I am honored to be here today, {{U}}(1) {{/U}} Harvard at this celebration of the College Board's half century of working to promote {{U}}(2) {{/U}} and equal opportunity in higher education.
Before I say anything else, I want to thank everyone in the room for the work you do every day to make college {{U}}(3) {{/U}}, available, and {{U}}(4) {{/U}} for millions of young people across the country.
I want to focus my remarks on a matter of {{U}}(5) {{/U}} to American familiesand to the future of the nation -- restoring education to its proper role as a {{U}}(6) {{/U}} to equal opportunity and {{U}}(7) {{/U}} in our society.
This has been an {{U}}(8) {{/U}} in higher education, with great and creative efforts made by many institutions. Earlier this year, we announced a new {{U}}(9) {{/U}} at Harvard aimed at the students from families of low and {{U}}(10) {{/U}} income. Under our new program, families with incomes of {{U}}(11) {{/U}} will no longer be expected to contribute to the cost of attending Harvard for their children. Families with incomes of less than $ 60,000 will also see their {{U}}(12) {{/U}} reduced.
We are proud of this effort at Harvard, but we are aware that the programs of individual institutions with means can never be a substitute for our shared {{U}}(13) {{/U}} to provide adequate funding for Pell grants and other financial aid, and for the state and community college systems that make higher education {{U}}(14) {{/U}} and affordable for the {{U}}(15) {{/U}}.
There is something empty about {{U}}(16) {{/U}} initiatives that may be right for one institution without attention to their broader impact. {{U}}(17) {{/U}} , we {{U}}(18) {{/U}} if we urge changes in national policy without doing what we can on our own campuses.
In this spirit, I want to {{U}}(19) {{/U}} today a problem that is emerging with {{U}}(20) {{/U}} in this nation.