"Timothy Egan's dismissal of the unprecedented round of new student aid initiatives at private colleges and universities as cosmetic belies any reasonable interpretation of the word and calls for a reality check," writes David Warren, president of the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities in The New York Times. "Since 2007, dozens of private colleges and universities have replaced loans with grants or expanded aid for middle- and upper-middle-class students. Those private institutions without large endowments are taking other creative steps to enhance their affordability - freezing or cutting tuition, guaranteeing that a student's tuition won't increase while they are enrolled, or offering three-year accelerated bachelor's degree programs, among others. Nevertheless, institutions cannot ensure access and affordability on their own. It is time for Congress to do its part to keep higher education affordable, and reinvest in student financial aid."