Posts Tagged ‘college access’

Video: Bankers Stealing for Students

Wednesday, November 18th, 2009

The battle to make college more affordable has come down to a critical few weeks in the Senate.  The banks and student loan companies already have spent millions of dollars on lobbying, PR firms, and advertisements in their attempt to stop reform and hang on to $87 billion in subsidies that could be going to help students.

Now Campus Progress is taking action.  We’ve raised money to put this :30 second spot on cable TV and on Hulu in key states across the country:

We don’t have the kind of money student loan companies have, so we’re going to need your help spreading the ad on Facebook, Twitter, and email if we’re going to get the word out. Click here to help us spread the word.

Poll: Latinos want degrees, but lack access to college

Tuesday, October 13th, 2009

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A new poll by the nonprofit Pew Hispanic Center shows that Latinos in the Untied States value a college degree more than the general population, but that less than half of the demographic actually plans to attend a university.

In a survey (PDF) of more than 2,000 individuals aged 16-25 years, Pew reported on Wednesday that family obligations, financial burdens and language barriers have prevented nearly half of young Latinos from going to college:

(more…)

Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act Passes House Education Committee with Bipartisan Support

Tuesday, July 21st, 2009

In a 30-17 vote, the House Education and Labor Committee passed the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act (SAFRA, HR 3221) today, making it likely that it will reach the full House within the week.

The bill would represent the largest investment in student aid in US history. By cutting wasteful subsidies to student loan companies, this legislation would save $87 billion over ten years that would be reinvested in increasing student aid, investing in college access and completion programs, supporting community colleges, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU), and minority serving institutions, and other programs that would increase educational opportunities for low and middle income families. It would also commit $10 billion to reducing the deficit.

There were several important changes to the bill, including: (more…)

CP Statement: Improving Community Colleges Depends on Switch to Direct Lending for Student Loans

Tuesday, July 14th, 2009

“Campus Progress applauds President Obama’s new community college initiative, which would allow millions of Americans to pursue higher education and become more competitive in the workforce.

The funding of this new initiative depends in part on passage of legislation enacting the President’s proposal to switch to all direct lending for federally-guaranteed student loans. That plan would save the government approximately $87 billion over 10 years, and part of this savings – $12 billion – would be used to fund the community college initiative.

Thus, a clear choice has just become that much more obvious: Congress can vote for more wasteful subsidies for banks, or they can stand with young people and displaced workers seeking an education.”

*Cross-posted at Students Over Banks.