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At the core of USSA's mission statement is the belief that those directly impacted by issues should be the ones proposing and fight for the solutions. In higher education, who better to shape public policy than students? To bring about real and lasting change in college affordability and access, students must organize strategically around supporting student aid reform and opposing divestment from higher education on state and campus levels.
Sound overwhelming? It's not! Simply click on the campaigns below to learn how you can get involved!
The DREAM Act | Financial Reform | Student Aid Reform| Fighting Budget Cuts | The Movement
The DREAM Act
Click here to read about this legislation
Each year about 65,00 U.S.-raised students who would qualify for federal aid for college graduate from high school. They are young people who have lived in the U.S. for most of their lives and desire only to call this country their home. Even though they were brought to the U.S. as children, they face unique barriers to higher education. Undocumented students are also unable to receive state financial aid in most states and are ineligible for federal loans or other federal aid. On top of the circumstances that make college much less affordable for undocumented students, their respective status also prevents them from legally working to pay for college. Their lack of proper documentation, such as a driver's license or even a social security number, can hinder them from filling out college and job applications. The Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act will help these students achieve a college degree by giving them access to more financial aid and provides a pathway to citizenship through higher education.
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Send a letter to your congressional delegation urging passage of the DREAM Act.
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Submit a Letter to the Editor of your local paper outlining why you support the DREAM Act.
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Get involved in USSA's No Boundaries, No Borders summer to pass the DREAM Act!
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Download the DREAM Act Organizing Toolkit, Pass the Federal DREAM Act Now!
Does your school support the DREAM Act?
Don't see your campus? Click here to take action!
Financial Reform
The Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, the most sweeping overhaul of the nation's financial framework since FDR's New Deal, creates the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). The CFPB is tasked with protecting American consumers from predatory lending practices, including student lenders.
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Click here to read USSA's statement on the House of Representative's passage of the Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.
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Click here to send a letter to your senator supporting financial aid reform.
Student Aid Reform
Click here to read about this legislation
For decades, big banks have boosted profits by issuing student loans. Thanks to the work of millions of college students across the nation, that is no longer the case. As of March 30, 2010, student aid reform is the law of the land, a policy that ensures taxpayer dollars go towards college affordability instead of bank profits.
Click here to find out if your Congressperson voted for student aid reform.
Click here to find out if your Senators voted for student aid reform.
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Thank your Members of Congress for supporting student aid reform by sending a letter or visiting their district office
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Read about President Obama's enactment of this historic legislation into law.
Fighting Budget Cuts
If the recent economic turmoil has taught us anything, it's that when budgets get tight, higher education is the first to get cut. State legislators and executives and campus leaders have nearly universally failed at enacting prudent fiscal policies that look beyond a single budget cycle. Instead capitalizing on the plethora of benefits a well-educated citizenry bring to a community, state and local leaders have elected to raise tuition and fees to mitigate budget shortfalls, forcing students and families to shoulder an unprecedented amount of the financial burden of paying for college. It's time to fight back!
As part of the national campaign to defend Education and Jobs, the Student Labor Action Project and the United States Student Association invite you to join students across the nation fighting budget cuts and layoffs in their universities through our national conference call happening
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Download the USSA/ SLAP Guide to Fighting Budget Cuts
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Download the USSA/SLAP Fighting Budget Cuts Factsheet
Be a part of the Movement to make Education a Right!
"Talk is cheap...It is the way we organize and use our lives everyday that tells what we believe in." -Cesar Chavez
Students everywhere are struggling to pay for college. Many complain, and rightfully so. But change will occur only when that frustration and passion is channel into effective organizing. Join USSA and become a part of a national, and global, movement to make education a fundamental, human right for everyone.