Unemployment numbers and private university tuition: Chat Room - My50 Chicago - Television - WPWR

On this week's Chat Room, Sun-Times' Editor Susanna Negovan and Consultant Rochelle Trotter talk statistics and school.

First up, a firestorm was set off by comments made by MSNBC's Joe Scarborough who questioned the validity of the recently released unemployment numbers.

"These numbers just don't add up," Scarborough said.

He questioned the methodology, and other conservatives jumped on board, including Jack Welch who sent out a Twitter message claiming Obama's team altered the numbers for the election. Is this true?

Susanna thinks it's interesting that when the unemployment numbers are high we don't hear a peep from this group. However when the numbers dip low and are favorable then everyone questions the methodology. She does not think the Bureau of Labor Statistics did anything to doctor the numbers. In her opinion the most important figure is the one which will be released in the jobs report which comes out a few days prior to the election.

Rochelle thinks this is just a myth that the Conservative party will not allow to die. Recall political author Dick Morris stated a similar challenge to the methodology back in February when the numbers dropped into the 8 percent range. This is simply a continuation of that accusation and it is completely untrue in her opinion. The methodology did change slightly in 1994 but that was NOT under President Obama's tenure. Furthermore, Scarborough never questioned the methodology while he served in Congress - so why is he questioning it now?

Next up the ladies chatted about college tuition being raised at private institutions across America. Given the high unemployment of recent college graduates is this a good idea?

Rochelle thinks it is reasonable for schools of such high caliber to raise tuition slightly. Most of these schools have not raised tuition in years. The students who choose these schools know they are getting a top education and it will cost them more than a State university.

College tuition is a high percent of the average family's median income so students need to be creative in terms of how they approach paying or attending school...perhaps start out at a local college then transfer into a private college as one means to shave costs?

Susanna thinks the colleges need to be careful about raising tuition. The reason students attend these schools is because there is an expectation that they will get a job upon graduation. However recent college graduates are among the highest percent of the unemployed population. It's definitely important for people to obtain a college degree vs. not attending college at all.

She closed by stating that closer consideration must be given to the actual college selection process, as families must decide if they are willing to make the lifestyle sacrifices which will accompany sending their children to these sort of colleges.