New graduates have good reason to celebrate their academic achievements.  After all, on average, a college degree remains a good indicator for boosting one's lifetime earning potential.  For many Americans, a college education is a lasting investment in future economic mobility.

After the gilded glow of the cap and gown and the pomp and circumstance of the commencement ceremony fade into memory, reality sets in.  The soaring costs of higher education and growing student debt are climbing to unprecedented levels.

College debt creates a significant financial burden on many new graduates.  For those fortunate to land a job in the still struggling economy, many will discover how hard it is to stretch a paycheck to cover the bills.  Making ends meet - let alone trying to get ahead - is that much harder with more than $1 trillion in outstanding student loans in the United States.

The lion's share of four-year degree recipients borrows money to attend college.  The percentage has increased from 45 percent to about 66 percent in the last decade.  After these graduates rejoice in flipping their tassels to the other side of the mortarboard, they not only walk away with a diploma, but they also walk away with an average debt of $23,000.  That figure jumps to nearly $50,000 for less affluent students who choose to attend private colleges and receive less need-based financial aid.

So, what factors are causing the explosion in college tuition?  And, does the student's debt burden square with his or her earning potential post-graduation?

In the U.S. Senate, I've led efforts to make it easier for families to save for college.  In the landmark 2001 federal tax laws, I secured a provision to make tax-free savings plans for college a permanent part of the tax code.  Encouraging families to save for college rather than relying on student loans can help many future graduates get off to a stronger start after graduation.  As then-Chairman of the Senate tax-writing committee, I also helped secure the tax deduction for college tuition and the tax deductibility of interest on student loans.

Now, even the longstanding sky-high rate of medical spending in the United States is less than the exploding growth of college tuition and fees.  Public policy needs to find a better way to expose the true costs of paying for a higher education and educate consumers.  That's why I'm working to give American families better tools to make informed decisions when sending their students off to college.  More useful information is necessary to help students check the value and earning potential of various college degrees.  Not all degrees are created equal.  Congress should have a serious debate about helping members of the next generation find the best path for their own personal pursuit of happiness as productive members of society.  Those pathways ought to be as broad and diverse as the next generation, from military and public service to vocational training, college, and post-graduate degrees.

My efforts to address escalating tuition hikes and student debt include my crusade to shine a bright light on public and non-profit private colleges with well-funded endowments that park their assets in tax-preferred vehicles.  Hoarding exorbitant assets in tax-preferred "rainy day funds" ought to be redirected towards lowering tuition for students and their families.  Through my rigorous oversight of the tax-exempt sector, including universities, hospitals and media-based ministries, I'm working to make sure non-profits are holding up their end of the bargain for the public good.  Tax-exempt colleges bear a unique responsibility to leverage their tax-advantaged resources to educate the public.  That's why I spearhead efforts to bring greater transparency to college revenues and expenses.  The public has a right to know how tax-advantaged dollars at tax-exempt higher education institutions square with their mission.  My review of soaring growth at college endowment funds a few years ago prompted several prominent schools to offer more generous student aid assistance.  As public awareness builds, let's hope the trend continues.  Whereas attending college is not an entitlement, colleges that benefit from tax-advantaged vehicles and tax-exempt status do bear a social contract to make higher education more affordable and accessible to the public.

Congress can take steps aimed at reining in college costs.  In May, I joined bipartisan forces in the U.S. Senate to try to bring greater transparency to the true cost of college tuition and fees.  The bill we proposed would cut through the clutter of financial aid letters that families receive from prospective colleges.  Decoding these letters to understand what is actually given, borrowed and owed can be next to impossible.  By having a clear picture in standardized language what students' debt burden will be after graduation, families would have an apples-to-apples cost-comparison to make with other colleges.  This ought to help students avoid taking on excessive debt and become more discriminating shoppers.  That alone could help control the soaring costs of college.  Colleges are increasingly competing to one-up each other to attract students, either through apartment-style housing, gourmet food services or amazing amenities that other institutions cannot match.  Empowering students and their families with better information about the cost and worth of a degree would help spark a race among colleges to provide a high-quality education at a good price.

Diplomas tied down with overwhelming student debt make it harder for the next generation to scale the ladder of opportunity.

ROCK ISLAND, IL (06/01/2012)(readMedia)-- Donald Morrison, Rock Island, Ill., was honored by Augustana College, Rock Island, Ill., at the college's annual alumni association awards banquet on May 19, 2012.

Morrison received the Honorary Alumni Award. The Honorary Alumni Award is presented to friends of Augustana who have demonstrated a strong commitment to the college. Recipients are considered honorary alumni of Augustana and members of the Alumni Association. This is not an honorary degree.

Morrison, director of the Augustana Choir from 1966-1993, taught choir members about music and about life. In rehearsals, he introduced different music styles and composers, as he shaped the group into a unified choral ensemble. He shared the history and contexts in which pieces were written, as he helped students to discover the relevance of the pieces in their own lives. Morrison also allowed choir members to experience the unexpected emotional and spiritual elements that could bring them to tears in their performances. And whether they were music majors, business majors or biology majors, Morrison taught everyone that each of them had a voice-and their voice mattered.

When the choir stepped on the risers for a performance, whether in a rural church in Iowa or on the stage of Chicago's Orchestra Hall, the students were poised, polished and professional. When they went on tour and performed the same program for several weeks in a row, Morrison would remind his vocalists that "this" performance was the only one that "this" audience would hear, so the choir owed their guests its best effort. He taught students the invaluable lesson of striving for excellence in all they did, whether it was for themselves or others.

Morrison received his B.M. degree from Drake University in 1953 and an M.S.M. degree from Union Theological Seminary in 1957. He also studied at the University of Southern California, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and Oakbrook University. He received the Phi Mu Alpha Sinphonia Fraternity Orpheus Award in 1993.

Augustana honors Morrison for his extraordinary achievements and national recognition in choral conducting and his role as a 27-year ambassador for the college.

About Augustana: Founded in 1860 and situated on a 115-acre campus near the Mississippi River, Augustana College is a private, liberal arts institution affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. The college enrolls 2,500 students from diverse geographic, social, ethnic and religious backgrounds and offers nearly 90 majors and related areas of study. Augustana employs 182 full-time faculty and has a student-faculty ratio of 12:1. Augustana continues to do what it has always done: challenge and prepare students for lives of leadership and service in our complex, ever-changing world.

SPRINGFIELD - May 31, 2012. Governor Pat Quinn today released a statement regarding the status of pension reform in Illinois.

"While this has been a productive legislative session, our work is not done for the people of Illinois.

"Many members rose to the occasion to take difficult votes to save our Medicaid system from collapse, enact retiree healthcare reform and abolish the oft-abused legislative scholarship program. But we have not finished our work to reform Illinois' pension system, which is drowning in an ocean of unfunded liability.

"As I have repeatedly made clear, inaction on pension reform is not a choice. We must fundamentally reform our pension system and we must enact bold reform that eliminates the unfunded liability.

"We have made great headway on stabilizing our pension system and we are very close to a solution, but we are not there yet. Therefore, I will convene a meeting with President Cullerton, Leader Radogno, Speaker Madigan, and Leader Cross in the coming week so we can forge a pension reform agreement as soon as possible and return to Springfield to enact it into law."

This curriculum is for teachers, counselors and administrators grades 6-12 and identifies, in detail, the 20 motivations that lead to harassment, intimidation and bullying and goes far beyond traditional strategies.

Park Ridge, NJ - May 30, 2012- Chase Wilson Education is pleased to announce the release of a new comprehensive Anti-Bullying Curriculum The Building Blocks of HIB: Bullying Redefined for teachers, counselors and administrators. The curriculum was developed and written by Andrew Yeager, a NJ School Psychologist and Student Assistance Coordinator, who lectures extensively and conducts trainings on bullying and adolescent issues throughout the country.

Based on academic research and clinical experience, this extensive curriculum enables teachers in a variety of disciplines to educate students on the nature and risks of HIB and enables school counselors to assess, intervene, monitor and reduce HIB incidents.

The curriculum, designed for students in grades 6-12, is comprised of three distinct sections:

Part One: "The Building Blocks of Bullying" - We redefine bullying - dispelling common myths and exposing the underlying roots of bullying behavior. The curriculum provides a detailed description and analysis of the 20 "Building Blocks" that lead to harassment, intimidation, and bullying (HIB). This information allows educators and students to understand and interpret the true motivations behind bullying like never before.

Part Two: "Core Lessons, Classroom Infusion Lessons, & Film Analysis" - Using the "Building Blocks" as a foundation; this highly detailed section provides teachers with a wide variety of lessons to use in the classroom.

• Core Lessons: An introduction and detailed description of the "The Building Blocks," including a Building Blocks Checklist and Behavioral Assessment Worksheet, to be used in conjunction with multiple Case Studies for student analysis.
• Classroom Infusion: A variety of lessons that subtly "infuse" anti-HIB education within a variety of subject areas. Lessons are provided for English Language Arts, Math, Science, History, Physical Education and Health, World Languages, Music, Visual Arts, and accommodations for Special Education.
• Film Analysis: Using the highly effective anti-bullying film Sticks & Stones, students address specific issues such as cyberbullying, homophobia, hate speech and peer pressure.

Part Three: "Counseling the HIB-Involved Student" - This section provides detailed therapeutic strategies for counseling HIB-involved students and includes assessment forms and guidelines for creating effective treatment plans and documenting student progress.

This curriculum is available for purchase at http://cweducation.com/BuildingBlocksofHIB.html for $799.99 and includes:

• A comprehensive curriculum aligned to Core Curriculum Content Standards.
• Detailed Infusion Lessons provided for 9 school subjects.
• A FREE copy of Sticks & Stones with an updated Teacher's Guide.
• Printable handouts, lessons, and treatment plans for enhanced in-school use.
• Relatable HIB Case Studies inspired by real-life situations.
• A comprehensive section on assessment and counseling HIB-involved youth. User-friendly assessment and progress forms that clearly demonstrate and document remedial measures and student progress.

Educator Expertise: Andrew Yeager has over 30 years of experience as a counselor working with adolescents, and has written a variety of curricula on cyber-bullying, Internet safety, and DWI prevention. He is a certified school psychologist and presently works as the Student Assistance Coordinator and Anti-Bullying Specialist at Park Ridge public schools in N.J. He is the President of The Association of Student Assistant Professionals of N.J., and lectures throughout the country on issues such as bullying, Internet safety, adolescent risk and substance abuse. Yeager works directly with bullying-related cases every day in the state with the most comprehensive anti-bullying laws in the country.

Enhanced Understanding: The Building Blocks of HIB: Bullying Redefined provides an in-depth understanding of the underlying motives behind harassment, intimidation and bullying. Simultaneously, it gives teachers, administrators, counselors and students a universal vocabulary that lays the foundation for better communication, awareness, and response to harassment, intimidation, and bullying.

School Inclusivity: Instead of purchasing anti-bullying resources from multiple sources, The Building Blocks of HIB: Bullying Redefined is a one-source solution for the entire school. This is not only cost-effective, but it also ensures a cohesive unity and direction for schools' anti-bullying initiatives.

Student Empowerment: By using the The Building Blocks of HIB: Bullying Redefined in coordination with core lessons, infusion lessons, and the film analysis -- educators re-frame the way students see themselves and the actions and motives of those around them. Lessons and activities encourage students to think analytically and introspectively. By making lessons more relevant to them and their unique personal experience, students raise understanding and empathy. "The Building Blocks" inspire students to alter their own behavior and stand up against HIB - enhancing their self-esteem, self-awareness, leadership skills, and overall character.

Climate & Culture: The Building Blocks of HIB: Bullying Redefined gives educators the tools they need to re-shape the culture and climate of their school from the inside out. This includes strategies to enhance engagement in classroom and school-wide programs, and promotes healthier teen relationships and positive role modeling.

This program is designed to create a healthier school climate and culture; one which resonates long beyond emotionally-charged assemblies, poster contests, and traditional lectures. The Building Blocks of HIB: Bullying Redefined creates an enduring experience that will greatly impact their day-to-day lives.

About Chase Wilson Education:

Chase Wilson Education is an organization in the state of New Jersey that is comprised of a diverse team of filmmakers, educators, law enforcement, and healthcare professionals all working together to improve education, health, and social development in our world.

Our Mission is to provide educator training and student programs centered on a values-based curriculum that provides a foundation of character, tolerance, and empathy.

CWE is a division of Chase Wilson; an Emmy-Nominated multimedia production company incorporated in the state of New Jersey. Chase Wilson Education was founded in 2011 with a sole focus on the future development, creation, and distribution of educational films and programs.

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