Quick post - Despicable: For Profit School Sucking Money from U.S. Govt - $1 BILLION!

Absolutely disgusting. The taste in my mouth is so bitter, I can't even stand to write about this article.

Reduce The Rate - Rev. Jesse Jackson

Please sign up at www.reducetherate.org, and stay tuned for more details. I obviously believe in a far more radical approach to solving the student lending crisis, but this proposal is at least a step in the right direction. I want to thank the Rev. Jesse Jackson and the Rainbow Push Coalition for acknowledging this major societal problem.

Twittering about Student Loan Debt and Primary Care Physicians with MedicineSux

After posting an article about a handful of Democrats who are trying to add loan forgiveness for doctors to the health care legislation on Facebook, a great conversation via snippets on Twitter with the wonderful blogger over at Medicinesux, quickly ensued.  (There were also many insightful remarks made on my Facebook page, and I want to thank everyone for that lively conversation as well).

My energy remains focused on the overall student loan debt crisis. Of course, I do like to highlight the far-ranging cultural and intellectual ramifications of the problem I believe the crisis is causing and will cause. But I try to strike a steady balance between its macro (i.e., the broad range of societal problems it's causing) and micro implications (the human experiences of being rendered destitute by an unregulated student lending industry). It's nice to find people who can discuss the finer points of how the student lending industry is damaging their own areas of expertise - Medicinesux tells us a story of the hardships that many young doctors are now facing.

I don't dare speak about the health care debates. It's really too infuriating and for too many reasons - where does one even begin? Of course I think it's important to highlight how that crisis intersects regularly with the student lending crisis. I receive hundreds of emails each week, and so many of the stories I read also contain details about health problems and huge bills for medical treatment. I think it's safe to say that these emails probably reflect the struggles of millions of Americans who have to make the difficult choice to either pay for medical treatment or send money to the legalized student loan sharks.

I urged Medicinesux to write a blog post about our conversation last night. He made such good critiques that I wanted to read a fleshed account of those pithy remarks. I was delighted to find on my TweetDeck this morning a note from Medicinesux. He wrote: "wish granted," and provided me with this link.

In the next few weeks I am calling for submissions from readers. If you are interested in sharing your own analysis about the way in which the student lending crisis is affecting your industry, please write me an email (ccrynjohannsen@gmail.com). I look forward to reading and posting your accounts.

Student Lenders Selling the Souls of Those Seeking Education to the Devil - could one find a new twist on the Faustian pact with the Devil?  

When you realize the significance of Twitter- Lynnette Khalfani-Cox responds

With the continued support from readers, I have been able to throw myself into work that's meaningful and just plain good. I want to thank all of you for allowing me to be of service. I am humbly honored to be able to advocate for those who are struggling to pay off their debt and ensure that the student lending crisis is not marginalized.

Your stories have inspired me to reach out to as many people as humanly possible, and urge them to think about this major societal crisis. Today I feel as if this work is beginning to pay off.

A few moments ago I was delighted to have received a few Tweets from Lynnette Khalfani-Cox . I sent her a quick tweet last night about the student lending crisis, and here's what she said in response:

-"The student loan crisis is very important to me. I had $40K in college debt. Have written about this problem for years."

-"Under the Obama administration, I think there will ultimately be a push for more student loan forgiveness too."

Khalfani-Cox has a high media profile. She has appeared on Oprah and is frequently interviewed on CNN, MSNBC, etc. about issues relating to debt. It's a good thing that she responded, and I want to publicly thank her for her remarks.

On another front, I am working with a loose coalition of people, some of whom are connected to the Rev. Jesse Jackson, about the student lending crisis. (The group I've mentioned several times, TICAS.org, is also a part of this group. That's a very important group. TICAS was founded by Robert Shireman who is now the Deputy Undersecretary of Education. So, yeah, they're a critical connection to the White House). More details about this collaborative work will follow, but for the time being I wanted to provide you with a quick update of activities and correspondence.  (I still need to post about my email correspondence with Dr. Noam Chomksy, too).

Also, many of you are encountering some serious problems with CITI. As many borrowers are aware, CITI took over AES. I am in the process of responding to several people who have asked me for advice with this situation and some other lenders. I have specific instructions and will send that out to the people who requested help shortly. NOTE: If you feel that your lender may be up to illegal activities, I urge you to get in touch with me ASAP. There are ways we can combat these problems, and I can provide you with assistance. (Please email me here - ccrynjohannsen@gmail.com).

All right, that's enough for now. Phew. I am excited! This Thanksgiving will be much better than I thought. And, yes, I will be working tomorrow. The student lending crisis continues at a rapid pace, so there is no resting at this point.

On a final note, I got a great job, and it will allow me to devote more time to my advocacy work and writing. That means I'll have more time to be of assistance to more people who feel trapped by the student lending crisis.

I hope all of you have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Hooray! Perhaps we're being heard!

If there's a war on the middle class, I'm enlisting to fight for it!

After writing Bait and Switch (a book you should all buy, as well as these other other texts), author Barbara Ehrenreich explains, " [it] inspired me to do something totally new . . . build an organization for unemployed, underemployed, and anxiously employed white collar workers. My research on the book showed me that college-educated workers are extremely vulnerable to downward mobility [my emphasis], and often end up in the kinds of low-wage jobs I had done for Nickel and Dimed. With some help from the Service Employees International Union, a group of people I met while on my book tour launched United Professionals in 2006, and we can be found at unitedprofessionals.org. We’re still small and struggling, but hoping to build a response to the 'war on the middle class' that is undermining so many lives." (I'm proud to say that I am a volunteer for UP and am a legislative researcher for their website!).

 I certainly understand how quickly one can find herself on a sudden and unplanned track of "downward mobility,"  and I'm pretty sure that most of my readers understand exactly what Ehrenreich is talking about. Many of them are already there and are also part of the indentured educated class. That makes it even worse. (Edububble recently made a compelling argument about why it's so bad to be a part of this new class).

But I had no idea how vulnerable I was to become until quite recently. I don't know if that's a result of my naivete or some attempt to hold onto hope. One thing is certain, I now find much more comfort in Yelena's Ivy Leagued and Unemployed blog than I had before. Because at the end of the day, especially when you're living through Great Depression Deux, it doesn't matter if you went to Harvard, Brown, or some no-name school like Washburn. If there ain't jobs, there ain't jobs. So we're out of work, underemployed, and struggling to make through the month (for some, the next day).

I've always loved the theme of class, and researched and wrote about it as a Ph.D. student (I gobble anything up about the bourgeoisie!). However, the concept of class was something with which I became intimately familiar long before I had read and researched Marxist theories about the bourgeoisie or Walter Benjamin's notions about the arcades. 

In fact, I grew up fearful of becoming impoverished as an adult. As long as I can remember, I thought it was inevitable. There are multifarious reasons for why I thought I'd end up in the poorhouse, but I won't delve into them here. Suffice to say one factor was a result of the fact that my father came from poverty. I was familiar with how hard the Great Depression was for my single grandmother (his mom), and grew up hearing stories about the Dust Bowl, empty cupboards, growling stomachs, and so forth (I even learned that chickens could taste like grasshoppers if they ate enough of those suckers during droughts!). Armed with a vivid imagination, I quickly worked out a kaleidoscope of rich, varied images that denoted the "utterly poor." It was terrifying stuff. These pictures were set against an ominous backdrop of impending financial doom. 

My grandmother was a young woman in a world that looked like this picture - it was taken in Kansas in 1941!

Even though I grew up in a seemingly stable, beautiful, and big home, I was aware that my father always struggled to stay afloat. Nothing was ever big enough. We didn't have the newest BMW or Mercedes. The paint on our white colonial was constantly peeling. The carpets were filthy and needed to be replaced. Despite how hard my father worked, how many hours he spent away from home at his job, he struggled to maintain our upper-middle class lifestyle. (He was the first person in his family who obtained a college degree. More than that, he recieved an L.L.M. from the George Washington University). So long before the student lending crisis, I knew that a degree didn't guarantee security. Seeing a smart and well-educated man like him struggle to keep us in a nice home taught me a few lessons about class, as did his mother. 

Just 6 weeks ago I revisited those childhood terrors, and thought once again about how easy it could be to end up homeless. Yep. That's how bad it has gotten for me. Many of you are aware that I recently had a major accident. I fell down a wooden flight of stairs and was unable to work for over a week. For complicated reasons that I'm not interested in discussing, I left my publishing job. In order to make ends meet, and with no luck landing another salaried position like the one I left behind, I decided to try and get back into the world of retail. It wasn't something I really wanted to do, but it was much better than my only other job prospect at the time - Outback Steakhouse.  Again, the job of a server isn't beneath me, but it sure as hell wasn't' going to pay the hefty bills I have and were managing (kinda) to cover with my job in publishing.

Like many of you, I was scared out of my wits. When my current employer called me in for an interview, I was delighted. Sure, retail is tough work, but at least you stay clean, and you don't have to worry about spilling drinks on your customers. (I was a good server, so I never once spilled a drink on someone, but I bet my chances of pouring liquids on someone would have risen exponentially if I'd gone back to serving). I was offered the job and took it immediately. 

I kid you not, that's what I looked a few hours ago, just before I came home. Phew, am I tired!

To make matters worse, I decided to throw myself down an entire flight of stairs. You aren't a good "salesgirl" when most of your back is severey bruised and you have lacerations on your arms, so - as I already said - I had to call out for an entire week. Since I am a new salesgal, I had to call on a regular basis to "touch base" with the HR office and assure them that I wanted to return. When I returned, limping and struggling to lift the lightest of objects, I learned that I had almost been let go. I may be injured and in pain, but I sure feel lucky as hell to have this job still. So, to hell with my back! I need to earn some sort of wage.

With this turn of events, I've been finding myself in some heavy conversations with my spouse. A whole lot of ever-so-serious talks have been happening for months now, and we're faced with making some serious decisions about our future here . . .

So, here's my question: what sort of serious big-stuff/life questions are you discussing with your loved ones and/or partner as a result of the economy and your student loan debt? (Please share below).

Who says we aren't industrious? And what I would buy if I didn't have to pay the student loan sharks

I waged another "Craigslist Campaign" for FSLDM the other night, and posted about the group, wonderful Rob, and used Paul's awesome logo. Even though I posted under the category of "politics," most of my posts for the group have been flagged and removed, but I am pleased to see that a few still remain up (one in Boston, and another in Rhode Island). It's a simple message.

I received nasty emails as a result of these posts, but I think it's more than worth it. I've gotten pretty used to critics, and the nastier they are, the more I seem to get a kick out it. So, for instance, one woman (most likely she is quite lovely, given her delightful language) responded to this Craiglist ad by saying, "get off your lazy a#&$% and pay your loans back! That's what my husband and I did. We did expect $#&!@ handouts, so get to work!"

She is clearly a kind-hearted and gentle soul who only wanted to inspire me to get off my lazy arse and work - bless her heart. Her inspirational message also gave me a chuckle, because in the last year I have had 2 full-time jobs, and have been volunteering for the movement full-time. That means I work 7 days a week. Perhaps she is familiar with the Soviet calendar under Stalin (he extended the work week in order to industrialize as quickly as possible). In that case, I am definitely lazy, and I will take her advice to heart.

Regardless of how many jobs I manage to hold down (right now I have a full-time job, juggle freelance work on a regular basis as a content writer, and remain a steadfast cheerleader for FSLDM), I barely have enough money to cover my rent, groceries, and, of course, my student loans. Let's take a moment again to discuss the things we'd like to have if we were offered some sort of reprieve from our crushing loan debt. What would you, dear reader, buy if you didn't have to pay your student loan sharks each month? You most certainly aren't sitting around on your lazy $%#@, as this enlightened woman above seems to believe, are you? If you are, I insist that you get up this moment and get to work! Ha. In any event, I invite you to share again. The last time I asked people to share these things with me, they had the simplest wants - one woman wanted to buy curtains for her living room, while another person wanted extra money for gas so that she could visit her friends and family.

If I didn't have to feed my student loan lenders all of my hard earned money each month to bloat them further, I'd definitely be a contributing consumer and buy goods from all sorts of places. For starters, I am not fond of our mattress. I would buy a new Simmons beauty rest immediately. Moreover, it's been ages since I actually purchased clothing, so I know I'd grab a pair of new jeans from Nordstrom (the folks who work in T.B.D. know their products, and make people look amazing). It would be great to be able to buy my husband gifts on his birthday. Honestly, I can't recall the last time I was able to do that. He's a fantastic cook, so he was able to make me my favorite meal for my birthday (and thanks to so many of you again for your kind b-day wishes - that really made my day). I'm not trying to suggest that I'd be reckless with my expenditures. For one thing, it would be nice to be able to purchase my own groceries. I'm ashamed to admit that my in-laws (bless their hearts) buy my groceries. I am a grown woman, and yet I don't have enough money to purchase basic goods at the local grocery store! Luckily, my in-laws are kind and understanding people. They're so nice, they'd give the shirt of their back to a stranger. I'm serious. So, they're not the reason for my guilt.

I know that I am luckier than many of our followers, so I don't mean to complain. For instance, one woman wrote to me and explained that she's now the sole breadwinner for her family. Her mother has been gravely ill for months, and her father has had several serious surgical procedures. I think her story was one of the more difficult I've read lately, and I definitely shed an ample amount of tears. It is clear that she is certainly not lazy, and I found her concluding remarks quite inspirational. Indeed, I think she has more than enough on her plate to say, "I feel awfully sorry for myself." I think that would be more than justified. Instead, she just finished by saying, "I suppose we're an interesting [and] unusual case with the crumbling economy. I'm going to make an attempt to catalog at least some of it." She signed off, "thanks for listening :)"

It was an honor and a privilege to read her story, and I want to thank her for that. I found it more than amazing that she affixed a smiley face at the end of her message - talk about powerful. It would be interesting to hear what sort of purchases she'd like to make if she didn't have student loan debt and two ill parents.

In the very least, being a laborer again, just as my grandmother had been during the Great Depression, I think perhaps that I'm truly learning what Nietzsche meant when he discussed eternal recurrence . . .

Please share below what you would purchase if you didn't have to send your hard-earned money to the student loan sharks.

Hey! Look everybody! My husband has just dropped by to say hello. I'm retrieving a pair of Prada shoes for a customer, just like my grandmother used to do in the 1930s. Aw. Cute.

Even though you can't pay your bills, you don't have a job, and you're being harrassed by lenders, you should "remain flexible"

I love it. Five College presidents met in Troy to discuss concerns about graduates with excessive debt. These (cough, cough) geniuses are encouraging concerned graduates to be "flexible." One of them even suggested returning (yes! I'm not kidding) to graduate school. That apparently got the crowd laughing. Haha. I'm laughing too. Especially after reading emails from desperate people. It's hilarious. I'm glad these presidents had sagely things to add about the student lending crisis.

Reporters added that even Mr. Chuckles was all laughs during much of the round table discussion. Shortly thereafter he tore the face off of one of the Presidents and had to be put down.  

Public Memo to Sallie Mae - You can't get blood from a turnip!

So, the financial fall out continues. Despite claims that we're in "recovery" (who the hell are they fooling?), more of our supporters are writing frantically about their free fall into Lending Hell. I've plucked one quote that has made my heart and chest ache - no, it's not a heart attack. At least not yet. It's anguish. (President Obama, I realize you've been on important business in China, but I hope your administration reads these desperate notes).

Who will listen? Who (shaking my clenched fists)? It honestly makes me feel like I've failed our supporters, and that kills me . . .

One poster wrote a few minutes ago, "[I] just painfully got off the phone with Sallie Mae to pay on [a] past due payment . . . for the sake of protecting my credit. I could have used [the money] for groceries and investing in updating my equipment for a better creative studio. Sallie Mae is ruthless. I can't stand the nasty private loans! Sorry guys, I had to vent while sipping some straight Jim Beam."

In response to that post, another supporter chimed in: "Wow, P. I too called Sallie Mae today only to be told 'there is nothing else you can do.' I lost my job. I haven't got the money . . . I [asked]: 'there is NO way you can work with me on this? And that was her answer. My credit is pristine and I was trying to protect it.I am close to giving up. . . . this single mistake in my life (Full Sail) is going to ruin everything."

Each day, I receive more messages from people who are pleading with me to help them, help them, help them!

You know what I have decided? I propose this type of (in)action to those who wish to send their children to school next year or plan on going themselves: IF YOU ARE GOING TO TAKE OUT ANY LOANS, DO NOT DO IT! DO NOT, DO NOT GO PURSUE ANY TYPE OF HIGHER EDUCATION. If you know what is on the other end, you will NOT go. I say we BOYCOTT higher education until the student lending crisis is resolved. This suggestion comes out of the mouth of a person who was close to becoming a professor. That is the last thing you would expect to hear, but the system is ruthless (there are so many interconnected institutions culpable, where to begin?), and at this point, NO ONE, NO ONE, but this group cares.

I am a person who, for better of worse, cares deeply about human beings (regardless of their foibles). This inability to help them is killing me. 

Well, elections are around the corner, and I think a lot of constituents aren't pleased by the way things have turned out . . .

"The crows seek out the young, vulnerable, and already dead for endless peckin' fun."

Thought provoking remark of the day - V. wins it!

In response to an article about the way parents are now taking on loans to send their children to school (not a big surprise to me, as parents are reaching out to me in desperation), a FSLDM supporter made this pithy remark:

"One of the Founding Fathers' greatest fears was the existence of an American aristocracy. Now we're sliding into a situation where only the rich can access education and health care without penalty. This country's devotion to rampant privatization of education and health care and the middleman industries that come along with it is literally destroying us, and we're falling behind the rest of the world. Who cares what our GDP looks like when most of us are suffering. What a stupid system."

Having a familiarity with various forms of populism, I am heartened and surprised by those sentiments  being expressed by so many supporters. Guess what, folks? There is a new form of populism in the air, and I am glad I'm a part of it.

Let's keep marching and growing. Mr. President, our numbers are nearing 240,000 - when will the White House begin to take notice?

Maybe it's time to start another party? Hmmm . . .

Featured Student Loan Debt Forgiveness Member - Help my friend Gail!

Gail is a strong supporter and reliable volunteer for the Forgive Student Loan Debt Movement. She's the featured member this week, and I want to give thank her for her dedication and continued help. It's members like her who inspire me to continue fighting the good fight.

C: Where did you go to school?

G: International Academy of Design & Technology (IADT), Tampa Florida.

C: Why did you pursue the degree(s) you have now or will soon have?

G:  I have worked in a field that I fell into at a young age, and I was never happy in, and worked at least 1 often 2 jobs for many years to survive. With my kids grown and gone I decided to pursue the education and career that I had always had a passion for and a talent in. I now have a BFA in Interior Design. I graduated Summa Cum Laude in 2006. Since graduating I have only worked 18 months due to lay offs and never made more than 28k per year.

C: What is your day-to-day life like as a result of your student loan debt?

G: I wake up to the Sallie Mae alarm clock. They call faithfully at 8:10 am every day. They tell me how many days delinquent I am and I tell them I am still unemployed and broke just like yesterday.I then spend about 4 hours on the computer searching for and applying for jobs. I can't afford to visit anyone due to gas prices and my limited income., so I rarely leave the house. I write letters to government officials and read Cryn's blog and Robert's every day, along with other articles posted by the FSLDM.

C: Do you regret going to school?

G: I do not regret it. I loved school and studied and worked very hard. I enjoyed being in school again, especially for something I am so passionate about. However, I do regret going to the school I went . . . I feel there are probably less expensive alternatives in schools that actually deliver on their promises. 

C: What do you have to offer an organization/company, and why should they hire you?

G: I have a lot of experience in multiple aspects of the design world. I can perform at an above average level in, but not limited to, the following areas: budget/bookeeping, project coordinator [roles], furniture design, space planning, AutoCad and sales. I am also willing to travel anytime. I would be an asset to any firm because I can wear so many "hats" and always give 110%.

C: Why are you a supporter of the Forgive Student Loan Debt Movement, i.e., what drew you to it the most?

G: I support FSLDM because they give me hope that there is still a small glimmer of light that I may actually get through this bone-crushing debt through forgiveness!

C: If you could meet with President Obama and discuss your student loan debt situation, what would you discuss? 

G: I would like to ask 2 questions:

1.When is the government going to get out of bed with Sallie Mae and NelNet and start protecting the educated poor of this country.

2. The President has constantly pushed for moms to go back to school, get an education and now that we have, we are unemployed, broke and have the most unbelievable debt . . . . What do you suggest we do now?

 

If you would like to be featured on Education Matters, please email me at ccrynjohannsen@gmail.com. 

 

Let's save jobs that help ruin other people's lives!

They're at it again. Sallie Mae and Nelnet are pulling the "save jobs!" card. They've done this campaigning in the past (see my previous post here). It's a well-known fact that Sallie Mae had to stop outsourcing their low-paying jobs when they won a 5-year contract from the U.S. Government. And they pretend to care about jobs and Americans? Are you kidding me? If they could outsource jobs again, they'd do it in a heartbeat.

Here's what I suggest:

a) Not more of the same (that includes minor fixes that don't do a thing) ,but instead a radical restructuring of the student lending industry (i.e., an eradication of these lenders who have a direct lines to the Treasury).

b) Making college, in the very least, affordable again, and helping the people who work for Sallie Mae and Nelnet, the ones in those low-paying jobs in their sad call centers earn an education too.

c) Granting a student loan debt Jubilee - we live in extraordinary times, and that means that people in power who want to help must make extraordinary decisions.

Luckily, their campaigning to "save jobs" has made it into the news, and yet our group of well over 237,000 people continues to be marginalized. I don't get it. I really don't. Here's a few pieces about these great companies and how they really care about saving American jobs.

a) Sallie Mae Supporters Rally To Save Jobs
b) Delaware County Workers Need Your Help
c) Student Loan Reform Should Protect Florida Jobs
d) State Could Lose 2300 Jobs In Student Loan Change

Huh. So, basically they're demanding that we save jobs that essentially help ruin people's lives. Great. I am sure glad we all worked so hard to earn an education to be harassed and held as financial prisoners to these hideous lenders.

Head's up to the Obama Administration - we want to see real change that you promised us! You should care about this problem. I'd like to ask Mr. Obama how his own mother got through graduate school. Luckily, his own children won't have to take out loans like the rest of us lowly types.

Seriously. Enough. Is. Enough. This model only serves the interests of a few people at the top. At least the reporting is balanced, and all these local papers have covered stories about our group and its supporters.

My recent email to Arne Duncan

Nov. 13, 2009

Dear Secretary Duncan:

We met briefly in the fall at a University of Chicago alumni event. I am the Promotional Writer and Dir. of Social Media Marketing and Fundraising for the Forgive Student Loan Debt Movement. Do you know how many supporters we have now? We have nearly 238,000 followers! I would assume that that number demonstrates the seriousness of the student lending crisis. I know that Robert and I are aware of how serious it is - we receive hundreds and hundreds of emails a week about it, and our following grows by the hundreds each day. Not only are students reaching out to me, but their parents!

I am sure you already read or are aware of the illuminating piece that Mark Kantrowitz wrote, correct? He just wrote an article about the horrors of going into default. Here's the link: http://www.fastweb.com/financial-aid/articles/1823-the-horrors-of-defaulting-on-education-debt?page=1

Also, the ABA's proposal for student loan debt relief came out this week . . . that ought to get some attention, right?

We are aghast that no one on the Hill seems to care about this problem.

Many of our supporters received letters from your office, and they were quite disappointed by its generic tone (some even said they felt it was quite condescending). Just to clarify, we know that you do not "lobby" on the Hill. However, I know from experts who worked at the Dept. of Education that you can change things now. You have the power to help millions of people who are struggling to make ends meet. Many people are falling of the "grid" and going into default. We hope that you and the Obama Administration will take the student lending crisis seriously, and consider helping those in need.

If you and Mr. Obama truly believe in the value of higher education, you would take a close look at the rampant corruption and deceit that occurs in the student lending industry.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Respectfully,
Ms. C. Cryn Johannsen

Quick Post , Quick Find - ABA's proposal and the "Horrors of Defaulting on Education Debt"

Mark Kantrowitz wrote an excellent piece (see here) on the dangers of going into default. This story and the ABA's announcement   in the same week only helps our cause.

A mother's desperation - Please help my son!

Rob and I receive hundreds and hundreds of emails each week from people who are struggling to survive in this economic climate with their student loan debt. We speak often about their moving stories and pleas for help. When I first became involved as a volunteer for Rob's fantastic movement, I found myself quite overwhelmed by these messages. As I think I've mentioned in previous blog posts, there were many rough Saturdays. Here's how it went:

[Husband enters office and looks at Cryn]. Husband: Are you all right?
[Cryn turns away from computer screen].
Husband: What's wrong?
[Cryn begins to sob quietly]. Cryn: I am just heartbroken by these stories.

There are a million variations on that scene, and it makes me think that it's high time I buy some shares of Kleenex stock.  

While the initial shock I used to feel - when reading these stories about financial and emotional struggles - has now subsided, the sadness remains just as powerful as it did in the beginning. That's what makes Rob and me human, because we care. Moreover, we know that this problem has such enormous repercussions for the health of the society. Countless people have told me, "you and Rob are the only people who have listened to my story and seem to care. I thank you both for that. Keep up the good fight." (I always need a tissue handy when I read a line like that. Why are we the only ones who seem to care? That's the travesty).

At first, I only received emails from those who had been students themselves or presently enrolled as such. However, in the last few months I've noticed a distinct shift. Now more parents than ever are reaching out to me and asking for help. I've been taken aback by these messages. Indeed, these notes have had a profound effect upon me. Why? Because they are coming from a person who cares deeply about a son who can't get a job or daughter who just lost one - regardless of the scenario, they see their children struggling to survive as a result of their student loan debt. These parents express helplessness and are outraged by what's happening to their children. In discovering the Forgive Student Loan Debt Movement, they are realizing that the dreams of their children, along with millions of others, have been stolen. That doesn't sit well with parents who adore their kids. And it shouldn't. 

I wanted to share one such letter. A woman wrote to me a few days ago about her son's circumstances.

Here's a truncated version:

Dear Cryn:


I am writing you personally because I am not at all smart in the way Washington works . . . . But in all my reading of your work[s] and Robert's and many others [on Facebook], I know only that we -with Student loan debt - are getting the shaft. I say we because as a mother of one of those students I know full well it will be and is my problem as much as his. Every day reading your site I find one more thing that I have been so blind to. I just feel there are too many loop holes and unpublished facts. Too many under the table, off the record, your owe me a favor deals on Capitol Hill.
 
How do we hit them in the heart and make this a front page, you have been exposed sort of event? I am ready. You have seen my comments on your page. Probably given you a giggle now and then but C[ryn], I just can't go on myself anymore. My son is hurting so bad, Mentally, physically and his life at 26 has stopped being productive at all. He works in a job he hates, to make a payment on a degree that he loves, but has no hope at all of getting.
 
The employers turn him down now with the excuse that it's not the lack of experience, but now he has been out of school 2 years and they feel he has forgotten most of what he learned in the 4.5 years of college.
 
For God's sake when will he ever catch a break? I cry about this daily. I read your site every night hoping for a light at the end of the tunnel. But . . . I think the light has gone out. 

Wow.

I can't help but think about a recent article I read by Michelle Obama. She talked about her children rushing off to their new school, and was struck by the fact that they don't stop to realize that they are growing up and will one day become women. It was touching introduction. But the theme of the piece was about the importance of education. When I thought of the way in which the First Lady painted such a positive picture of the importance of education, I'm couldn't finish the piece. For starters, I was too angry. I also thought about how much her cheerfulness (almost a naive optimism) contrasted with this mother's tone of desperation.

Furthermore, there are too many parents who feel the same desperation as this mother does. Like her, they are witnessing their children becoming increasingly more hopeless, and losing a sense of purpose in this society. All for what? A degree? The U.S., the so-called leading nation of the world, allows its educated people to become indentured servants to the likes of Sallie Mae or Nelnet? Really? Yes. Really.  

Thanks to an industry that has stolen the dreams of young people for its own interests (i.e., paying hefty sums of money to its shareholders, "diversifying" its business portfolios, and therefore seeing a spike in revenue, as Nelnet President, Jeff Noordhoek recently discussed here, etc., etc.), that bright future that these parents and their children had envisioned together, appears to be gone.

Call me a Pollyanna, but this "reality" doesn't seem right, and it sure as hell doesn't sound like a country that will be able to compete much longer at the global level in the 21st century.
















 

Jeff Noordhoek, President of Nelnet, wins the quote of the day!

Jeff Noordhoek made so many great remarks that remind me of why we're all part of the indentured educated class that I had a lot of trouble choosing just one comment in this telephone conference that took place about their third quarter earnings. [Full transcript is here. I urge those of you who are not well-versed in student lending discussions to read it carefully. Biz speak isn't that complicated, especially when you know that someone like Mr. Noordhoek is makin' more than a few pretty pennies off of yer head].

Anyway, I was mighty concerned that Nelnet may be in trouble (and for a lot of reasons - this being one of them), but luckily, they are doing more than fine. As Mr. Noordhoek stated in this recent conference call, "We are extremely pleased with our operating results for the third quarter of 2009. I hope we are not begun to sound like a broken record, however, once again we had a great quarter and we are optimistic about the future."

Of course you are, Mr. Noordhoek! Why? Because there are always fresh young adults and their parents who have no idea what's around the corner for them as a result of the business you're in. I want to congratulate you on winning the slot for my favorite quote of the day, too. The quote is in relation to the President's proposal to eliminate the FFEL program. Luckily, Mr. Noordhoek isn't too worried. They did, after all, win a great contract with the government, and that will generate revenue for them. (Mr. Noordhoek said so hisself! Yippily-skippily!).

While it was hard to choose a fave quote, this one made it for the day: "The fundamentals of our business model remain strong. We are stable, well established, fee for service businesses with recurring revenue]. We’re generating significant cash flow from our businesses and our student loan portfolio. We believe we are well positioned for growth in a very dynamic education services market."


Phew. I was worried about Nelnet. Now I can rest easy tonight knowin' that they have established recurring revenue from students who will join the ranks of our indentured class status upon graduation. Thanks to you, Nelnet! You sure are swell!

ABA proposes student loan debt relief

Wow. Thanks to Medicinesux, I was made aware of the ABA proposal to help recent law grads with their student loan debt. The article in its entirety is here. The ABA "wants the government to let unemployed graduates convert private loans into federal ones. The change could allow them to defer repaying those loans for as long as three years."

It's a step in the right direction, and I applaud the ABA for bringing this problem up. Now we need to extend the proposal to more students in various professions (doctors, artists, teachers, etc.)!

Karen Southall Watts of United Professionals - "Green isn't always better"

Karen Southall Watts, a Consultant and College Instructor, asked to contribute to my blog. She too is a blogger with great insights about searching for a job and so forth. You can read her work at Ask Karen.

Karen submitted a short piece entitled, "Green isn't always better."

Karen Southall Watts shares

In a strange twist of fate the highly educated, and therefore more likely to be environmentally minded I’m told, members of FSLDM may not benefit at all from being “green” in dealings with lenders. As I’ve read the many stories and comments on the blogs and forums and Facebook I’ve noticed two trends. First the debts are overwhelming and destroying lives and second much of the communication takes place over the phone and via email (statements). Sad as it may be, it’s time for us to take a step backwards in dealing with student loan lenders.

First, use real paper letters and certified mail to correspond with your lender. The small fee you pay for this pales in comparison to the value of being able to state “I know you got my letter.” Insist that lenders send you statements, concerns and anything else in snail mail. My hope is one day we will be able to recycle all of this stuff. In the meantime, you need a record to back you up and for potential participation later in lawsuits (where this applies). Keep copies of everything…which brings me to…

Second, copy all your correspondence and CHECKS. Lots of people have written about lost or mismanaged payments. Since much of the banking industry is “going paperless” often you are left with no record of payments made or dates when checks should have been processed. When you complain, in writing, include copies of checks.

Third, stay off the phone. The incessant phone calls for collection of money that simply is not there are making many people miserable. Do all you can to avoid these calls. Use caller ID and voice mail. When you find yourself on the phone with these folks DO NOT ENGAGE WITH THEM. George W. Bush was often praised for his uncanny ability to stay on message no matter what was happening around him. Learn from this. Start by sending a letter with your intentions regarding your debt and asking not to be contacted at work, etc.  Here is the website of the Federal Trade Commission that discusses this, check it out: http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/credit/cre18.shtm

Here are a few things to try out:

·         Firmly and politely say “I can’t speak with you now.” Then hang up.

·         Respond with “Please send me a letter through traditional mail.” Then hang up.

·         Tell persistent callers, “There is no new information on this matter. Please don’t call again.” Then hang up.

Until your student loan debt is resolved—keep good records—it’s your best defense.

Featured Student Loan Debt Forgiveness Member - Help my friend Anna!

Anna is from the Baltimore area, and a great supporter and enthusiastic volunteer for the Forgive Student Loan Debt Movement. Here's what she had to say . . .

C: Where did you go to school, and why did you choose that institution?

A: Penn State University.  

Well, I decided to go to Penn State because they were the best school for Geoscience majors. I wanted to be a volcanologist and man do I wish I would have stuck with that. But, being severely hearing impaired and not addressing the issue until I could no longer handle the college courses on my own, I barely made it through some of my classes. After receiving assistance with my hearing, I attempted to finish school. I was determined. I ended up changing my major to Crime, Law and Justice and will finally be graduating this December with my Bachelor of Science degree. My determination to finish school definitely cost me though. I am now $140,000 in debt due to student loans.

C: What is your day-to-day life like as a result of your student loan debt?

A: It's been 2 months since I lost my job. Even with a full time job, I could only afford to pay my student loans each month at half of the regular monthly amount. Normally, it is more than $1,200 a month and that is not counting some of the recent federal loans I received in my final year of school. Now that I'm unemployed, I have to apply for forbearance. Since most of my student loans are private student loans, I can only defer my payments for up to one year. American Education Services has been calling me several times a day since I couldn't make my last payment. They've been calling my parents at their home and my Dad at work as well. Hopefully, they will approve my forbearance request and I will be payment free for 6 months. Of course, while my loans accumulate in its high interests.

C: Do you regret going to school?

A: It's hard to say. My student loan debt is depressing and highly stressful. I am extremely proud that I was able to overcome my obstacles with my hearing impairment and not to mention anxiety disorder that went along with it to earn a college degree. But, is being enslaved to $140,000 in student loan debt for the rest of my life worth it? I have friends from high school that did not attend college and are making more money than me and are way better off.

C: What do you have to offer an organization, and why should they hire you?

A: I used to be an autopsy assistant. C'mon who wouldn't want me on their team? =D Other than that I'm a super quick learner and highly adaptable to change. In previous positions, I had no clue about the field before I started. Within a week, I knew what I was doing and even assisting co-workers who've been there longer than me. Having somewhat of a photographic memory and meticulous attention to detail helps too. I'm trying to get my foot in the door in the criminal justice/forensic field in the Baltimore metro area. I've applied for positions as crime scene techs and forensic lab assistants and although I qualify, I just haven't been able to land anything yet. It seems if you don't know someone, your degree and experience are worthless.

C:  If you could meet with President Obama, what would you tell him about your current situation and your student loan debts?

A: Mr. President, I have over 235,000 friends in the Forgive Student Loan Debt Movement that need to have their student loan debt completely forgiven so that we may stimulate the economy. And instead of forcing our taxpayers to foot the bill, the predatory and evil student lenders should pay for it! Kay . . . Thanks . . .Bye!

Thank you, Anna, for answering my questions!

If you would like to be featured on my blog, please email me here.  

 

A conscientious Senator - Mr. Bob Coffin

Jennifer Joost, the first person I featured for a Q&A interview here, just sent me a quick note. It's good news, folks. She wrote: "I got some attention thanks to you. Just wanted to share this with you." Senator Bob Coffin (Independent Democrat), Clark County, District No. 10 (NV), wrote an email to Jennifer.


Jennifer told me she wrote to all of her State Senators, and he was the only one to respond. I want to praise Senator Coffin for reaching out to her. Here's his response:

"Hi Jennifer. Help me out here. Did the school boot you because of bad credit? I read that and it does not make sense for them to do that. Or, did the student loan payments cease because you had become a credit risk? I am not familiar with the contract you signed to get the loan. Did they breach the terms?"

This news demonstrates the power of writing letters. If the 236,000 supporters of the Forgive Student Loan Debt Movement wrote to their State Representatives, their National Representatives, etc., I am confident we'd receive more responses like this one.

Thanks so much for sharing Jennifer! I appreciate the fact that you have gotten engaged on a civic level for our movement. You are a model, and I look forward to hearing from more supporters about the letters they have received, too.

Important note: If you have received a personal response, and you're willing to share it with me and everyone else (!), please send me those materials to my email (ccrynjohannsen@gmail.com). I would like to post this correspondence on my blog.

Senator Kyl: you are OUT OF TOUCH!!!

A supporter sent me this letter from Senator Kyl. You are sadly, sadly out of touch, sir.

Here's his contact information. Perhaps we should send him letters and call, and let him know that's he quite wrong?

Sweet Dreams - Former Education Official Pleads Guilty to False-Statement Charges

I'm glad so many of our supporters wrote to the Department of Education. They put a lot of time and work into the letters, and they received really disappointing responses. Here's also a little morsel that I enjoyed reading in this WSJ article before heading off to the bed: "A former senior U.S. Education Department official pleaded guilty to conflict-of-interest and false-statement charges over his stock ownership in a student-loan company.

Matteo Fontana, the former general manager for financial-partner services in Education Department's student-aid office, held as many as 10,500 shares of Education Lending Group Inc. when he became an department employee in 2002, prosecutors said. In 2004 and 2005, he sold shares in the company and received proceeds of almost $219,000, according to prosecutors."

I guess the reporter tried to reach the Department of Education, but to no avail. I wonder how many others like Mr. Fontana still exist in the Department of Education. It also makes me wonder if those letters that our supporters received from the DoE were purposefully condescending. Are they thumbing their noses at us? I should hope not. But it's either entire silence or generic and bureaucratically cold letters. Not inspiring, and definitely not the "real change" I had voted for last November.

Sweet dreams!

Featured Student Loan Forgiveness Member - Help my friend, Jennifer!

Yelena's amazing blog - Ivy Leagued and Unemployed - features posts of her friends who are looking for work. I asked Yelena if I could use her idea and apply it to interviews with supporters of the FSLDM. With her blessings, I will feature a supporter each week (thanks, Yelena, for letting me steal your brilliant model!). Our first respondent is named Jennifer.

C: Where did you go to school?

J: The Art Institute of Las Vegas (start Nov. 2006- got kicked out for having bad credit, NO 2nd chance)

C: Why did you pursue the degree(s) you have now or will soon have? 

J: A bachelor of Science in Graphic Design to become an Art Director.  It's what I love . . . it's my dream. . . my passion.  Art comes so naturally to me. . . I cannot finish my degree until I fix my credit.

C: What is your day-to-day life like as a result of your student loan debt?

J: I never knew what it was like to have anxiety attacks until now.  It is not good on your health having a whopping $100,000+ loan out and no degree to back it up.  I am a lead graphic designer making $10 an hour.  With a year left of learning, I could be making $65,000 starting as an art director, and I know this because I have looked around. . . I just do not qualify for these positions yet.  I live paycheck to paycheck and my student loans are the last thing I want to pay.  My student loans are in forbearance and will continue to be for a while.  I can barley live with $400 a month for rent.

C: Do you regret going to school?

J: No, I have no regrets. However, the school should have been there to help me not get into a financial mess. More or less they should have [given] me a second chance. . . I am a 3.5 GPA student and a fast learner. Why could no one just inform me about things?  Not too much to ask for, is it?  I was so new to this world. I just had to grow up a lot faster.

C: What do you have to offer an organization, and why should they hire you?

J: I am very creative, positive, self-motivated, fun and to the point.  I can bring ideas to the table and am very open-minded.  Anything is possible!

C: If you could meet with President Obama, what would you tell him about your current situation and your student loan debts?

J: I would tell him that our education as a whole is lacking financial awareness for the real world.  That no one should get stuck with a $100,000 and no hope. Why should I continue to live my life buried in debt, when the world is still spinning all around me?  I have heard people tell me that I need to deal with my own problems and grow up. My problems? Well, they have become my problems, but I am not being naive about them.  I am in a situation that is going to take YEARS to dig myself out of with a promise from my school that everything is going to be O.K. . . . One of my favorite things in the entire world is knowledge, and I have been kicked out because I have bad credit. If that is what is holding me back, what does that say about us as a country, Mr. Obama?  Now there is the topic of scholarships... well first the number one site for scholarships has over $1,000,000 and 10,000,000 users... GOOD LUCK!  Grants do help, but do not cover all the expenses of a higher education when your parents make more money, but cannot even help you.  I have no one to help me.  I have no more dreams of [owning] a house.  I have no dreams of [owning] a car.  I have no dream of a family... thanks for taking my dreams.  Welcome to America... home of the lost dreams. 

UC Strike!

"No business as usual" - call for system-wide strike. If you're part of the UC system, I strongly urge you to join this strike!

Quick Post - Creigh Deeds mentions loan forgiveness (gasp!)

In a recent Q&A, Creigh Deeds answered a question (here) about the rising cost of tuition and what he would do to help students saddled with student loan det.

The question: "What would you do about rising college tuition costs?"

Deeds: "[truncated version] I plan to offer targeted loan forgiveness to encourage students to enter high-need fields and fill jobs in high-need areas, such as teaching and health care and science."

Not the best answer in my opinion, but it's something - a tidbit, and I love morsels (Nietzsche taught me to appreciate the bigness of small remarks). I'm encouraged because it's obvious that there's an awareness of the student lending crisis, and it was actually a question raised. Of course, no one is really responding to those of us saddled with debt and graduated, but I'm heartened.


Who lives in VA? If you live in VA, I demand (ha!) that you call Deeds's office and tell him we'd support him, if he sticks to this plan!

His contact information is:

Northern Virginia Headquarter

2001 N. Beauregard St., Suite 420
Alexandria, VA 22311
Phone: (571) 303-2260

Deeds for Virginia
P.O. Box 11658
Alexandria, VA 2231 

I'd love to have a room for a night at the White House, but I am not a Podesta

I hesitate to suggest that Obama's eloquent speeches about the importance of higher education is disingenuous . . . I relate strongly to the stories he tells about his mother being a struggling graduate student from Kansas. (Those are two things I share with her, plus I attended schools where Obama either taught or attended himself). The same institutions that informed the way Obama thinks also played a formidable role in my own intellectual formation. But then I learn that Anthony and Heather Podesta - lobbyists for Sallie Mae - spent the night at the White House. Mr. Podesta claimed that his lobbying efforts failed (see page 2 of this article). However, his wife, Heather, made three additional visits to the Old Executive Office in the White House Complex. Moreover, Anthony Podesta's brother, John, was head of Obama's transition team. I realize these facts are just part of politics. I'm not naive. Nevertheless, it's unsettling information, especially  when I think of the way in which I was inspired by Obama's refrain: "We need real change." From this lowly perspective (plus being crushed by student loan debt), I'm not really seeing any of this so-called "real change," and I know that there are millions of others who agree with me. It leaves me wondering why I bothered canvassing for Mr. Obama. It also leaves me wondering if there is any value in obtaining degrees from the most prestigious universities in this country.