USSA Morning Scoop - Friday 11/20/09
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Welcome!
The United States Student Association, the country’s oldest and largest student-led organization, represents over 4.5 million students at over 400 campuses across the nation. We work to develop current and future leaders and amplify the student voice at the local, state, and national levels by mobilizing grassroots power to win concrete victories on student issues.
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The Student Scoop: USSA News, Weblogs, and More!
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Statement by USSA President Gregory Cendana on the University of California Free Hikes and Protests - November 20, 2009
“Amidst chants of ‘We Shall Overcome,’ the University of California Board of Regents, except for the only voting student member Jesse Bernal, voted to increase student fees by 32 percent, or $2,500, yesterday at UCLA. This drastic increase triples the total cost of a UC education from a decade ago. The vote was met with a torrent of protest by those whom the decision directly affects. As an alumnus of UCLA and former board member of the University of California Student Association (UCSA), I was inspired by the coalition of students, faculty, and staff across the state who proclaimed to the nation that they would not accept divestment in higher education without a fight. The United States Student Association is in solidarity with the University of California Student Association, and all protesters, as they demonstrate the critical importance of student/worker solidarity in organizing against egregious fee hikes.
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A Public Responsibility - November 18, 2009
There are a precious few moments when we have the opportunity to remake our national identity. Like the students who audaciously advanced civil rights in times of mindless violence, or the youth who rebuilt a nation devastated by the Great Depression, we now stand at the crux of fundamental change. It is in the midst of great upheaval that we are given the chance to define ourselves by the manner in which we respond to the immense challenges of the day. Higher education is the defining issue of our generation because on it relies the leaders and innovators on which all other fields of vital importance depend. We therefore have a responsibility to keep open the college doors for all.
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Sweeping Resolutions Pass Student Senates - November 17, 2009
Earlier this month, the Associated Students of Portland State University adopted resolutions to support the USSA campaigns to pass the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act (SAFRA) and the Develop, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act. These resolutions, passed without objections by the student government Senate, show that Portland students are truly dedicated to making college a right for all. Additionally, the California State Student Association, representing 450,000 students in the California State University System, passed a resolution endorsing both SAFRA and the Private Student Loan Debt Swap Act of 2009 which allows students to exchange their private loans for direct loans. SAFRA was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives in September.
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New Communication Systems - November 10, 2009
In an effort to better convey the amazing work students are doing to make education a right, USSA is implementing a new and dynamic communication system that is available on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis.
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Monthly: The Student Voice is the new monthly publication of the U.S. Student Association. Inside, you'll find concise updates from USSA officers, staff, students, and alumni.
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Weekly: The USSA Media Packet covers USSA press hits for the week. Last week, USSA was featured in The Nation and covered in a number of campus and local papers as well.
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Daily: The USSA Morning Scoop is published every morning on the new USSA Facebook fanpage and website. The Morning Scoop includes news and commentary on the latest developments in higher education and student organizing.
With these new systems in place, you'll be able to catch up on what USSA and students across the country are doing to make college more affordable and accessible.
But it isn't enough to simply read about the historic fight to increase investment in higher education... be a part of the movement! The Senate is stalling on the passage of critical student aid reform so we need higher ed advocates now more than ever! Join USSA's LegWire for updates on higher ed legislation and student organizing, invite your friends to become Facebook fans of USSA, contribute to the nationwide discussion on our blog, or simply donate to the cause. Big banks have a war chest of funds and lobbyists to block our legislative priorities, so every little bit counts!
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Young Voters are more than a Passing Trend - November 5, 2009
What a difference a year makes. Leading up to the 2008 election, the youth vote was highlighted as the deciding bloc for a new America. This year however, media pundits and political insiders determined that youth were not going to be relevant in local elections, harping on it so much in the weeks preceding the election that it became a self-fulfilling prophecy.
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Youth Report on Obama and Congress on Anniversary of Historic Election - November 4, 2009
One year ago, America’s youth overwhelming swept Barack Obama into office. Yesterday, leaders from a variety of youth organizations spoke with members of the press about what progress they feel President Obama and Congress are making on election promises to enact critical policy reforms. The press call happened in conjunction with the release of “One-Year Later,” a youth report on the federal government’s progress on a diverse range of subjects from healthcare to veteran affairs to higher education.
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October Legislative Update Available - November 2, 2009
October has been an exciting legislative month for the USSA! The historic Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act is now before the Senate and the DREAM Act has collected a large number of co-sponsors. Students have played a huge role in building local support for these bills. If you aren't already involved, click here to join the USSA's LegWire mailing list to receive updates and action alerts on our campaigns to make education a right!
Click here to download the Legislative Update.
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Lawsuits Mount Against FFELP Lender - October 27, 2009
The reasons to eliminate the Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP) grow by the lawsuit. FFELP allows private banks to receive billions of dollars in government subsidies to issue federal student loans. However, participating lenders have become notorious for exploiting the program by cutting corners and taking advantage of students. Recently, according to Bunsinessinsider.com, banking giants JPMorgan and Citigroup have joined the fray and are being sued for conspiring with education financing company Nelnet to falsify government claims and illegally recruit student borrowers.
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Regulating the "Wild West" of Student Loans - October 23, 2009
The need for strengthened consumer protection in the lending industry became painfully evident as millions of American lost their homes, jobs, or both in the wake of the recent financial meltdown. While healthcare still dominates congressional debate, legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives is being crafted to create a federal Consumer Financial Protection Agency to regulate forms of consumer credit traditionally subject to little government oversight. College affordability advocates, including the United States Student Association, are working to ensure that private student loans, the “wild west of lending” according to New York’s Attorney General, fall under the jurisdiction of the new agency.
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Calling All Electoral Organizers! - October 22, 2009
The USSA is currently looking to hire Electoral Action Training Trainers for the 2010 election! Watch this video announcement by USSA Trainings Director Danny Montes, then click here to download the announcement packet. Submission deadline is Monday, November 16.
For questions contact Danny via e-mail or call (202) 640-6570.
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A Dire Outlook on Student Aid - October 21, 2009
The College Board recently released two reports detailing the trends of higher education financing in America. The findings were grim for students and their families. Tuition is sharply rising along with debt and lower-income students are receiving less aid.
Here are some of the notable statistics:
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Average tuition and fees at public 4-year colleges is up about 6.5%. When considering inflation and consumer prices, however, the increase is closer to 9% in real terms.
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Significant portions of institutional financial aid goes to families with 6-figure incomes. Conversely, only 1/3 of pubic 4-year institutional aid goes to need-based aid with a majority of those funds going to students in the highest income bracket.
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2/3 of public 4-year college aid is distributed without consideration of financial need.
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Only 34% of bachelor degree recipients graduated without loan debt and 10% borrowed at least $40,000.
These findings demonstrate the need for Congress to pass student aid reform that supports aid programs geared to help all students achieve a college degree, regardless of income. The U.S. House of Representatives has already passed the historic Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act, and now it is time for the Senate to do the same.
President Obama has made it his Administration's goal to graduate more students than any other country on earth. This noble objective cannot be achieved so long as low-income students do not receive the financial aid necessary to stay in school while facing massive tuition hikes.
Read the College Board reports here.
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Students March for Justice - October 14, 2009
The National Mall in Washington, DC has been the epicenter for many of America's most memorable social justice moments. Last Sunday was no different as tens of thousands of people marched and rallied for LGBT rights during the National Equality March. While many participants were stalwart civil rights activist veterans and seasoned political leaders, young people played a large role in the historic events. Students from New York, Kentucky, and Minnesota spoke to the crowd, which included hundreds of their college-going peers.
The United States Student Association (USSA), the country’s oldest and largest student-led organization, believes that no one should be denied basic human rights on account of sexual orientation or gender identity. “It is important for students to be engaged in the fight for LGBT rights because social justice isn't secured for just one group but for all those who seek a better world,” said Gregory Cendana, the organization’s first openly gay Asian American President.
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Access Denied: 2-Year Students Prevented from Receiving Federal Loans - October 13, 2009
Federal loans are the safest, most stable loans available to students. They don't fall victim to the fluctuations of the market economy, come with low interest rates, and provide flexible repayment plans. Yet roughly 900,000 community college students, nearly 1 in 900,00010, are denied access to these loans because their college administrators choose not participate in federal loan programs, according to a recent Project on Student Debt study. Students of color face even higher barriers to federal aid, with 18% of African-American and 19% of Native American 2-year students lacking access to federal loans.
Without these options, students are forced to mitigate the cost of college by increasing their workload, cutting back on classes, or dropping out altogether.
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Students "Raise Pell" for the Week of Action- October 9, 2009
Friday: Debrief
Thanks to everyone who "Raised Pell!" for Student Aid Reform this week! Together, we were able to amplify the student voice and demand that Congress put students over banks! Here are some of the successes:
- Massachusetts students called Senator John Kerry so much that his office told them to stop calling because he got the message!
- Arizona students Raised Pell on YouTube with a great video!
While the official week of action maybe over, our campaign to pass Student Aid Reform NOW! will continue until President Obama signs legislation that puts students over banks and makes the historic investments in financial aid that students demand!
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Millennial Generation Testimony in the U.S. House - October 1, 2009
Matthew Segal, founder and co-chair of 80 Million Strong, a youth advocacy organization, testified at a House Education and Labor Committee hearing on ensuring economic opportunities for young Americans. He spoke about the rising unemployment rate among young people, which has reached over 18%, and the shrinking income average, especially among people of color. Additionally, he pointed out to lawmakers that economists are predicting that the "Millennial Generation" is likely to be less better off than our parents.
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September USSA "Back to School" Legislative Update Released - September 28, 2009
The September 2009 "Back to School" legislative update has just been released by USSA Legislative Director Angela Peoples. It has been an exciting and historic summer for federal higher education and national student organizing from student aid reform to the DREAM Act.
Click here to read download the legislative update.
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A United UC Community Marches in Solidarity - September 25, 2009
The presumption that college students have become lazy and apathetic was vigorously swept away in a tidal wave of student demonstrations against California's divestment in higher education yesterday. California students, in solidarity with faculty and staff, rallied and marched to voice their outrage over the skyrocketing cost of college, declining quality, furloughs, and pay cuts. UC Berkeley was the site for one of the largest protests since the historic free speech rallies in the 1960s, UC Irvine students ignored the near one hundred degree heat to turn out by the thousands, and hundreds of Bruins marched to the UCLA administration building to demand change.
Students rally at UC Berkeley
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The DREAM Act Day of Action! - September 23, 2009
Today is the DREAM Act Day of Action! The USSA, along with the United We DREAM Coalition and students across the country, have organized local events and actions that will be taking place all day in support of the DREAM Act. Check out www.dreamactivist.org to join an action near you! You can also download the USSA DREAM Act toolkit online at http://www.usstudents.org/our-work/legislative/dream-act-take-action to learn how you can get involved on your campus.
To spread the word about the Day of Action, set your Facebook update status to: Today is the DREAM Act Day of Action! Get involved at dreamactivist.org and follow the movement on Twitter at #DREAMAct
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Sen. Harkin Praises SAFRA Passage in House - September 21, 2009
Senator Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), the new chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee (HELP) recent praised the U.S. House of Representatives for passing the historic Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act. The HELP Committee is expected to begin work on the Senate version of the bill this week.
"In his address to the joint session of Congress in February, President Obama laid out a clear vision of returning America to the nation with the highest proportion of college graduates in the world," Senator Harkin said. The House's passage of the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act, he continued, "moves us towards that goal by passing vital legislation to strengthen our education system and increase the promise of an affordable college education for all students. High quality education is vital to the success of our people, the health of our communities, and the prosperity of our nation. I look forward to working closely with my colleagues on the Senate HELP Committee to move similar legislation this fall."
Senator Harkin, new Chair of the Senate HELP Committee
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Historic Student Aid Reform Bill Passes the U.S House - September 17, 2009
Today is a historic day for higher education as the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act (SAFRA), H.R. 3221. The U.S. Student Association, along with students and families nationwide, are ecstatic about this landmark bill and its capacity to help millions of current and potential college students achieve an affordable and quality higher education. This legislation includes the greatest investments in higher education in American history.
“On behalf of the USSA’s 4.5 million student members at over 400 campuses, we thank Members of the House of Representatives for their diligent work on passing SAFRA,” said USSA President Gregory Cendana. “Students today are taking on insurmountable amounts of debt to pay for college, essentially mortgaging their futures with convoluted loan plans from private banks. SAFRA will reform this broken system by increasing federal, need-based aid that will help bring President Obama’s goal to lead the world in college graduations to fruition.”
USSA student Jelisa Difo speaking about SAFRA:
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USSA Student Testimonials Read During Floor Debate in U.S. House - September 16, 2009
While debating the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act today, Congressman Jared Polis (D-Colorado) spoke about USSA students Hailee Koehler and Alexis Smith, both of whom attend the University of Colorado, Boulder.
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USSA, Congressional Leadership, Education Secretary, and Higher Ed Lawmakers Advocate for Student Aid Reform - September 16, 2009
On Tuesday, September 15, U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan, Speaker
Nancy Pelosi, U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), chair of the House
Education and Labor Committee, other lawmakers and USSA students held
two press events to urge the House to pass the Student Aid and Fiscal
Responsibility Act (SAFRA), H.R. 3221, a bill which makes the largest
investment in higher education in American history. The USSA membership
voted overwhelmingly to support this historic legislation at the 2009
National Student Congress.
During the first press conference,
surrounded by congressional leadership and the top higher education
officials, USSA student Jelisa Difo, a Senior at the University of
Massachusetts, Amherst, spoke about the necessity of student aid
reform. “By investing in federal aid programs, SAFRA will ensure that
millions of students like me have access to a quality and affordable
higher education,” said Difo.
USSA student Jelisa Difo, Speaker Pelosi, Chair Miller, and Ed Secretary Duncan
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College Affordability Spurs Economic Growth - September 14, 2009
At a recent event with Vice President Joe Biden, Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner reaffirmed his strong belief in the economic benefits of college affordability:
"College affordability is central to two key economic trends. Over the past generation, we have gone from a nation of savers to one of borrowers. We have devoted too many resources to consumption and not enough to investment. During this same period, we have also lost our global educational lead. While we once outpaced all other advanced economies in the percentage of our population that graduated from high school and college, much of the rest of the economically developed world has now caught up or surpassed us."
Secretary Geithner was speaking about 529 plans, education saving programs operated by states or educational institutions that help families set aside funds for future college costs. Washington State's GET (Guaranteed Education Tuition) program is an exemplary model of a 529, allowing parents to make tuition payments today so that they are protected from massive tuition hikes when their children attend college in ten or twelve years.
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Campaign Organizing Kits Available - September 11, 2009
The 2009 Organizing Kits for the USSA campaigns, Student Aid Reform and DREAM, are now available! Using these resources, students nationwide can galvanize their peers to take action on these historic and vital pieces of legislation.
For more information on how to organize on your campus, please contact USSA Organizing Director Monique Teal and visit the Take Action! section of the USSA Legislative Department's homepage.
This is our time as college students to stand united and demand the change we've been fighting for, the Obama Administration has proposed, and Congress is debating. We cannot let this moment pass! Let's make education a right!
The Responsibility of an Education - September 8, 2009
"Every single one of you has something you’re good at. Every single one of you has something to offer. And you have a responsibility to yourself to discover what that is. That’s the opportunity an education can provide," said President Obama in a speech to grade students as they head back to school this week. The tone of his speech was reminiscent of JFK's call to public service, a responsibility bore by each citizen derived simply from being an American. In today's case, the president challenged grade school students to make the most of their education by using their knowledge to serve their country.
Those fortunate enough to achieve a higher education have a similar charge to put their degrees' to use; however, there's a caveat. A K-12 education is guaranteed by the state, a higher education is not. Children and teenagers in this country are given an incredible opportunity to exercise their creativity in arts and literature, discover the vast and exciting world of science, and develop critical thinking and deductive reasoning skills through mathematics and social studies. Their worries are not how to finance their education, only how to best employ it. This needs to be the reality college students. If, as the president so ardently advocates, education is the key to our economic and social prosperity, then higher education must be made a right in this country.
Pres. Gregory Cendana featured on Google Books program - September 4, 2009
President Cendana has been hitting the news networks, both home and abroad, following a major press conference call regarding the Google Books program. Google Books, a program aimed at democratizing knowledge through the online digitization of all the world's books, is supported by the USSA.
"Today, millions of books are accessible only to the privileged few who are accepted to universities and can actually afford to attend," Cendana said. "With Google Books, any student anywhere in the U.S. will have the books in the greatest libraries of the world at their fingertips. The United States Student Association believes that education is a right, and should be accessible for any student regardless of their socioeconomic background and identity."
Click the following links to read more about the USSA's involvement in the Google Books program:
A dire outlook for young American workers - September 1, 2009
The AFL-CIO recently released a report detailing the plight of young American workers in today’s struggling economy. It should come as no surprise that the financial barriers facing young workers is having an adverse effect on their higher education attainment. Most notably, young people in the workforce are being forced to put their education on hold, delaying their achievement of financial independence. In fact, almost 40 percent of young workers have postponed college because of monetary issues. This number climbs even higher for young people of color.
The need for lending reform is clear, as the report found that nearly 1 in 4 young workers who take out loans for college end up dropping out. For these students to stay in school and better their lives, Congress must pass the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act, which will improve the federal lending system and invest heavily in critical retention programs.
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Senator Kennedy Leaves Legacy of Social Justice - August 27, 2009
Senator Edward Kennedy was a steadfast advocate for college students his entire career. The federal aid, access and retention programs, and anti-discrimination policies he championed for four decades has allowed millions of students to achieve a higher education. Specifically, his work in creating the Pell Grant enables millions of low-income students to go to college every year. By taking a leadership position in lowering the voting age to eighteen, Kennedy helped give political voice to millions of civically engaged young adults.
The United States Student Association and students across the country will look to the late senator for inspiration and wisdom in the continued pursuit to make education a right. Opening the college doors for those who cannot afford to pay the skyrocketing cost of a higher education is a noble way to remember Senator Kennedy.
While he will be sorely missed, Senator Kennedy will survive through the community organizing and political courage of those who carry the torch in making this a more just and compassionate world.
Baseless SAFRA pushback - August 7, 2009
The air seems particularly heavy with partisan ideology these days. Maybe it was Justice Sotomayor's confirmation hearing, perhaps healthcare reform, or even the renewed discussion on police/race relations. Regardless of its foundation, this political zealotry has begun seeping into the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act debate. Hopefully, when Congress returns from the August recess and assumes the SAFRA discourse, common sense will replace partisan entrenchment.
In response to the SAFRA's provision that eliminates the FFEL program and invests the $87 billion savings into the Pell grant, Congressman John Kline, the Ranking Republican on the House Education and Labor Committee, acrimoniously asked "is these any industry not on the verge of federalization?" Congressman Brett Guthrie is not "comfortable with the idea of the federal government acting as a profit-making bank."