His key issue of the effort?

Reforming student aid to promote affordability and value: To keep tuition from spiraling too high and drive greater value, the President will propose reforms to federal campus-based aid programs to shift aid away from colleges that fail to keep net tuition down, and toward those colleges and universities that do their fair share to keep tuition affordable, provide good value, and serve needy students well. These changes in federal aid to campuses will leverage $10 billion annually to help keep tuition down.

That’s direct from a White House release. They’re going balls-to-the-wall in this push.

Here’s more:

Rewarding Schools that Keep College Affordable

The President’s proposal to reform student aid to keep tuition from spiraling too high and drive greater value will improve distribution of federal financial aid and increase campus-based aid. This reform will reward colleges that are succeeding in meeting the following principles:

1. Setting responsible tuition policy, offering relatively lower net tuition prices and/or restraining tuition growth.
2. Providing good value to students and families, offering quality education and training that prepares graduates to obtain employment and repay their loans.
3. Serving low-income students, enrolling and graduating relatively higher numbers of Pell-eligible students

The campus-based aid that the federal government provides to colleges through Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (SEOG), Perkins Loans, and Work Study is distributed under an antiquated formula that rewards colleges for longevity in the program and provides no incentive to keep tuition costs low. The President is proposing to change how those funds are distributed by implementing an improved formula that shifts aid from schools with rising tuition to those acting responsibly, focused on setting responsible tuition policy, providing good value in education, and ensuring that higher numbers of low-income students complete their education. He is also proposing to increase the amount of campus-based aid to $10 billion annually. The increase is primarily driven by an expansion of loans in the federal Perkins program – which comes at no additional taxpayer cost.

Colleges that can show that they are providing students with good long-term value will be rewarded with additional dollars to help students attend. Those that show poor value, or who don’t act responsibly in setting tuition, will receive less federal campus-based aid. Students will receive the greatest government grant and loan support at colleges where they are likely to be best served, and little or no campus aid will flow to colleges that fail to meet affordability and value standards.

Do you think Jimbo and Shirley Q. are paying attention as they both pocket millions of dollars each year and continually jack tuition up through the roof?

Only time will tell but our money’s on them not giving a flip and doing everything they can get away with until reforms are enacted.

The U.S. Conference of Mayors quietly led efforts to coordinate responses to protests. Oh, what? You’re shocked that Greg had something to do with that? [HuffPo]

Just in case you need a reason to roll your eyes even harder about that potential merger? Read this Louisville Water Company story. [WHAS11]

This is why Kentucky can’t have nice things. Corrupt Sylvia Lovely has convinced someone to hire her as a lobbyist. [Page One]

Do you think gambling will fail again this year, thanks to Steve Beshear? [H-L]

Unions in Louisville are unhappy with the way Greg Fischer is trying to “save” the city from overtime costs. He has no idea that all it takes is proper management and he wouldn’t be wasting umpteen millions of dollars per year. [FOX41]

You’re probably really excited about this MSD task force that started its work yesterday. [WFPL]

OH GOD WE’RE ALL GONNA DIE OF THE CROUP OR SOMETHING. Everybody freak out. Go to Kroger and buy up all the bread and milk just to be safe. [WAVE3]

If you’re considering a run for school board, don’t miss these shenanigans. Don’t allow a bait-and-switch to occur. [The 'Ville Voice]

You can bet Steve Imhoff did not enjoy having the public find out he was attempting a bait-and-switch. [C-J/AKN]

The 2012 Kentucky Derby Festival poster was released. Have you taken a look? [Business First]

Put down your coffee. Take a quick pee break. Then look at these photographs of Kevin Harned being…. um… just look. [Terry Meiners]

The plan? For him to slink away at the last minute before the filing deadline.

That opens his seat up for Mary Ellen Wiederwohl to run, making it super-difficult for anyone else to file.

It’s a real bait-and-switch situation and we’d encourage a ton of people to file for the second district seat:

Louisville doesn’t need shenanigans like that.

Frankfort has turned into a literal cesspool. Now everyone is peeing all over everybody else when it comes to Congressional redistricting. [H-L]

Steve Beshear was apparently one of the worst persons in the world on Friday. Not for bungling gambling for four years straight but for the Ark Park. [Page One]

Black and Latino students are performing at levels of 30 years ago. Is anyone paying attention to this? [HuffPo]

Is MSD really making big changes after that scathing state audit from Crit Luallen? [FOX41]

Work on the Sherman Minton is expected to be completed before the March 2 deadline. [Business First]

Jefferson County Public Schools needs consistent curriculum policies and the audit identified several areas for improvement. [WAVE3]

Work on a pedestrian bridge connecting elevated plazas downtown is moving forward. [Broken Sidewalk]

Okay, let’s get serious: There’s an accident involving a JCPS bus nearly every day, right? Come on, people, stop hitting school buses! [WHAS11]

Here’s more on those ten recommendations put forth by the Jefferson County Public Schools curriculum audit. [WFPL]

You’ll roll your eyes really hard at this story. Anyone who believes their 14-year-old hasn’t heard of blowjobs? Uh, yeah, maybe they have bigger problems than a piece of literature to worry about. [WLKY]

People are still freaking out about Rand Paul’s Nashville airport incident yesterday. [84WHAS]

Here’s Jim Ramsey complaining about budget cuts. He still wants a hospital merger or a management contract for University Hospital. Note that there was no discussion of his massive pay raise. [FOX41]

A showdown over Kentucky’s proposed legislative districts isn’t coming – it’s already here. [H-L]

Local State Representative Reggie Meeks has a lot to say about churning legislative butter in Frankfort. This week, he discusses the redistricting nightmare. [Page One]

Louisville’s Air Pollution Control Board has voted to re-categorize a chemical used in some of the city’s manufacturing processes. Recent studies have suggested the chemical isn’t as carcinogenic as originally thought. [WFPL]

Remember the woman that crazy ass constable shot at Walmart? She was arrested for allegedly shoplifting at Kmart. [WAVE3]

And here’s the expected story about the University of Louisville raising tuition rates while Jim Ramsey and his colleagues rake in millions upon millions of dollars each year. [Business First]

The license plate for the gays in Indiana? It’s causing faux family-types to freak completely out. They just can’t believe the gays aren’t getting stoned to death anymore. [WHAS11]

A Butchertown building that collapsed in September 2010 is going to be rebuilt. [Broken Sidewalk]

Louisville apparently won some sort of award for fighting childhood obesity. We’re pretty sure the folks behind the award have never actually been in Louisville. [WLKY]

J. Bruce Miller has been burning the comments section up lately with discussions of Chinese billionaires and potential NBA teams. [The 'Ville Voice Here & Here]

Everyone we speak to on Metro Council and in Metro Government says Greg Fischer is talking out of his butt about cuts being necessary to balance the budget. What’s necessary is to stop flushing money down the toilet on unnecessary salaries, to stop throwing money at problems that can be resolved without it and to just generally manage. [WAVE3]

If you missed Greg Fischer’s State of the City address yesterday at a members-only club, then be sure to check our highlights. [The 'Ville Voice]

This MSD/Water Company merger talk is going over about as well as Metro Animal Services messes go over. [Business First]

It’s absolutely absurd that the body of Andrew Compton still has not been recovered. Even more absurd that his murderer still gets to play pat-a-cake. [WHAS11]

Told ya Richie Farmer was dumber than a rock and more corrupt than Keith Hall, Ruth Ann Palumbo and Jim Gooch combined. Nearly $500,000 worth of equipment is MISSING from the Department of Agriculture. You won’t believe the list of equipment. Take a look. [H-L]

Wait for it, wait for it. Now Jim Ramsey is calling for a review of the Quality and Charity Care Trust (indigent care board) at the University of Louisville. This is precisely why it would have been a bad idea for Adam Edelen to take a seat on the UofL Foundation board while a candidate. [FOX41]

Are you ever alarmed that there’s discussion of closing Jefferson County Public Schools for just a couple inches of snow? [C-J/AKN]

This is an actual headline from one of your teevee stations: Panties Found Along Road To Be Hung On Bridge. [WLKY]

No wonder the Swopes were going crazy trying to get us to write about their Fiat dealership a few weeks ago. [HuffPo]

It’s tough to take any ranking that says Kentucky is improving on the educational front seriously. Particularly when that ranking says students are still screwed when it comes to chances for success. [WFPL]

Greg Fischer will announce just how large the city’s deficit is today. Massive cuts will take place. Meanwhile, he’s still hiring friends at $100,000 a pop and doling out cash left and right. [C-J/AKN]

Why should you buy Girl Scout Cookies this year? Because a bunch of psychjobs are freaking out that Girl Scouts of America don’t discriminate against transgendered kids. [Click the Clicky for Some Crazy]

Today’s memorial service will feature Republican Ben Chandler and Lexington Mayor Jim Gray. Should be a really nice service. [H-L]

Honestly asking: Was Greg Fischer’s day trip to Detroit truly “productive” or was he just there to keep up appearances? [FOX41]

Don’t forget that Greg Fischer will give his State of the City address today at noon. He plans to focus on all of his “accomplishments” of his first year in office. If you’re at the Downtown Rotary today, be sure to ask him about the mountains of failures that he will certainly ignore. And maybe ask him about that crazy interview he gave on the radio last week. [Deep Mayoral Thoughts]

You still don’t believe the Ohio River Bridges Debacle is a debacle? David Williams is now knocking the division of the two-bridge project. Guess he, like all of Louisville, knows that the only thing that will ever get built is whatever Indiana is solely responsible for. [C-J/AKN]

Your life sucks, the economy sucks, your husband probably has a boyfriend on the side. So you should probably go see American Psycho this Friday night to take your mind off of it. [Consuming Louisville]

Here’s more on the TARC press conference we told you about yesterday. $1 million from the feds to continue service on popular routes. [WFPL]

Go listen to the audio and read the transcripts of Cecil New’s confession. It’ll make your skin crawl. [WAVE3]

GE Appliances is partnering with an energy company in Georgia to test smart appliances. Could be good news for the Louisville plant. [Business First]

Go watch this story about the charter schools discussion getting heated yesterday. And don’t worry, it’s not happening in Kentucky this year. [WHAS11]

It’s time for a reality check on the meth problem in Kentucky. If we’re gonna get a handle on this issue, we at least need to keep the facts straight. [Page One]

Today at noon, the Louisville Forum will focus on public charter schools. There will be all kinds of boring arguments. Hal Heiner will likely chap Brent McKim’s rear. [Fun Times]

Charter schools aren’t going to happen in Kentucky this legislative session. The Hal Heiner push is a total waste of secretive money. Until those folks realize this isn’t a partisan issue and stop pushing only the conservative bits and pieces, it’s dead and the water and should remain dead in the water. [H-L]

Louisville residents are putting up a “stink” over delayed trash pickup because it’s the first thing that directly impacts them from Greg Fischer. Every other nightmare he’s sat at the helm of is out of sight, out of mind in their world. [C-J/AKN]

Demolition is set to begin at the nearly-vacant Sheppard Square. Will this turn into a good thing? [WAVE3]

Michigan’s treasurer says that Detroit will run out of money by May. Will Greg Fischer learn anything while he’s there? Or will he return from Detroit to make out-of-touch remarks about that city, comparing it weirdly to Louisville? [Reuters]

Free parking around Fourth Street? Haha, right. Louisville can’t get Fourth Street right. Why are we still pretending that we can? [FOX41]

A new report shows that Kentuckians are frequent binge drinkers. That may have something to do with their quality of life. [Business First]

We won’t be wasting much time on rehashing this latest LMAS story (it’s not new) because there are much bigger problems. We can think of a million things more important than a woman trying to get money from taxpayers because two nasty people treated her poorly. [WHAS11]

Tom Owen’s concern over trash pick-up has fired more than a handful of people up. Meanwhile, MSD is getting swept under the rug. [The 'Ville Voice]

Maybe you can safely have a vehicle in St. Matthews again. Police made arrests in 30 car break-ins. [WLKY]

However… you’ve gotta hear the gossip rolling from some very powerful folks.

After the news crews rushed back to their stations to file the story about Owsley’s gift? That’s when the University of Louisville Foundation Board kicked into high gear.

Guess what they’re trying to keep under wraps until after the hospital merger gets approved?

They voted to give Jim Ramsey a 25% pay raise and another $500,000 in deferred compensation for every two years of service at the University. Guess we know where Owsley’s money is going instead of academics and research.

We’re sorry to upset all the back room dealers but this is just obscene. This serves as yet another example of the great lengths to which some will go to bilk well-intentioned donors at UofL. It’s not the Robert Felners of the world that we need to be worried about.

Turns out sleazy commercials being paraded as news content aren’t unique to Louisville television newscasts. Imagine that. [WaPo]

Remember when Kelly Downard had the guts to stand up to Greg Fischer’s crew last week? Remember when it took us threatening a lawsuit (which is drafted and was shared with Fischer’s folks) to get Fischer’s folks to do their damn jobs? [The 'Ville Voice]

Jeffersonville is expanding wireless internet service. Louisville yawns and goes back to suffering worse than it did under Jerry Abramson. [Business First]

Deteroit is nearing bankruptcy as the city flirts with fiscal disaster. Could it happen in Louisville? [The Economist]

Louisville is apparently so insignificant that it’s not even included on many globes. [Slate]

It’s going to be a nightmare watching Greg Fischer try to get Louisville through this $6 million budget shortfall that he’s caused. [WLKY]

How shocked are you that cracks were misclassified on the Sherman Minton in the years leading up to the shut down? [C-J/AKN]

Will Louisvillians ever stop killing each other? Will stories like this one ever stop flowing? [FOX41]

Naturally, it takes a newspaper in Indiana to run a story about the East End Bridge and that crazy ass tunnel mess. Your local paper can’t be bothered. [News & Tribune]

Jefferson County Public Schools has yet again stepped in it. JCPS purchased an apartment complex next to Iroquois High School and told a bunch of elderly and disabled people that they had to find a new place to live by December 30. [WHAS11]

Remember this during the inauguration tomorrow when you’re wondering why Kentucky can’t have nice things. [Page One]

Only in Louisville would we still be spending tens upon tens of thousands of dollars debating an ineffective and hated student assignment plan. [WFPL]