basically forced private banks out of the student loan industry and cranked the tap on the flow of loans from the federal govt with nary a string attached. Big thanks to Joe Biden on this, too. He chaired the committee that recommended this.
This "fix" has been a disaster for many as wages have gone nowhere for years and underemployment for many college grads is the new norm. But, hey, we've got damn well educated young people pouring our lattes! All the while colleges have been more than happy to fatten tuituon costs straight from the govt teet.
And, before anyone thinks I'm just railing on the dems, No Child Left Behind was horrendous legislation. Another wonderful fed govt initiative that did wonders for our public education.