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!

Student Aid Reform | The DREAM Act| Fighting Budget Cuts | The Movement

Student Aid Reform

Click here to read about this legislation

For decades, big banks have boosted profits by issuing student loans.  They do this by aggressively marketing loans to students that seem great upfront, but have high interest rates and rigid re-payment plans on the back end.  Consequently, the average student borrow is graduating a whopping $23,000 in debt!  In response, the Obama Administration has proposed a plan to change the student loan system so that it promotes college affordability over private profits.  The Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act, which passed the U.S. House of Representatives in September, embodies this change by ending the Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP), which will save an estimated $87 billion, and funnel those savings into need-based financial aid like the Pell Grant. This bill has stalled in the Senate and we need you help to get it moving! 

• Download the Student Aid Reform Organizing Toolkit, Reclaim Education: Invest in our Nation!

• Show legislators and administrators how much students are paying by Building the Wall of Student Debt

• Hold your federal elected official accountable by sending a letter or lobbying their district office
  

• Make your voice heard by submitting a Letter to the Editor or an Opinion Editorial

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. 

• Download the DREAM Act Organizing Toolkit, Pass the Federal DREAM Act Now!
  

• Hold your federal elected official accountable by sending a letter or lobbying their district office
  

• Make your voice heard by submitting a Letter to the Editor or an Opinion Editorial

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!

• Download the USSA/ SLAP Guide to Fighting Budget Cuts

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.

Contact USSA National Field Director Monique Teal for more information on these and other USSA campaigns.