Sabtu, 31 Oktober 2009

Vigil for Education at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts




A supporter of the Forgive Student Loan Debt Movement sent me an invitation via Facebook last night. It's a vigil for education at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts (701 Mission Street, San Francisco, CA).
The vigil, being held at 7:30 PM on November 6th, is described as such:

General Assembly attendees and all others interested in rescuing higher education! Please join the Student Senate for a march, rally, and vigil from the Westin St. Francis hotel to the Yerba Buena Gardens the evening of November 6th.

Students will speak about the need to protect and fund education and we will stand in solidarity in the hopes that we can rescue education. Potential attendees include Mayor & candidate for CA Governor Gavin Newsom, as well as other state and local lawmakers.

This will be the culmination of the first ever Community College Week, hosted this year by the City of San Francisco from 2-6 November at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts where they will spend the week showcasing the benefits of California's Community Colleges.


If I were in the area, I would certainly attend. It also got me thinking . . . I propose that we have a nationwide candlelight vigil for all students who will soon be drowning in debt (and don't know it yet), those of us struggling to pay back our loans (with no end in sight), and  for those who will obviously be sucked into this disastrous system. Who's up for a holding vigils in their town?









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Kamis, 29 Oktober 2009

Nelnet and its two lovers - JP Morgan and Citi



The lawsuit that Lawrence Delevingne discusses here warrants closer attention, and reminds me of other matters that have been overlooked. It's a shame that this article has been ignored. As a result of my other readings recently, I will provide additional analysis on this matter, i.e., the problematic relationship between these institutions with the student lending industry. Stay tuned.

Rabu, 28 Oktober 2009

Quick find - great blog!

I just discovered this great blog. It's called "Ivy Leagued and Unemployed," and it's here. My favorite thing so far about Yelena's blog (she's the creator)? The "Hire my friend" posts - brilliant. I am glad I stumbled upon this blog, and wanted to send a shout out to Yelena for responding so quickly to my email. If you're from the Ivies, check it out ASAP!


U.S. Department of Education, FSA Ombudsman

I have written to the Ombudsman on behalf of students and encouraged others to get in touch with this office in the past. If you are having difficulties paying your student loans, I urge you to contact them.
 
Mailing Address
U.S. Department of Education, FSA Ombudsman, 830 First Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20202-5144
 
Toll Free Number
877-557-2575
 
Fax
202-275-0549
 
Email
fsaombudsmanoffice@ed.gov

Kamis, 15 Oktober 2009

Putting presumptions aside: Medicinesux




Recently on my blog posting entitled, "Social Media and how I use it for FSLDM," a supporter of our group let me know about pre-med students and residents discussing their student loan debt on The Student Doctor Network here. Although I am loath to use the word, the discussion was deemed a "contest." The creator of the thread challenged the group, and stated (this quote is not verbatim), "who can beat my debt?" S/he then proclaimed, "I owe over 500k!"

I presume that said supporter is through with their medical training and struggling like the rest of us to pay of his or her debt. S/he was was appalled by this conversation. Sadly, these pre-med students sounded painfully naïve. From my reader's perspective and my own, the cavalier tone that permeated the discussion was terrifyingly familiar to us both - we'd been students before and had held similar beliefs about our own student loan debt. In saying that, these students should not be deemed reckless. They are young, engrossed in their studies (as they ought to be), and unaware of the financial horrors they will quickly discover when they cross that stage and receive their diplomas. It is true, they are becoming doctors, and many have a chance to make more than enough money to cover their student loan debt. But it is clear that many of these individuals are struggling to pay off their debt just like individuals with J.D.s, MBAs, M.A.s, M.S.W.s, Ph.D.s . . . you get the point.

I want to thank the creator of the blog Medicinesux for opening my eyes to this student lending problem for doctors. We recently corresponded via email. I found him as a result of the supporter I mentioned above. This blogger was frustrated by the way in which the moderator on The Student Doctor Network kept moving his commentary about student loan debt. Medincinesux made fantastic points on those threads. Unfortunately, most of them were redacted. Thankfully, the moderator did not remove all of his critiques, so I was able to find this YouTube video, which was created by Medicinesux.

Like all of you, Medincinesux is now on the other side of the higher education fence - that's to say, he's with us.

We all know that we are the indentured educated class. We have discovered a brutal reality - our student loan debt is crushing us. It's crushing our simplest dreams - to own a home, have a family, and contribute to American society. Like most indentured people, there is a good chance that we will never be free. So it is hard not to gasp when one sees someone proudly declaring that they owe over 500k in student loan debt!
Sadly, many of them will soon join our class. Just like us, they are unaware of what's beyond that higher education fence.

Like us, they will climb that fence.

Indeed, the time will come for them when they too can proudly jump over that enormous educational barrier. They've done it, and now their ready to seize the world. (Remember how strong you felt when that moment came? Is it even possible to recall that sense of pride and accomplishment?)

Like us, they are filled with different forms of knowledge (some of which is beautifully esoteric, and in contrast to that which is "useful" and "applicable").

But then they see what's on the other side of the fence. It's a massive sewage pit of reality's shit, filth produced by the student lending industry. That's where I am. That's where you are. To you newcomers, don't worry, we can move aside. There's plenty of room in this hole!

Like us, at first they feel terror, hopelessness, despair. The putrid smell of the student loan sewage pit will begin to suffocate them. They will bob up and down in the waste. That's what we did at first - tried to stay afloat, but we are now at the bottom. They will feel themselves drowning, and then they will become numb. They will cease to breath, cease to move. They will sink and meet those of us who are firmly affixed to the lowest parts of the pit. (Some have been sucked into the worst of it- the default tubes - and feel that no one, not even the other debtors, can see them anymore).

"Welcome to the student lending pit . . ." A few of us mutter.

Is this pit of reality's shit, produced by the student lending industry, acceptable?

Let's swim to the top shall we?

Senin, 12 Oktober 2009

Location, Location, Location

I've moved to the main site for the Forgive Student Loan Debt Movement. Please follow me here!

They are here! Forgive Student Loan Debt bumper stickers

Our very own bumper stickers with Paul Ramirez's logo are now available. Buy one today! They'll be gone soon, so get one while they're hot. Purchase them here.



Sabtu, 10 Oktober 2009

Social Media and how I use it for FSLDM




Last week I posted my first YouTube video. It marked the first clip in a series of weekly updates for supporters of the Forgive Student Loan Debt Movement. I outlined several objectives for the group, one of which was recruiting volunteers. Here are the reasons for the first crew of volunteers:

(a) to build more cohesion among the hundreds of thousands of supporters we have on Facebook
(b) to seek help from volunteers who are eagerly offering their support and skills to help our group (Paul Ramirez's wonderful logo is just the beginning of more things to come, and from other talented individuals from all sorts of fields and industries)
(c) to make a concerted effort to raise money from the base

Those are three specific goals that any grassroots movement establishes in order to get itself off the ground and running.

Thanks again to those of you who support the movement, are volunteering, and remain enthusiastic. Overall, people understand the reasons why we are on a fundraising drive. There are, however, a few who are insulted by this mission. (And just to repeat what I said on YouTube last week, countless times on Facebook, and this blog, I am seeking as many alternatives to raise money - grants, corporate sponsorship, etc).

Again, I will make it clear that the countless hours I've put into the FSLDM as its Promotional Writer and Dir. of Marketing, among other things, has been done for nothing. That's perfectly fine. It demonstrates, in my mind, my level of commitment to this group and the belief that we will turn this organization into something positive and powerful for graduates in the near future. But as most of you are aware, if we are to go after the lobbying groups for the student lending industry, we need funds that will enable me to effectively lobby on behalf of the group. (I also need funds to cover simple things like stamps, a living wage, etc.).

Instead of focusing on a few bad apples and harsh critiques, I wanted to discuss the way in which I use social media for this movement. As many of us recall, when Facebook was created it was only available for students. If you didn't have a school email address, you could not be a part of Facebook. Its popularity was an instant success. At that point most of us used Facebook to connect to our friends and acquaintances. We'd put status updates to alert our friends about the mundane things we were doing (people still use it in this way). As a Ph.D. student I actually began to use it in a different way than that, and my friends, who were also becoming my colleagues, used Facebook to share thoughts about historical theories, secondary literature, etc. That's when I began to realize that the content you chose to include on your Facebook page didn't have to be personal. Again, there's nothing wrong with people using social media for personal reasons. However, Facebook as a tool to garner support for political movements, raise money for organizations, and attract critical buzz for important causes was quickly realized. (Before Barack Obama was elected, the Senator and his staff of campaign managers realized the power of using social media early on).

I'd spent a lot of time thinking about this student lending situation. I've also had my share of long and interesting conversations with friends in academia about their thoughts about higher education and student loans. I was delighted when I found Robert. Our professional relationship is something I value highly. Because I firmly believe in his stance about student loan debt forgiveness, and knew I had a lot to offer him, I decided that volunteering for this movement was critical. 

At the same time I began exploring the ways in which I - as the Promotional Writer and Dir. of Marketing for FSLDM - could use social media to further our cause. That means that I use social media in ways that are not only personal.

It has effectively helped me reach out to thousands of people, raise awareness about our group, etc.
The time and effort put into using Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn are paying off. I'm having real encounters with people. Just a few nights ago I had a long discussion with two individuals in California. They want to help out the movement in any way possible, so we had a long talk about the skills they can bring to the table and what they'd like to do to help Robert and me. These two supporters know that through helping us, they'll be contributing to a collective cause for millions of Americans.

On that same evening, I met with an enthusiastic, highly-intelligent individual in D.C. He found out about me after reading an article online. The FSLDM was briefly mentioned, so he sought me out on Facebook  and "friended" me. We then had a meeting about ways in which he could be of service to the group.

Social media is proving to be indispensable for organizing people across this country for our mission. We are not alone in how we are using Facebook and Twitter to attract more supporters, raise donations, and build a stronger coalition. FSLDM is at the cutting edge in how it uses social media, and I am glad to be at its helm as the group's social media consultant!

Senin, 05 Oktober 2009

Template for letters to Secretary Arne Duncan

Per your request, here's a template for letters to Secretary Arne Duncan (do with it what you will). I urge you to send these letters by snail mail. When you have written your letter, and sent it by post, please let me know on Facebook. Thanks!

LETTER


Your name here
Main St.
Anywhere USA

October 5, 2009


Secretary Arne Duncan
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20202

Re: The Student Lending Crisis

Dear Secretary Duncan:

My name is ___________________ , and I am a supporter of the Forgive Student Loan Debt Movement. [Feel free to provide a personalized message here, i.e., you could state where you're from, how much debt you owe (private and/or federal), what degrees you hold, and if you're presently employed (by whom? doing what?)/underemployed/unemployed, etc. But keep it brief]. 

It is my understanding that you have the power to help those of us struggling to pay our student loan debt, and I am hoping that you will meet with Mr. Applebaum and Ms. Johannsen to discuss ways in which the Department of Education could immediately help millions of Americans who are destitute as a result of pursuing higher education. I'm urging you to consider Mr. Applebaum's proposal to forgive student loan debt. You can read his proposal here: http://www.forgivestudentloandebt.com/.

I am part of an ever-growing grassroots movement. At this point, the Forgive Student Loan Debt movement has 238,683 supporters. Many of us possess advanced degrees (J.D.s, M.A.s, M.B.A.s, etc.) - despite our achievements and various talents, we feel hopeless, angry, and desperate as a result of realizing that we're trapped in a system that is corrupted, broken, and woefully unregulated.

In an attempt to raise further public awareness, Ms. Johannsen has now recruited the first group of Forgive Student Loan Debt volunteers. These volunteers are actively recruiting more individuals to help her collect donations, assist her with organizing more cohesive and active groups across the U.S., and so forth. (In addition, Mr. Applebaum will be implementing regional chapters with team leaders to establish further collective cohesion, adding to Ms. Johannsen's success in her nationwide organizing).

We feel as if we've been forgotten, and it seems that the Obama Administration is only concerned about students who are either in the K-12 system or presently students in college. While I applaud your plans to improve schools at the K-12 level, as well as working to increase funds with Pell Grants (among other things) in higher education, these measures do not help those of us who have either graduated from college or accrued debt without any sort of diploma in hand.

I have some simple questions:

(a) Why are we not a concern or part of your agenda to help lower- and middle-class Americans struggling with high levels of student loan debt? (I won't even go into the obvious predatory lending and the way in which many lenders are getting away with criminal practices in various states - Iowa and Colorado are two situations that come to mind).

(b) Do we not matter to the productivity of American society?

In raising these questions, I am not trying to be confrontational. However, many of us feel as if the Obama Administration has abandoned us. Are we somehow damaged goods? If so, why? Why aren't we worth helping?

In Ms. Johannsen's blog - Education Matters - she argues that the student lending industry has created a new class of Americans - the indentured educated class. These people - that includes me - in this new class are hoping that you will listen to them. Ms. Johannsen recently asked us to fill out a questionnaire. In it she asked to answer the following question: "if you didn't have student loan debt, what would you buy instead?" People responded with the simplest desires, and that was heartbreaking. One woman said she'd like to buy curtains at Target, while another person said she'd buy gas to visit her family who live far away. [Feel free to personalize this part, too. Let him know what you'd buy, if you didn't have so much student loan debt].

Many of us feel betrayed by Congress and by President Obama. The growing anxiety being expressed on our Facebook page is obvious. In fact, I've noticed a dramatic increase in suggestions that everyone revolt, stop paying their loans, and send all of their money to the Forgive Student Loan Debt Movement. Rest assured, neither Mr. Applebaum nor Ms. Johannsen endorse such suggestions. Instead, they both urge us to write to our representatives, the President, you, TICAS.org, and ask that this crisis be solved through appropriate measures. That's exactly why I'm writing to you today - I fully agree with their belief in changing things through either legislation or by measures you can take now as the Secretary of the Department of Education. You have the power to do so.

The student lending crisis is affecting the recovery of the economy. I know that there are millions of Americans like me - they are hard-working, educated, and eager to contribute to American society. I am ashamed to be in this financial situation, but I refuse to blame myself. Too many things point to systemic problems that have put me in this situation and millions of others. Please do something to help us. I do not want to be a part of a generation - generations for that matter - who fall off the societal grid, just because I sought higher education. What will this do to the health of the middle class?

Again, it's great that the Obama Administration is focused on education reform. For a moment, let's assume that you succeed in vastly improving the K-12 school systems across this country and more students are able to attend college. I'm afraid I would not be able to applaud your success. If the student lending situation remains the same, I would tell students that they should think twice before deciding to go to college. I would tell them that they will be worse off if they decided to go to school. I would say to them, "you will end up like me - educated, yet indentured." Please help us change this problem, so that I may think otherwise.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Respectfully,

Your Name







Man and Woman writing letters!


Minggu, 04 Oktober 2009

Political movements require community organizing

When Obama encouraged Americans to get involved with community, I took that call to action seriously.

Today marks the beginning of my new role as a nationwide organizer for the Forgive Student Loan Debt Movement.

Here's to organizing and empowering the indentured educated class!

* If you're interested in volunteering, please let me know.


Iowa Student Loan Scandal





Iowa Student Loan Liquidity Corp. was up to no good. After being investigated by a Federal Agency, it turns out that they were involved in the act of kickbacks, bribes, "cash inducements," whatever term one likes to use to describe swindling, and now the Department of Education is seeking $15 million from them.

If they retrieve that money, perhaps they could think about using it to help students struggling to pay back their student loan debt?

Another "shocking" part of this situation. Iowa Student Loan claims they did nothing wrong. Again, why is this story not being covered by major news outlets? Oh, yeah, I forgot . . . there's no sex involved and it's not David Letterman.

Jumat, 02 Oktober 2009

CollegeInvest Scandal in Colorado



 


Why is this story about CollegeInvest not being covered by any major media outlets? Tom McGhee, the reporter who wrote the piece in the Denver Post, explains, "CollegeInvest, the agency that runs Colorado's student-loan forgiveness and scholarship plans, lost track of many of the students it was supposed to help, managing to distribute only $91,000 of the $3.8 million [my emphasis] lawmakers expected it to hand out last year." 

Are those numbers correct? That is gross mishandling of funds, and seems pretty newsworthy. But apparently all the major media outlets don't seem to think so. It's safe to assume that the readers of Education Matters will find this story of great interest. 

What will happen to CollegeInvest? While this may not be a Ponzi Scheme, the remarks made by the representative of CollegeInvest failed to satisfy this reader. Perhaps there are more stories like this one, but no one is covering them or they aren't being audited?    




Kamis, 01 Oktober 2009

Thanks, Paul J. Ramirez for our new logo . . . plus! Bumper stickers are on their way.

Graphic Artist and the always loyal and communicative FSLDM supporter, Paul J. Ramirez, created a great logo for our group today. Even though everyone in D.C. continues to pretend that we don't exist and are invisible and the media yawns (presumably) when we write and ask them to do a story about our ever-growing grassroots movement, the enthusiasm for real change was palpable today!

Here's our new logo. And aren't we proud of it!



We will be selling clever bumper stickers in the next few weeks that say this: "My other car is a student loan!" I made the announcement about these stickers and at least 40 have already been sold.

Thanks again, Paul! You made my day and I know I'm not alone in saying that.