Student Debt Crisis

Campaigns

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  CONGRESS: Cancel Student Debt to Stimulate the Economy

  The Coronavirus pandemic is a health crisis like we have never seen before, and it is colliding with the economic crisis of this generation - student loan debt. Lost wages and medical costs will impact families across the country for weeks, months, and years to come. Adding the persistent burden of student debt is a recipe for an economic disaster for millions of everyday people. Labor shocks like those the pandemic are likely to cause will undoubtedly increase federal student loan defaults. Borrowers in default on federal student loans face having their tax refunds seized and wages garnished at a time when they can least afford it. We also call on lawmakers to immediately stop these actions that hit distressed borrowers the most. Canceling student debt in response to the Coronavirus crisis will help the 45 million people with student loans and stimulate the economy when it is needed most. It will allow borrowers to purchase the necessities their families depend on: food on their table, a roof over their head, and critical healthcare. In the long term, a student debt cancellation stimulus would help prevent or reduce the impacts of an upcoming recession. Student debt cancellation can boost GDP by up to $108 billion a year and would add up to 1.5 million jobs per year.

  460,901 of 500,000 Signatures

  Created by Natalia Abrams
• Tell Ellen DeGeneres to Dump The 'University' of Phoenix

  Figures from ForProfitU.org report that only 13% of those who enrolled in the for-profit University of Phoenix had received their bachelor’s degree as of 2012. Phoenix’s parent company Apollo Group received over $800 million in federal Pell Grants in 2013 -- the most of any college in the country. Meanwhile, The University of Phoenix has been the subject of numerous federal investigations, as well as by Attorneys General in a number of states around the country, for its practices and the quality of educations enrollees receive. Lastly, the National Center for Education Statistics reported Phoenix gets $12,000 per student in tuition but spends $1,600 on actual instruction. Ellen, the student loan debt crisis is threatening the American Dream for tens of millions of student loan borrowers. The University of Phoenix deserves not your seal of approval, but condemnation and derision. If you don’t believe us, talk to people we know who have paid for Phoenix about their experience and the quality of instruction they received. This is why we ask you to please, drop your partnership with The University of Phoenix immediately.

  24,764 of 25,000 Signatures

  Created by StudentDebtCrisis.org
• Investigate Betsy DeVos for Civil Rights Violations, Corruption, and Student Loan Abuses.

  Education Secretary Betsy DeVos must be investigated for: CIVIL RIGHTS VIOLATIONS - Betsy DeVos ordered the Office of Civil Rights to dismiss thousands of cases that were backlogged and rolled back Title IX rules that have a major impact on women and LGBTQ students. CORRUPTION - Betsy DeVos dismantled the unit that investigates fraud at for-profit colleges just weeks after hiring former for-profit college officials to sit in top positions at the Department of Education. ILLEGALLY DELAYED LOAN FORGIVENESS - Betsy DeVos intentionally delayed debt relief for students defrauded by shutdown for-profit schools. The Inspector General urged the Department to move on a backlog of debt relief claims, but many people are still waiting for their applications to be reviewed. CONFLICT OF INTEREST - Betsy DeVos used the Department to award a multi-million dollar student loan debt collection contract to a private company with financial ties to DeVos. The contract was canceled after growing pressure. Make no mistake, this isn’t the only investigation that matters. The Inspector General has been called to investigate the Education Department for illegally using Americans’ financial data. Auditors are also looking into misuse of tax dollars by Scott Pruitt, the head of the Environmental Protection Agency. In fact, Inspectors General are currently investigating at least five cabinet officials for ethics violations. Abuse of power, in any form, cannot be ignored. The Inspector General must perform a thorough review of Betsy DeVos’ internal emails, policy documents, meeting agendas, guest lists, and more. No one is above the law. Now is the time to investigate Education Secretary Betsy DeVos.

  11,049 of 15,000 Signatures

  Created by StudentDebtCrisis.org
• Defend Public Education - Vote NO on Betsy DeVos for Education Secretary

  The pressure to stop Trump's billionaire nominee for secretary of education, Betsy DeVos, from being confirmed is working. Two Republican senators, Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski, just announced that they will oppose DeVos' confirmation. That means that we’re just ONE senator short—and that DeVos could be the first Trump nominee to be rejected by the Senate. But we need to keep up the pressure now more than ever to sway one more Republican and to hold the position of all of the senators who have announced opposition to DeVos. Betsy DeVos—Donald Trump's out-of-touch billionaire pick for secretary of education—is far more interested in dismantling our schools than in investing in them, and in demonizing teachers rather than treating them as allies in educating our children. 1. She has zero experience in public education. Almost all previous education secretaries had career experience in the field of education where they learned the skills necessary to improve schools in our communities. Betsy DeVos has none. 2. She has made no mention of the student debt crisis. She is doesn't know how everyday people are impacted by student loan debt and continues to ignore the trillion dollar problem. In fact, "little is known about her views on federal higher education policy," and she has little to no experience working with families who struggle to afford the rising cost of college. 3. She made her career advocating for taxpayer dollars to be taken away from resource-starved public schools. In fact, she wants to funnel your money into the pockets of private and for-profit education companies through voucher systems and charter schools. Her attacks on public schools and support for privatized education disproportionately impacts people of color and LGBTQ students, meaning less equal opportunities for ALL students nationwide. If you support public education, investing in our local schools, and ending America’s student debt crisis, DEMAND the Senate vote “no” on Betsy DeVos for Education Secretary.

  390,868 of 400,000 Signatures

  Created by StudentDebtCrisis.org
• Resist! Higher Education is a Public Good, NOT a Private Commodity

  We, the undersigned, stand in solidarity with the principle that higher education in America should be considered a public good, rather than a private commodity. We believe that solutions should immediately be found to the growing crisis of over $1.4 Trillion of existing student debt. Higher education benefits society as a whole, not just individual students, and because it has proven to boost our economy, it is imperative that we ease the burden of student debt so that every hard-working American can afford college. Those solutions should include student loan forgiveness, expansion of existing federal repayment plans and expansion of consumer protection laws that protect borrowers. This looming crisis needs to be addressed - and it needs to be addressed now. We believe that we need to reform the ways in which higher education is paid for in America. Wall street continues to play too large a role in the financing of higher education, while states continue to play too small a role. It’s time that states reaffirm their commitment to funding higher education across the country by reinvesting in this all-too-important public good and getting Wall Street out of higher education. We believe that everybody, regardless of background, geography, or financial status, should have equal access to quality, affordable higher education. All too often, where you come from or how much your parents earn, determines whether you can obtain a higher education. In 2017 America, there has got to be a better way. We should obtain this goal through debt-free college for all immediately, eliminating these barriers to obtaining a higher education. We believe in protecting the rights of all Americans on college campuses, regardless of race, religion, sexual orientation or gender identity. Equal rights means equal rights for ALL. We support the right of minorities to protest and to make their reasonable demands for equality heard. Whether we’re talking about protesting the Trump Administration’s recent immigration ban targeting people of the Muslim faith or the renewed focus on limiting the rights of transgendered people to use the bathroom of their choice, we believe that college campuses should be free spaces where everyone’s rights are protected and respected. We also believe that faculty have the right to speak out against these policies without fear of retribution. Finally, we believe in fair pay and a union voice for faculty, researchers and all staff. Access to quality, affordable higher education is wholly dependent on access to well-paid staff whose workplace rights are protected. We believe that this is what it means to be a progressive who supports higher education in America in 2017. We implore lawmakers to thoughtfully consider our demands and to legislate and regulate accordingly.

  24,898 of 25,000 Signatures

  Created by StudentDebtCrisis.org
• Support Student Loan Forgiveness

  Since 1980, average tuition for a 4-year college education has increased an astounding 800%. Since 1999, average student loan debt has shamefully increased by over 500%! In 2010, total outstanding student loan debt exceeded total outstanding credit card debt in America for the first time ever. In 2012, total outstanding student loan debt exceeded $1 Trillion. Today, we have over 1.3 TRILLION dollars in overall student loan debt and the number is climbing out-of-control. In short, student loan debt has become the fastest growing financial crisis in America. If we do absolutely nothing, the entire economy will eventually come crashing down again- just as it did when the housing bubble popped. This ever-growing crisis has put our country on an unsustainable course towards financial oblivion. As a result of more than 30 years of treating higher education as an individual commodity, rather than a public good and an investment in our collective future, those buried under the weight of their student loan debt are not buying homes or cars, not starting businesses or families, and they're not investing, inventing, innovating or otherwise engaged in any of the economically stimulative activities that we need all Americans to be engaged in. Student loan debt has an undeniable and significant effect on economic growth. Forgiving student loan debt directly addresses this enormous boot on the neck of the middle class. represents a glimmer of hope for millions of Americans who, with each passing day, find that the American Dream is more and more out of reach. Therefore, we, the undersigned, respectfully request that Congress bring forward serious legislation to forgive student loan debt and commit to solving the student debt crisis this year.

  1,206,467 of 1,300,000 Signatures

  Created by Student Debt Crisis
• Reject Trump's Education Budget

  Trump’s education budget hurts students, borrowers and their families, here's how: ✖︎ ENDS the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program designed to promote the careers that benefit our communities most. ✖︎ CUTS $200 billion from student aid programs over the next decade. ✖︎ ELIMINATES subsidized loans that keep interest costs down. ✖︎ REPLACES all income-driven repayment programs with a new program, created by Trump, that significantly increases costs for graduate students. The Trump-DeVos budget is the final nail in the coffin for current, former and future students. Since Trump appointed Betsy DeVos to lead the Education Department, the two billionaires have unleashed a destructive student loan agenda that harms families across the country.

  63,739 of 75,000 Signatures

  Created by StudentDebtCrisis.org
• Restore Basic Consumer Protections to Student Loans, Support the Student Borrowers' Bill of Rights!

  Student debt is treated more harshly than any other type of debt in America. Unlike your mortgage, business, credit card or even gambling debts, student loan debt cannot be discharged in bankruptcy and there is no statute of limitations on the collections of student loan debt. As a result, more than 40 Million Americans are buried under approximately $1.2 Trillion worth of student debt and more than 7 Million of those people have defaulted on their student loans, causing major financial hardships from which there is almost no escape. We believe that it is extremely important to level the playing field and start treating student loan debt just as any other type of unsecured debt in America. Rep. Frederica Wilson (D-FL) has introduced H.R. 3892, The Student Borrowers' Bill of Rights, to right these wrongs. The bill seeks to restore bankruptcy protections to student loans, restore the statute of limitations on the collections of student loan debt, prohibit the suspension of professional licenses for those who default, and prohibit the automatic garnishment of wages, Social Security benefits and tax refunds for defaulted borrowers. The bill further seeks to treat loan forgiveness under various repayment options as non-taxable income, provide partial loan forgiveness for those in public service careers after five years, and enable borrowers to pay down their education debt using educational savings plans. The legislation establishes four core rights— (1) to basic consumer protections, (2) to reasonable and flexible repayment options, (3) to meaningful earned degrees, and (4) to effective loan cancellation following the completion of public service—which, combined, will help guarantee a level playing field for America’s student borrowers.

  73,231 of 75,000 Signatures

  Created by Robert Applebaum
• Don't Garnish Social Security to Pay Student Loan Debt!

  We can fix this. It doesn't even require an act of Congress. The Department of Education can declare a moratorium on garnishing Social Security benefits for student debt. We can make this happen—and bring relief to the many Social Security recipients still struggling to repay their student loans. Sponsored by: Student Debt Crisis AFL-CIO AFT AFSCME Alliance for Retired Americans Campaign for America's Future Center for Global Policy Solutions Common Cause Courage Campaign CREDO Daily Kos Democracy for America Demos Justice in Aging People For the American Way Project Springboard RootsAction Social Security Works The Nation The Other 98% The Zero Hour

  12,248 of 15,000 Signatures

  Created by StudentDebtCrisis.org
• Don't let Republicans jack up the cost of college

  Because of Republican obstruction in Congress, interest rates on college loans are set to double this July—pouring even more debt on a generation already drowning in student loans. President Obama is pushing Congress to stop it, but as usual Republicans have dug in their heels. Doubling interest rates would be devastating to students and working families. Since 1999, student loan debt has increased by more than 500%, and total student debt is over $1 trillion dollars. But Republicans are so out of touch that their point person on higher education, Rep. Virginia Foxx of North Carolina, says she has "little tolerance" for people who graduate with lots of debt because "there's no reason for that." It's not just Virginia Foxx. Mitt Romney says he wants to slash Pell Grants by $170 billion. Republican governors like Scott Walker have been slashing funding for higher education for years, forcing increases in tuition. Students and working families need to send a clear message to the Republicans in Congress: If you allow interest rates to double, we're voting you out.

  1,600 of 2,000 Signatures

  Created by Robert Applebaum