Obama Signs Largest Reform Of Student Aid In 40 Years

[Amerigo Vespucci]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/

CHANGE COMES FOR STUDENTS

Obama Signs Largest Reform Of Student Aid In 40 Years

Obama Signing Student Loan Reform In Virginia



http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/03/30/obama-to-sign-student-loan_n_518159.html

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama prepared Tuesday to sign the piece of his sweeping health care overhaul that makes the government the primary lender to students and strips banks of that power.

Obama's hard-fought legislative victory packaged two of his domestic priorities. Obama already signed the bulk of the health care legislation, but a final set of tweaks provided a route for the education package, the largest rewrite of federal college assistance programs in four decades.

The legislation has a wide reach. About half of undergraduates receive federal student aid and about 8.5 million students are going to college with the help of Pell Grants.

Under the measure, private banks would no longer get fees for acting as middlemen in federal student loans. The government would use the savings to boost Pell Grants and make it easier for some workers to repay their student loans. In addition, some borrowers could see lower interest rates and higher approval rates on student loans.

[polichick]

1. Glad to get the slimy predatory banks out of this - kudos to the prez! nt

[ClarkUSA]

2. That's CHANGE no one sane can dispute. Best first year ever by the best president in my lifetime.

And he's just getting started... much to the dismay of 24/7 Obama critics.

[tabatha]

3. + 100,000

[impik]

21. Amen!

[Cha]

22. Yeah, hard to find a downer or

anything negative about that:bounce:

For me..it's just another example of why I voted Dem}(

[Xenotime]

4. Great work! This is wonderful!!

[Richardo]

5. *Just* like the Republicans would have done.

:grr:

There's no difference whatsoever.

[vaberella]

7. This is sarcasm, right?! n/t

[Richardo]

9. I just read the "Obamacare = Romneycare = no difference between Obama and GOP" thread

So, yes.

[vaberella]

10. There are differences. But wow...The Republicans hate it, but you think it's Republican.

Wow..okay whatever.

[Richardo]

12. Um, no.

That's the sarcasm part.

[vaberella]

6. My President has great teeth. Thanks for looking out for us students. n/t

[jody]

8. Now if we can just reform higher ed and eliminate degrees for which jobs will not be available then

government subsidies of higher ed will be easily justified.

[CBR]

11. Just curious -- which degrees do you propose for elimination? nt

[jody]

16. "degrees for which jobs will not be available" TBD. n/t

[CBR]

17. Yes, I can read but I am unsure to which ones you refer. Unemployment

rate among those with 4-year college degrees is 5.0% (BLS, Feb. 2010)

Are you talking about African-American Studies, Womens Studies, Philosophy, Fine Arts?!?

Edit: changed one word

[jody]

19. TBD (To Be Determined) n/t

[CBR]

20. OK... I will wait for your determination on whether mine should

be axed.

[jody]

24. ROFL Have a great day. n/t

[joeglow3]

27. Yes, all of those.

Now, don't get me wrong, I am not saying drop them altogether. These are core courses that should be taught at EVERY university, as college is also about created well-rounded adults. That said, if you have a state university system of 4-5 colleges, ONLY 1-2 should offer degrees in these programs. There simply are not enough jobs out there to justify offering phd's at every campus.

A few years ago, we had a tough budget crunch. They decided to get rid of a continuing studies department. So, instead of dropping 1 or 2 campuses offering a phd in Classics, while still maintaining it a couple campuses, they dropped an entire program centered around helping people in their 30's and 40's get much needed education to escape poverty.

[Writer]

28. One of the WORST mistakes we are making is continuing the iterative system of today's doctoral

programs.

Does it make sense to ANYONE that, after a PhD student learns an exceeding amount of theory, reads and writes new research of his or her own, gathers skills like performing field research and teaching, but is then encouraged only to reinsert him or herself back INTO a university? Especially when the world has many problems that require expertise and leadership?

NO.

[CBR]

30. I agree with this as well.

My PhD is going to be (cross fingers that I get through) in Public Policy and our grads go into academia, government, nonprofits, advocacy, think tanks etc... When working with students in other doctoral programs across campus it amazes me how most of them go into academia without ANY interest in working elsewhere -- not even on the sided.

[Writer]

34. My goodness - I almost wonder if I should be getting a PhD in public policy..

instead of mass communication. My specialization is partly in American media policy, and I intend to use it for politically active non-profit efforts.

Do you, by chance, attend an Ivy? I attend a large Tier 1 state research university, and I've noticed that we are absent from the lists of many think tanks in my area of expertise. It's virtually all Ivy.

The very best of luck to you for finishing your PhD, btw.

[CBR]

39. This is crazy... but my specialization is media policy.

I am looking at the cable news coverage of the presidential election for my dissertation and its role in creating alternative public spheres.

I am at the University of Delaware so no Ivy... we are also opening a Center for Political Communication (Plouffe and McCain's campaign manager went to UD and they are opening it). We do not have a PhD in Communications. I did take a couple of the Communications Masters courses for my program. My program is really interdisciplinary. Of my colleagues -- one is looking at transitioning legal systems and EU compliance in Eastern Europe, another is looking at Reggae lyrics and poverty policy in Jamaica, another at the impact of school resource officers in public schools.

I haven't decided what I want to do yet but I am looking into all options.

Good luck to you as well... it feels like a long, never-ending march.

[CBR]

29. Well I totally agree regarding PhD programs.

My undergrad uni does not have PhD programs and there is no reason for it to offer them. Their outreach to non-traditional students is much more useful in and important to the local area.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

13. Problem is that many families need relief now from costly monthly payments.

I understand that the cap will be lowered from 15% to 10%, but that won't take place until 2014. 15% is a good amount of income going towards school loan payments. I wish there was a way to phase that provision in sooner.

I know, I know... better said than done.

Nevertheless, good job, Mr. President. :toast:

[ZombieHorde]

14. Fantastic. Recommended. nt

[tekisui]

15. knr! Thank you, President Obama!

[Sebastian Doyle]

18. The irony is amazing

That the act of removing criminals from the business of student loans should be attached to the process which enabled the continued existence of criminal control of health care.

Don't get me wrong, this student loan thing is a legitimate win. It's just too bad that exactly the same logic was not applied to health insurance.

[Cha]

23. That's right get on a thread that's positive about

student loans and continue whining about your views on health care.

[Richardo]

31. "the criminal control of health care"

Name the crimes. Use both sides of paper if necessary.


...or is what you are really trying to say is that it's a system that's unjust, wasteful, cruel and that you don't like? It's all those things, but 'criminal' is just hysteria.

[Sebastian Doyle]

32. Is Charles Manson a murderer?

He was convicted of seven counts of murder, though he himself never killed anyone. And deservedly so.

How many people has Stephen Hemsley killed by denying their claims?

[Richardo]

33. From hysteria to hyperbole

Congratulations. You're why people take liberals so seriously.

[Sebastian Doyle]

35. It's not hyperbole nor hysteria.

The criminal insurance industry murders millions, and tragically this will not change under ObamaRomneycare.

BTW, I will not respond to any further attempts from you or the other cheerleaders to hijack this thread. Have a nice day :hi:

[Richardo]

36. It WAS a nice positive thread until you came in to lecture.

Thanks for that.

[Sebastian Doyle]

38. By saying the student loan thing was GOOD?

:shrug:

whatever.......

[Richardo]

40. No, by making a specious comparison to health care and using 'criminal' until it was void of meaning

[tammywammy]

25. Recommended

:)

[Writer]

26. Question!

What about we folks who took out loans in the 90's and are still paying on them?

Will our payments be capped? And what if we have federal loans that are being serviced by Sallie Mae - will I start paying the government directly?

[glinda]

43. I know. I am afraid that my payments will be even higher? I can barely pay now.

[WI_DEM]

37. Another landmark legislative accomplishment for the president

[quiet.american]

41. I'm lovin' it! nt

[politicasista]

42. Kick

As a college (HBCU) grad, it's great to see this come to fruition. :)

Thanks President Obama and Dems for making this happen. :kick: