College has become increasingly unaffordable and young people have had to borrow heavily to make up the difference between available student aid and college costs, which have risen nearly 400% in the past twenty-five years! These problems have been multiplied by corrupt relationships between lenders and schools, which have left students at many schools without impartial allies to guide them through the confusing financial aid process.

With attacks on higher education happening at the local, state, and federal level, it is urgent that students work together to build student power and win concrete victories and real improvements!

After nearly TEN YEARS of student pressure, Congress is finally moving on the Higher Education Act (HEA) Reauthorization!!

The House Education & Labor committee recently unanimously passed the College Affordability & Opportunity Act (a.k.a. HEA Reauthorization) onto the House floor.  We are expecting a vote on it very soon.

But as we wind down towards the holidays, Congress is out of DC and in your neighborhood!  Your Representatives will be in-district until the 3rd of December.  This gives you a perfect chance to meet with your Representatives face-to-face.  Schedule in-district lobby visits and tell them how YOU are directly affected by the issues.  Most legislators don't get the chance to hear students' stories directly so take advantage of this time.

For more information on the College Opportunity & Affordability Act, download:

• College Opportunity & Affordability Act summary
• Higher Education Act fact sheet
• Reauthorization Process fact sheet
  
• November 2007 Timeline
• Call-in Script
• Sample Opinion Editorial to engage students (meant for campus media)*
• Sample Opinion Editorial to engage non-students*
• Sample Letter to the Editor to engage students (meant for campus media)*
• Sample Letter to the Editor to engage non-students*

and stay tuned for more information and materials!  We'll be posting info on how to set up a forum, in-district lobby visits, sample press releases and more!

(*Note - these are only samples.  They need to customized with your personal stories and local statistics)

But wait!  There's more...

Build student power that lasts!  Become a member of USSA and sign-up for regular Action Alerts! and legislative updates.  And don't forget to support all the work being done on the ground - donate to the cause and help build the national student movement!

For more information contact
Jessica Pierce
Organizing Director
(202) 640-6570
od@usstudents.org