Arizona State University's Barack Obama scholars program, which is named after the President because ASU had to do something after denying Obama an honorary degree, is one generous spending package.

The university just ramped up the qualifying family income ceiling to $60,000 for students awarded the Obama ride. The ceiling had been $25,000. The program, previously called ASU Advantage, will cover the full cost of attendance at ASU for 1,600 freshmen this fall, instead of the 500 covered last year.

The cost of the students' tuition, room and board, books and the massive new "economic recovery surcharge" will be covered by a combination of scholarships, grants, and other funding sources. ASU will trot out some of the program's beneficiaries when Obama comes to Tempe on May 13 to speak at ASU's commencement ceremony.

Just think -- Instead of all that, ASU almost just gave the guy a degree.

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