Students Get Involved in the College Affordability Debate
So it’s Tuesday once again and time for my regular blog on
“This Week in Student Loan News.” Well, with congress back in session and
student loan interest rates up on the chopping block, there is a lot going on…
According to a Monday, Jan. 15, 2007 Daily Briefing in the National Council of Higher Education Loan
Programs, Inc.’s “NCHelp,” titled “Legislators, Students Convene Press Conference
on College Affordability,” “Congressional Democrats, students and The Campaign
for College Affordability held a press conference Thursday that aimed to
address the issue of college costs and garner student support for the proposal
to reduce interest rates on subsidized Stafford loans.”
National Day of
Action for College Affordability
Apparently,
last Thursday, Jan. 11 was declared “National Day of Action for College
Affordability” in a democratic bid to gain support in the student community for
their “College Student Relief Act of 2007 (H.R. 5).” This act is slated to be debated
tomorrow Wed, Jan.
17, 2007.
According to the briefing, Representative
George Miller (D-CA) “underscored continued college tuition increases that are
a reported 41 percent above inflation. He stated that there is no greater
investment to the economy and country than education and that enacting the
College Student Relief Act of 2007 (H.R. 5) would be a vital ‘first step’ in
addressing the cost of college.”
Additionally,
Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Chairman Edward Kennedy (D-MA) “spoke
of the need for a ‘major debate on the student loan programs.’ In his remarks,
Kennedy was critical of student lenders, stating that student lending was among
the most profitable industries. Kennedy also addressed proposals to increase
the federal Pell Grant limit by $1,050 and provide for an income contingency
repayment program that would enable students to repay their loan in ten years.
He stated he would like to see a ‘change in the bidding of student loans.’”
Legislators Look to Students
For
years, everyone from Newt Gingrich to MTV has tried to harness the political power
of the U.S.
student population. College students are often new voters who don’t realize the
potential their “voices” carry in terms of supporting new legislation.
The “NCHelp”
briefing clearly states that during the “The Campaign for College Affordability’s”
“National Day of Action for College Affordability” press conference, “Legislators
urged students to get involved in the college cost debate and to lobby Congress
in support of the College Student Relief Act of 2007. They concluded that H.R.
5 would be considered and voted on this week (January 17) and stated that the
college cost discussion ‘does not end, but begins with 100 hours legislation.’”
The campaign has set up a group in Facebook called “College Affordability
Concerns Me.” It encourages college students to join this group in order to
spread the word about its “College Affordability” agenda.
If you want to know more about strategies that help make
college affordable, talk to the education financial advisors at NextStudent.
They have all the information and advice you need on student loans. Check out www.nextstudent.com.
Be sure to tune in next Tuesday for my next blog about this
week in student loans.
Student Loan Girl