Economic Stimulus Should Promote College Affordability

Last week we and 12 other national organizations sent a letter to Congressional leaders urging that any new economic stimulus package include major short-term investments in college affordability. Our proposal includes a crucial Pell Grant increase, a boost in funding for Federal Work-Study, more access to PLUS loans, and the creation of an emergency federal loan fund.

Read the letter

A Consumer-Oriented Student Aid Report (SAR)

At the end of November we submitted comments on the U.S. Department of Education's proposed 2009-10 Student Aid Report (SAR). Financial aid applicants receive the SAR after they fill out the FAFSA, but the current SAR fails to answer many of the most basic questions students have about their eligibility for grants and loans or how the financial aid process works. Our comments outline specific suggestions to provide useful, timely information in a consumer-oriented way.  

Read our comments

Last Chance to Write to Paulson:
Don't Sell Out Students While Bailing Out Lenders

Over the past three weeks our criticism of Treasury Secretary Paulson's plan to bail out private student loan providers has received considerable attention. The Washington Post ran a front-page story, and several other media outlets around the country ran articles and editorials. Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL) wrote a letter to Paulson calling for better consumer protections for private loan borrowers, and last week several members of Congress questioned the Treasury Department about this issue during a Financial Services Committee hearing.

We have already generated over 750 letters urging Paulson not to bail out lenders at students' expense. Let's make it 1000 before the end of the year! Please take a moment to write your own letter, and forward it to your friends.

Executive Director Robert Shireman Helps with Transition

Robert Shireman, the founder and executive director of the Project on Student Debt, is serving as a volunteer on the Obama-Biden Transition team. Bob is on both the agency review team and the policy working group for education. For more information, visit www.change.gov.