Petitioner Profiles

The following organizations submitted an administrative petition to the Department of Education on May 4, 2006 calling for regulatory changes to the federal student loan programs, as described in the Five-Point Plan.

American Student Assistance
College Board
College Parents of America
Council for Opportunity in Education
Great Lakes Higher Education and Affiliates
Howard Center for Family, Religion and Society
The Project on Student Debt
State Public Interest Research Groups
United States Student Association

American Student Assistance, a non-profit organization of more than 500 dedicated professionals, is the oldest and one of the largest Federal Family Education Loan guaranty agencies in the country. American Student Assistance believes their role in higher education financing should reflect their vision for the future. They are forging a new public purpose in the student loan industry that is proactive and borrower-focused – centered on making student loans more accessible, manageable and successful for students, schools and lenders. To that end, the work and mission of American Student Assistance are directly affected by student loan repayment policies.

The College Board is a not-for-profit membership association whose mission is to connect students to college success and opportunity. Founded in 1900, the association is composed of more than 5,000 schools, colleges, universities, and other educational organizations. Each year, the College Board serves seven million students and their parents, 23,000 high schools, and 3,500 colleges through major programs and services in college admissions, guidance, assessment, financial aid, enrollment, and teaching and learning. Among its best-known programs are the SAT®, the PSAT/NMSQT®, and the Advanced Placement Program® (AP®). The College Board is committed to the principles of excellence and equity, and that commitment is embodied in all of its programs, services, activities, and concerns.

The mission of College Parents of America is to empower parents to best support their children on the path to and through college. Through a mix of advocacy, information and access to discounts, College Parents of America provides its parent members and supporters with a support system that can help their children best prepare for college academically, and them to best prepare for college financially. The members and supporters of College Parents of America are concerned about rising levels of student debt and support efforts to improve educational achievement and expand college opportunities for all students. For these reasons, the mission and work of College Parents of America are directly affected by student loan repayment policies.

The Council for Opportunity in Education (COE) represents more than 1,000 colleges, universities, community colleges and agencies that offer federally-funded TRIO programs to expand college opportunity for low-income, first-generation and disabled students. Founded in 1981, the non-profit COE provides a voice for low-income, first-generation and disabled students in the United States, the Caribbean and the Pacific Islands. COE specializes in vital research, program improvement and advocacy for the TRIO community and its nearly one million students, two-thirds of whom live at or below 150% of the poverty level. TRIO is a pipeline of federal programs that encourage students of all ages to aspire to, attend and complete college. TRIO serves pre-college students, college students, veterans and returning adult students, supplying the mentoring, academic support and college admissions and financial aid information needed to obtain a college education. For these reasons, the work and mission of COE are directly affected by student loan repayment policies.

For over thirty five years, Great Lakes Higher Education and Affiliates (Great Lakes) has been a national leader in the student loan industry, providing services to borrowers, lenders, schools, and guaranty agencies. Great Lakes works with schools and lenders to determine the financial aid options available to student borrowers, ensures that funds are available to borrowers when needed, answers questions about student loans, and helps borrowers understand their rights and responsibilities in repaying them. For nearly 40 years as a guarantor and servicer of student loans, Great Lakes has helped millions of students fulfill their higher education dreams. For these reasons, the work and mission of Great Lakes are directly affected by student loan repayment policies. See their press release.

The Howard Center for Family, Religion and Society is an independent, non-profit research and education center that strives to be the leading source of fresh ideas and new strategies for affirmation and defense of the natural family, both nationally and globally. The Howard Center is also the founder and organizer of the World Congress of Families project which unites people of goodwill who recognize that the family is the fundamental unit of society and coordinates the efforts of pro-family groups from more the 60 countries worldwide. The Howard Center’s work and mission are affected by student loan repayment policy. Dr. Allan Carlson, the president of The Howard Center and founder and General Secretariat of the World Congress of Families, recently wrote “‘Anti-Dowry:’ The Effects of Student Loan Debt on Marriage and Child-bearing” in which he found that the burden of student debt may be delaying or negatively affecting family formation by contributing to borrowers’ postponement of marriage and creating impediments to having children and taking on family responsibilities.

The Project on Student Debt works to increase public understanding of the changing role of student debt and its implications for our families, economy and society. Recognizing that loans play a critical role in making college possible, the Project’s goal is to identify cost-effective solutions that expand educational opportunity, protect family financial security, and advance economic competitiveness.

The mission of the State Public Interest Research Groups (PIRGs), is to deliver persistent, result-oriented public interest activism that protects our environment, encourages a fair, sustainable economy, and fosters responsive, democratic government. The State PIRGs’ Higher Education Project began in 1994 with its mission of making college more affordable. Along with a coalition of more than 50 other higher education organizations, the State PIRGs’ Higher Education Project has been working to make Congressional support for higher education a reality. A priority of the Project is to secure policies that will make loan repayment more affordable. To that end, the work and mission of the project are directly affected by economic hardship and income contingent repayment policies.

The United States Student Association (USSA) is the country’s oldest and largest national student organization, representing millions of students. Founded in 1947, USSA is the recognized voice for students on Capitol Hill, in the White House, and in the Department of Education. USSA believes education is a right and works on building grassroots power among students to win concrete victories that expand access to education at the federal, state and campus level. USSA’s work and mission to increase access to higher education for all students are directly affected by student loan repayment policy. Excessive loan debt has become a hindrance to students seeking higher education and an obstacle to borrowers in repayment. Today, the country is facing an entire generation of indebted educated youth with more than 39% of recent graduates facing unmanageable levels of debt. In light of these realities, one of USSA’s primary goals to further its mission and work is to increase the manageability of student loans.