THE CWR SPEAKS: IS THE NEW STUDENT LOAN LEGISLATION GOOD OR BAD FOR STUDENTS?:
Recently the U.S. Congress passed new legislation governing student loans. This legislation was attached to the new Healthcare Reform legislation that was also signed into law. In its original form the new student loan bill sought to allocate in excess of $80 billion to help revolutionize the way colleges operate, and make the cost of a college education more affordable and make college more accessible for more students. In its compromised version the legislation only provides a little more than half of the original proposal, or about $42 billion.
As part of the compromise, about $19 billion of the estimated $61 billion that would result from the change in the current student loan process is expected to produce will be used to reduce the national deficit and help offset the costs of the enormous healthcare program.
The revised bill which was passed into law also totally eliminates the proposed extension of the reduction in student loan interest rates beyond 2012. Also eliminated from the compromised bill was a total overhaul of the Perkins Loan Program and a plan to create a new $3 billion College Access and Completion Fund.
One of the cornerstones of the original bill was a plan to increase the maximum amount for Pell Grants to $6900 by 2019, and to base future increases on the rate of inflation plus one percent. Howevver, the compromised law sets the limit for Pell Grants at $5975 and allows for no future increases in four of the next ten years.
One of the most profound changes in the new law is a change in options available to students for acquiring funding for college. In the past private lenders such as banks and other financial institutions were allowed to make student loans, which were federally subsidized, to bridge the gap between what students needed to cover tuition and other costs of college, and what they qualified for in federal student loans and grants. The new law eliminates these private lenders and all student loans will now be made through the governments Direct Loan Program.
One of the bright spots in the new law is a provision that begins in 2014 that caps at 10% the amount of a borrower's monthly income that the borrower would be required to use to repay his or her loan, which is a reduction from the current 15%.
What do you think about this new law? Is it good or bad for students? Our student loan debt management expert Ms. Tara Goodfellow will have more detailed information on this subject in The College World Reporter in coming weeks. But express yourself on this question, do you feel that this law is good or bad for college students?
STUDENT AGENDA:
Students today are confronted with more challenges than at any period previously in our history. We are concerned and want to help. We want to see students succeed, and that is the main objective of The College World Reporter. Our mission is to provide students with advice and information to supplement what you are receiving at your college or university. But beyond that, we want to be a resource where students have freedom of expression to discuss their concerns about education, the future, and the world we live in. We also encourage you to share your thoughts about what you feel are solutions to obstacles students must overcome, and challenges students must confront. What do students really need? What assistance is lacking or could be improved? What would make life simpler and more fun? Do you feel that you are being well prepared for success in your future? What concerns do you have about your future? What advice or counsel do you need most? Do you feel that there is a generational gap or a trust issue with older adults, parents, or instructors, and please elaborate? If you had the power, and that is what we are giving you right here and now, if you had the power, what would be your student agenda of the major issues that need to be resolved, and what suggestions do you have to find solutions for those issues?