UMass President Backs Obama's College Cost Control Plan

BOSTON (AP) — University of Massachusetts President Robert Caretsays he's backing President Obama's college cost-control plan.

Obama toured colleges and high schools in New York and Pennsylvania this week calling for creation of a new government ratings system for colleges that would evaluate institutions on tuition prices and perhaps eventually link those ratings to federal financial aid allocations.

Caret says Obama has focused on the key issues — institutional and student accountability, standards, expected outcomes and transparency.

Caret says the current system isn't meeting the needs of students and falls short of meeting social and economic needs.

Obama opened his bus tour Thursday with stops in Buffalo and Syracuse, N.Y.

It wrapped up Friday night in Scranton, Pa.

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.