President Barack Obama on the University of Michigan Campus. Photo by Stephanie Steinberg.

All President Barack Obama had to say was “Go Blue!” to get thousands of University of Michigan students to erupt in cheers and applause.

A few jokes about the real reason he was here — to meet Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson — also won many laughs from the students, administrators and government officials gathered on the field in the Al Glick Field House, where the Michigan football team practices.

Obama’s visit was the last stop in a three-day tour to five states, including Arizona, Iowa, Nevada and Colorado. While the president proposed tax breaks for companies that hire American workers and increasing manufacturing jobs during his previous speeches, his talk in Ann Arbor focused on one issue the 3,000 students in the audience cared about: the rising cost of a college education.

The president explained he was once in students’ shoes and understands the importance of an affordable education.

“I am only standing here today because scholarships and student loans gave me a shot at a decent education,” he said.

Obama’s speech follows his Tuesday night State of the Union address, during which he announced several initiatives that pertain to college students such as doubling the number of work-study jobs available over the next five years and extending a tuition tax credit that provides up to $10,000 over four years.

Obama singled out the high cost of tuition and sent a warning to institutions of higher education that receive funding from their states:

“Let me put colleges and university on notice: If you can’t stop tuition from going up, the funding you get from taxpayers will go down,” Obama said on Tuesday.

During his speech Friday, Obama announced — as part of his Race to the Top initiative — that the federal government will provide $1 billion in federal aid for any states that find ways to lower the cost of college.

In an interview before Obama’s speech, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said the federal government is trying to increase access to Pell Grants and reduce student loan payments, but states and universities have to also “do the right thing” and keep tuition down.

“No one gets a pass in this. All of us have to come to the table. . .we can’t do it by ourselves,” he said.

In December, University President Mary Sue Coleman sent a letter to Obama that highlighted the problem of rising tuition costs and suggested ways to keep higher education affordable for families.

“Higher education is a public good currently lacking public support,” Coleman wrote. “There is no stronger trigger for rising costs at public universities and colleges than declining state support.”

Coleman sent the letter 10 days after Obama met with presidents and chancellors from 10 universities to discuss solutions for lowering the cost of education and producing more college graduates.

President Barack Obama spoke about the price and worth of a college education on Friday at Al Glick Field House on the campus of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Mich. Photo by Gannett, Eric Seals/Detroit Free Press.

In an interview after Obama’s speech, Coleman said she was pleased that the president addressed the complexity of the issue and recognized that universities are doing their best to cut costs without sacrificing a quality education.

“(The United States) has the best higher education system in the world, and we don’t want to lose that,” Coleman said.

UM student government president DeAndree Watson, introduced Obama before he spoke. In an interview after the president’s speech, Watson said he is glad Obama is encouraging ways to finance education that don’t involve increasing tuition. He added that he hopes Obama’s message will “inspire students to stand up and take action” by contacting legislators and urging them to stop cutting state appropriations.

UM sophomore Russ Hayes, the marketing and recruitment chair for the University’s chapter of College Republicans, said it was an honor to have the president speak on campus, but was frustrated by some of Obama’s education proposals considering the country’s enormous debt.

“He was talking about subsidizing education more at the federal level. I just ask, where are we going to get this money from?” said Hayes.

Jazzmin Weathers, the president of the National Panhellenic Council and one of 100 student leaders who were chosen to stand in the risers behind Obama, said she was enthused by Obama’s initiatives. Weathers said she wouldn’t be able to attend UM without a $40,000 scholarship, but because the scholarship doesn’t increase with rises in tuition, she has to find other ways to cover costs — like becoming a residential advisor to pay for room and board.

Friday’s event was the second visit Obama made to the Ann Arbor campus. In May 2010, he delivered the spring commencement address in Michigan Stadium to a crowd of 80,000 and received a Doctor of Laws degree from the University.

Former President George H. W. Bush — the last president to visit Ann Arbor during his term — gave the commencement address in May 1991.

Tickets to hear the speech were delivered Thursday morning on a first come, first serve basis. Thousands of students camped outside in the 30 degree weather for their chance to get one of the 3,000 tickets.

Sophomores Kaitlin Blanchard and Nicole Sappingfield, both players on the UM softball team, were the second and third people in line at 9:15 p.m. Wednesday night. Geared with parkas, blankets and pillows, the two friends were prepared to spend the night in the cold. Blanchard said she would have waited 11 hours in line no matter who the president was.

“I think it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity to see a president speak — and they’re free tickets,” said Blanchard.

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