What you need to know about tonight’s debate

Today’s question: Plans for higher education, keeping it affordable.

Tonight at 7 p.m., governor candidates Republican Mike DeWine and Democrat Richard Cordray are taking part in their first debate at the University of Dayton.

The Dayton Daily News, WHIO-TV and WHIO Radio are the media partners for the debate.

The debate will be moderated by News Center 7 anchor James Brown. Questions will be asked by Dayton Daily News Columbus Bureau reporter Laura Bischoff, News Center 7 reporter and WHIO Reports host Jim Otte and University of Dayton assistant political science professor Christopher Devine.

For the past week, we have focused on a different issue each day. If you missed any of the stories on other issues such as taxes, guns and jobs, you can find them on our web site.

For today’s final question with the candidates, we focused on higher education.

What are your plans for higher education and keeping college affordable?

Mike DeWine: Our institutions of higher education must

be able to target their programs and degree offerings for in-demand jobs.

This requires our schools to become more nimble and responsive to economic demands and workforce needs, which includes a combination of masters, bachelors, associates degrees, and high-quality certifications.

We must do a better job of educating students about the consequences, both positive and negative, of taking out student loans.

As Attorney General, I convened the Student Loan Debt Collection Advisory Group to advise on ways to improve college affordability, student financial literacy, and student loan debt collection practices.

The group recommended that all Ohio high school students receive at least one semester of financial literacy education, with a special focus on paying for college.

Through education and increasing efficiencies, we can realize savings and lower default rates for our prospective and current college students. Ohio has allowed the skills and education of its workforce to atrophy, leaving its residents ill-equipped to compete in the 21st-century.

We should be ashamed that about 40 percent of all Ohio families live below the cost of living in their county, trapped in a cycle of poverty and unable to find more than low-wage work because the state won’t invest in their abilities.

Just as Ohio’s Constitution a century ago guaranteed free high school to every resident, now we must update our commitment, ensuring every Ohioan has access to debt-free higher education or vocational training they need to get a good job.

The Cordray-Sutton administration will work to make higher education more affordable in Ohio, and expand access to technical training through apprenticeships, vocational training, and free community college.

In doing so, Betty and I will ensure that every Ohioan has the access to the education they need to achieve their full potential.