Third time's a charm

I am heartened by the fact that President Obama mentioned student loan debt three times in his State of the Union address this evening. There is no doubt, we're being heard.

The next writing campaign will commence shortly. I must read through his Union address and will begin drafting a letter for student debtors to send out to the President. 

We must praise the White House for acknowledging this enormous problem. The fact that President Obama referred to student loans three times is HUGE. But we must also make it clear that this problem has far reaching affects for people in various stages of their lives. The student lending crisis is an inter-generational problem, and we need to keep that theme as a primary focus for pushing for long-term solutions for hundreds of thousands, if not millions of Americans, who make up the indentured educated class.

So, the work continues and I want to thank those of you who have already offered your time to volunteer. (My apologies for not getting back to all of your emails. I am currently in Arkansas on my trip across the U.S. Rest assured, I will be in touch soon and look forward to your feedback on the letter. I will be drafting something soon for all of us to send to the White House).

On that note, I think we should all be thrilled that the student lending crisis was at least referred to in the President's first State of the Union address. It is also the same week in which I was able to speak directly to V.P. Biden's Middle Class Task Force about this problem.

Finally, a follow-up on my good conversation with the ED Staffer at Sherrod Brown's office will be coming shortly too. 

Who's In? Next Writing Campaign

With the overall response from the White House - when I participated in the telephone conference with Biden's Middle Class Task Force - it is clear that they are expanding IBR and trying to focus their attention on recent grads. That's perfectly fine, but I am more than convinced that they are being pressured by countless groups to not respond to the indentured educated class who are (a) older and (b) drowning in private student loan debt.

So, I want to launch a new writing campaign, and need as many volunteers to send the White House a strong message from student loan debtors.

If you are interested in joining us in this writing campaign, please email me at ccrynjohannsen@gmail.com.

I am currently in Tennessee and have limited access to my computer today (traveling to Nashville), but will be drafting a letter after Obama's State of the Union Address.

Thanks so much again for all of your efforts. We are being heard and by the White House . . . that's real progress, friends.

Quick post about Obama's Middle Class Task Force's Telephone Conference Today

The house is empty and we're heading across country tomorrow, but I was still able to be a part of a critical conference call with the White House today. (Many thanks to SponsorChange.org for letting me know about this important discussion). It was a discussion with the Middle Class Task Force.

Jared Bernstein started the discussion. After he spoke, the call was opened for questions. (Incidentally, Bernstein was on the Board of Directors at United Professionals. He stepped down when he was appointed as an economic advisor to Vice President Joe Biden).

With the four initiatives discussed today, I was quite encouraged by the fact that the student lending crisis (my term, not theirs) was mentioned as NO. 2. That's big. (All of our work together is making a HUGE difference, so I want to thank all of you for writing and writing and writing. Keep it up!).

I was able to ask a question about Sherrod Brown's debt swap proposal, and tried to make it clear that I think that there ought to be attention paid to debtors who are not recent grads. While I thought my ultimate question was pretty straightforward, Bernstein didn't follow.

There was too much emphasis on accessibility to higher education and on how to help recent graduates. Nevertheless, I am encouraged by the Administration's turn toward discussing the issue of financing higher education and the unmanageable levels of student loan debt with which students are burdened (that so-called "form letter," as a very ungracious poster wrote obviously meant and means something).

I am glad I was able to ask the question directly to Bernstein.

It was an honor and a privilege to be a voice for student loan debtors on a direct phone call to the White House. I look forward to being a part of more conversations like this one in the future.

Part I: A progress report on my work, thank yous, and getting the word out about Senator Sherrod Brown's Debt Swap Proposal

The White House sends me a letter, I finally hear from the Department of Education (no word back as of yet, so I'll touch base again next week), and I am forging more relationships with people who are deeply concerned and interested in the student lending crisis. The biggest break through last week was my phone call with the ED Staffer in Senator Sherrod Brown's office. This conversation was critical, and made me realize that the hours of hard work are beginning to pay off (more on that later in Part II).

After these developments, I decided that it was important to provide all of you with a progress report on my work.

One of my readers recently told me that they respected my leadership abilities for an important reason.
He told me that they knew how hard I was working on this issue, and that meant a lot to him. But, he added, it's more than that. While I know I remain focused on this specific issue and never stray from the theme of student loan debt, I am not always sure what my readers are thinking about my work. This particular reader made me realize how important it is to (a) stay on topic and (b) remain sensitive to the needs of student loan debtors. He said, "you're personal, and that's important."

So on that note, I'd like to quickly thank a few groups and people who are either involved in this issue or supportive of my work as an advocate for student loan debtors (all of them are important and I suggest you familiarize yourself with these players and people). Here's the list:

Organizations

(a) SponsorChange.org - I had an outstanding opportunity to be a part of a conference call, and am really looking forward to seeing this organization grow; it is made up of outstanding people who share a common interest in community and helping people pay down their student loan debt. (The founders of SponsorChange, Raymar Hampshire and Dr. Robert Hampshire, are exemplary leaders in the non-profit sector, and they have created a stellar cast of talented individuals for their future work). Also, they just put out a great promo here.

(b) United Professionals - this phenomenal group is a non-profit advocacy group for white-collared professionals (it is FREE to sign up); Barbara Ehrenreich is the Founder and Executive Director, and I am excited about the future of our professional relationship. Ehrenreich recently mentioned me in an outstanding article about college loan debt.

(c) United Progressives - thank you, Paul Barrow, for you interest in my work and featuring a piece I wrote about those who lack the gift of discernment.

(d) The Institute for College Access and Success (otherwise known as TICAS) - I appreciate Edie Irons' gracious willingness to correspond with me. She always provides me with insights into IBR and other policy proposals, and has a genuine interest in receiving feedback from student loan debtors. Her honesty and courteousness are emblematic of this organization's mission (founded by the Deputy Undersecretary of Education, Robert Shireman); it was also an honor and a privilege to have met the current president, Lauren Asher, in the fall, along with other important players from TICAS.

That's the short list of connections I've made. Next up is a discussion about my talk with Brown's office and another list of specific people who are helping this cause.

To be continued . . .

Readers: my apologies for any typographical errors or lack of stylistic finesse (perhaps I've never possessed that skill). I am writing these pieces from an empty house, and am heading overseas.

Quick Note: The President's State of the Union Address

President Obama has sent several letters out to us about our concerns regarding the student lending crisis. Those aren't the words he used in his letter to me, but this issue has definitely been elevated. If you're receiving letters directly from the White House, you know you've succeeded in getting their attention on a policy issue! 

The White House is fully aware of this problem, and I have more evidence (soon to follow) of that fact.

I think it would be great if his speechwriters would include a few remarks about the student lending crisis in his upcoming State of the Union address. My hunch is this: that would mean so much to hundreds of thousands (if not millions) of Americans who are struggling or unable to pay off their student loans. (Every day at least 2 or 3 people write to me and tell me that they are on the brink of defaulting. It's too bad there are so many falling of the grid, and it's all because they wanted to better themselves through higher education. The student lending crisis has arrived, and it won't be changing anytime soon. That's why we are seeking immediate solutions to the problem and hope that President Obama will continue to listen sympathetically to our voices).

Again, just a few words. That's all we're asking for, Mr. President.

Rest assured, many of us are thrilled that your office has sent out letters to us.

As for my readers, keep up the good work! Continue writing and calling the Department of Education, your representatives, and the White House. 

Quick Post and Quick Request: Holding Public Servants Accountable

Since I just received a letter from President Obama and also an actual email response from the Department of Education (allow me to publicly thank Ms. Brown for finally acknowledging my countless emails to her address), I want to stay focused on the theme of letter writing. I am fully aware that many of you have been writing non-stop to the President, the Department of Education, and to your representatives. We have discussed this plan of action tirelessly.

I also must thank all of you for your continued activism. If I had been the only one writing letters and raisin' hell, this issue would be dead and buried. So, please take a moment to pat yourself on the back for a job well done. We are witnessing a major new movement. The indentured educated class is working together to raise social awareness about the student lending crisis. You are not writing those letters for your own situation, and you know that the crisis is much bigger than you. I know that's what motivates me to continue the fight. And I can go to bed at night knowing that I am on the right side of this struggle.

But onto the mundane . . .  if you have written to your national and/or state representatives and not heard back from them , please let me know ASAP.

In any event, these public servants (many of them, I am afraid, have entirely forgotten that term and its meaning) ought to respond to a constituent's letter within a month. Let's go easy on them. Make note of the date of your letter, and when 6 weeks have gone by (or if it already has), please let all of us know publicly.

In these responses, please include the following information:

(1) The full name of the politician and the people they represent

(2) Their position (are they a city, state, or national representative?) 
(3) Date you sent your letter about the student lending crisis
(4) Their party affiliation

Oh, and of course, it's important to give credit when credit is due, so if you do hear something back (even if it's a generic form letter), please share that also.

Keep up the good work! Writing matters.

Letter from President Obama

There were several positive events that occurred last week. First, I was more than pleased when Michele Y. Brown from the Department of Education finally responded to my email(s). In my final note to her, I pointed out Deanne Loonin's recent suggestions here and here, and said that if the Department of Education were to even put a few of these proposals into place for current debtors, many people who comprise the indentured educated class would experience immediate and much-needed relief.

On top of Brown's response (which was cc-ed to Sec. Arne Duncan and Deputy Undersecretary of Education Robert Shireman), I also had a productive and powerful conversation with the well-known intellectual and author David Korten. As a result of our discussion about the student lending crisis, he has put me in touch with several "young" (as Dr. Korten described me!) activists who are doing great things in the U.S. I look forward to future conversations with him and forging relationships with these civic-minded individuals with whom he put me in touch.

Little did I know, however, that Friday evening would prove to be a night I would never forget. It began with the most mundane of activities - I trotted out to my mailbox expecting to collect a handful of bills, final magazines, and so forth. We were heading to our lovely pals' apartment in Alexandria for homemade margaritas and tacos. As soon as I opened the box I noticed a plain, yet elegant envelope. On the upper right-hand side the address was in a nice blue. It read (as most of you know): THE WHITE HOUSE, WASHINGTON, DC 20500. Moreover, my own name and address was hand-written by a human being (wow). Plus, it was made out in the same way I sign off on official letters of business, i.e., it was written out to Ms. C. Cryn Johannsen. 

I had a pretty good feeling that this note would be more than just a generic form letter. But I also feared being disappointed, so I put it aside for a few minutes in my darkened car.

I turned on the light and inspected the envelope again. Yep, I thought, that's your name and it's handwritten. I turned off the light. I turned on the light. And after about 10 minutes I finally opened it. 


It was, indeed, signed by the President and read: 


"Thank you for contacting me about financing higher education. I appreciate hearing your perspective.


Students loans have helped generations of Americans afford an education but all too often this assistance has left graduates saddled with a mountain of debt that is difficult to overcome. I have heard from countless Americans who are struggling with loan repayment. As someone who relied on student loans to help pay for my education, I understand the challenges many graduates face, and I am committed to addressing this critical issue. 

Expanding college financial aid is a top priority for my Administration. Through investments in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, we have boosted Pell Grants by $500 and offered a $2,500 tuition tax credit to assist millions of students. My 2010 Budget proposes to make these changes permanent and increase the number of Perkins Loans so that students can continue to borrowing from the government at low interest rates. Additionally, students may be eligible to reduce their monthly student loan payments by participating in the Department of Education's Income Based Repayment Plan. We are also simplifying the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and restructuring our Nation's student loan programs to make them more reliable, efficient, and simple for students. 


Ultimately, higher education in America remains one of the best investments for our future success. Debt repayment is never easy, particularly in troubled economic times, but a good education can mean a more secure job and higher earnings. As I work to improve higher education financing, I am devoted to rebuilding our Nation's economy so that it creates the jobs that Americans seek.


We can work to ensure that America will once again have the higher proportion of graduates in the world by 2020. To learn more about these steps my Administration is taking to help Americans succeed in higher education, please visit: StudentAid.Ed.gov . or Opportunity.gov. Thank you again for writing. 

Sincerely


Barack Obama


I applaud President Obama for sending me an actual letter of substance regarding my concerns about the student lending crisis. However, I think there is too much focus on how things will be improved for "prospective" students, and not enough attention on current borrowers. I am sending President Obama a follow-up letter, and will be cc-ing Sec. Duncan and Deputy Undersecretary Shireman. I am thankful that he acknowledged my worries, but will insist that much more needs to be done to ensure that those who are drowning in student loan debt are helped. 

My hunch is that President Obama has a sincere interest in the fact that so many of us are struggling to pay our loans (he said so himself in his letter). It is also obvious that he knows exactly what it means to have to take out student loans. (His predecessor, on the other hand, would not know a thing about how most college students have to fund their educations). But I think we must ask a serious question about the cost of higher education in the U.S. - why have we accepted, as a society, that the cost of tuition continues to go up each year? Why must students take out such high loans to cover the cost of state schools and, yes, community colleges? If President Obama is committed to educating more Americans, his Administration must take a serious look at the reasons why we continue to overcharge students and allow student lenders like Sallie Mae and Nelnet to have a hand in the pot.


We also need to have solutions in place that will provide current debtors with immediate relief. In short, his Administration must make a point to tend to current debtors who have both federal and private loan debt. 

I only wish I could find a secure and good job in this country, as President Obama mentions in his closing remarks. Nevertheless, I wish to make it clear again to the indentured educated class that while I may be in Korea, my advocacy work will not end. Your futures mean far too much to me to simply give up. I will continue to advocate, write letters, etc. It is my intention to receive more letters like this one from President Obama and others in hia Administration. This . . . is just the beginning . . .

A lovely signature to see at the bottom of this important letter!

 

The Obama Administration: Why They Have Failed (Part II)

It's been an exhausting week, and the end point was a moving sale that began this past Saturday at 7 AM. But several key readers have asked me for clarification on my recent post, "The Obama Adminstration: Why They Have Failed."

The best questions came from someone who is smart as a whip and a respectful conversationalist (I also consider him a friend - he's a fellow Maroon, too). Like other readers, he took issue with my scathing critique of the Obama's administration shameful failure to solve the student lending crisis.

The reader wrote:

Cryn,

Just read your blog on the failed Obama administration.  Let me ask you, please - what exactly have you been asking the DoE to do?  Also, how do you describe the relationship between the DoE, Sallie Mae (and Nelnet), and the collection agencies to which you allude?

I don't understand the idea of this admin being a failed one on the basis of DoE not having a policy on loans.  I also see DoE from an entirely different perspective, that being how public schools will be reformed, and I like what I see.  I also think Michelle Brown is correct about legislative proscription, and so I wonder what is the alternative response that you seek.

Despite these questions, your work is amazing.  I am in awe of how you have deconstructed the lending-industrial complex and identified the touchpoints.  I hope you can be as effective from Korea.

~John  

 I'll start with this piece of evidence, "Not So Honest Broker," from Inside Higher Ed . This article discusses the fact that "the student aid agency's ombudsman's office is staffed by a company, Vangent, that also works with other offices in the department that provide financial advice to borrowers on their loans. Vangent does not collect loan payments on the department's behalf, but some of the company's employees in the ombudsman's office formerly worked in the department's Default Resolution Group Call Center. Those connections, which were identified by a former student loan borrower affiliated with the group Student Loan Justice, troubles not only officials of that group but financial aid experts like Mark Kantrowitz of Finaid.org." (You know it's bad when Kantrowitz is concerned!).

Moreover, people have been reporting back to me after they've called the Ombudsman's office, and what I'm hearing is more than just disturbing. One person informed me that they told her she could get rid of her loans through bankruptcy. Additionally, the student debtor wrote:

The lady at the Ombudsman's office also said something pretty interesting to me, which I am not sure how valid it is, but she said that they cannot do much for the private loans because it is a private loan. So i [sic] told her that is really not just or right because they cannot do much for the private loans yet there is also no relief in [b]ankruptcy court since it is a student loan. She told me that is not true and that it can be discharged since it is a private student loan - that does not seem right to me, but i would love to know if this is true. [my emphasis] Do you know if she was right? [C]an a private student loan be discharged in [b]ankruptcy? I am so desperate at this point --[I] am hopelessly drowning in student loan debt - [I] cannot see light at the end of the tunnel - my only option is literally to die!

What is going on here? I'd like to know! Why on earth is someone at the Ombudsman's office for the Dept of Education misleading people with these sorts of "tips?" Yet another way to brush people off . . . even though there could be an immediate solution to the student lending crisis! Shame on them.

But there's more. Loonin says, "Whether it acknowledges it or not, the government has chosen high pressure collection over a resolution-based system - to the determent of financially distressed borrowers." Indeed, they have gone that way and I know it first hand. I have mountains of evidence to confirm what Loonin has concluded.

Also, whom did the Obama Administration give serving contracts to? AES/PHEAA, Sallie Mae, and Nelnet, which own loan shark collection companies.



What has the Obama Adminsitration put in its student loan bill to help CURRENT BORROWERS stay in repayment and get out of default? Little or nothing, because a switch to 100% direct lending does NOTHING for current borrowers.

Moreover, the Administration is doing nothing to help Senator Sherrod Brown's "Debt Swap" proposal, which would help private loan borrowers. 

Secretary Duncan knows full well that the President could send legislative proposals to Congress at any time if legislation is needed. He can mention them in the State-of-the-Union, put them in his 2011 budget proposal, use the bully pulpit, etc., etc., etc.

In short, the Obama Administration knows full well that it is writing off thousands of lives (more liked hundreds of thousands of lives) - these lives are being ruined and they offered us no answers nor hope. That's why it has failed.

Oh, and there is also this article . . .

The Obama Administration: Why They Have Failed

A strong supporter of the Obama Adminstration, Deanne Loonin, wrote an excellent piece entitled, "Get Rid of Student Loan Collection Agencies," over at Higher Ed Watch. She too is frustrated by the student lending crisis.

Instead of helping the borrowers, who deserve protection and aid from agencies (like the Department of Education), these institutions have become entangled with corrupt outfits like Sallie Mae and Nelnet. So, they are of no use to anyone and only serve to protect these loan shark lenders. I'll say it again, they are useless; but it shouldn't be that way. I am a big believer in agencies that serve to protect citizens with stringent oversight programs.

In this case, the DoE has turned a blind eye to our pleas. That goes for Congress and the White House too. However, I recently had a good conversation with a great contact at TICAS.org (I have been begging for them to consider policy option that would entail immediate debt relief), and I was heartened by that organization's genuine interest in turning their attention towards debtors. It's high time someone paid attention to the student lending crisis, and I sincerely hope that their concern for our well being will influence the decicions that will be made on the Hill very soon. (Obviously, I hope that they will be able to persuade both the White House and the DoE [read Bob Shireman here] to focus on this disastrous situation). At this point I have some serious questions, and I'd like them answered in some sort of public forum:

-Aren't governmental agencies, like the DoE, supposed to function in a way that benefits citizens and helps to correct wrongs committed against them?

-Why aren't they doing anything for us?

-They could easily set up an 800-number for people who are having difficulty paying their loans and dealing with lenders' absurd and illegal activities. Why hasn't the DoE done something like this for student debtors?

-Why does the DoE as well as most of the politicians to whom we've reached out continue to send us generic form letters? (Moreover, I am presently being ignored by Ms. Michele Brown at the DoE. She has sent many of you the same tired letter that claims the DoE "can't change legislation, blah, blah, blah." I am eager to hear back from her. Why is she no ignoring me?).

-Seriously, why can't we solve this problem now?

At this point I can only conclude that this Administration has FAILED. If the DoE does not end their contracts with collection agencies for student loan debt, they will betray millions of Americans who only wanted to receive an honest education through honest funding. It's a disgusting shame that we've all been duped. 

Musings on resistance through everyday life acts, and how has the economic downturn changed your attitude about your student loans?

The economic downturn has forced all of us to rethink fundamental things about everyday life. The most mundane and insignificant are now viewed through a "foreign" lens of lived perception (things are hard) and we realize (except for those who work for Goldman Sachs) nothing can be taken for granted - that especially goes for the those of us who are a part of the indentured educated class.

We are reminded of the increased burden of our student loans on a daily basis (for some there are hourly reminders). We have Sallie Mae loan sharks calling us in the early hours of the morning every single day. We have been stripped of our spending power (i.e., our credit cards). We have been stripped of our earnings with garnished wages, or even worse we have been stripped of possible careers that would have meant something for our now sorry futures. Sadly, many of us have been stripped of our dignity, and those who still cling to it know that it will soon be seized from them. (But do not give up hope. Even if you feel you've lost your dignity. For even when carrying out the most mundane of acts in which we "perform" in everyday life, there are endless possibilities for resistance. The texture of everyday life provides us with the ability to act and to do it together).

At the macro level, however, the indentured educated class is drowning and with it so is the middle class of America.

Many people are writing to me now and telling me they are suicidal, admitting to abusing alcohol (the age old 'remedy' to calm the nerves), and so forth. I try my best to be a resource and am humbled and honored to receive such raw, honest messages - I invite anyone to write to me. Part of my job as an advocate is to offer resources to the most desperate. More than that, I am simply here to listen to your stories. Someone must listen to you.

On another depressing note, defaulting on student loans is no longer uncommon. If it's not the norm, it's fast approaching that status. Indeed, defaults have sky-rocketed (as of October 2009, SLA reported that it was at $50.8 billion, and greater than the total GDP for Serbia!).

The macro understanding of these sorts of disasters matter to me (I was trained, after all, as a social scientist and historian). However, the personal stories that so many of you have shared with me are far more important and in my mind are far more revealing. These testaments show us the devastating affects of the student lending crisis. So, I have two questions for you, and hope that many of you will answer them (you can always post her anonymously):

(a) "how has the economic downturn changed your attitude about your student loans?"
(b) "do you have any strategic plans when or if you default?"

Note to my volunteers: Please check in with me ASAP and let me know what's going on in your local communities. If you would like to volunteer, please send me an email (ccrynjohannsen@gmail.com)

Don't be fooled by little Mary in the red dress and that embarrassing white apron-thingie on top (Yikes! Her mother should be ashamed of that despicable fashion combo!). While Mary may appear to be watching the TV in the same way as her family (i.e., like a bunch o' happy cattle chewin' on cud), she's already begun to think about the power of resistance in everyday life.

Betrayal in Kentucky, in North Carolina, and . . .

In June 2009 Stephen Burd over at the New American Foundation wrote a piece here that critiqued a NYT article on the 7000 nurses and teachers who were betrayed in Kentucky on their promise of student loan forgiveness. The NYT did an awful dang good job of making these teachers look bad. They pictured one young, indentured, educated couple with a flat screen television. The image is something that naturally suggests they aren't drowning in student loan debt and are clearly making foolish decisions when it comes to their finances. Oh, boy, I really liked how the NYT included this picture - it did a great service to these folks who were promised loan forgiveness and then were later informed that, uh, it wouldn't be happening. Oh, well, I guess in this country it's all right for lenders to back out on their promises.

But I digress. Back to the "important" things and real meat of this article.

One reader stated, "Sell the TV + one car, find part-time work and pay down debt. With IRS revenues are down 34% from last year and state revenues similarly down- I don't think we should expect a bailout."

But it's all right when the U.S. Government bails out the corporations that brought the world markets to their knees? Also, the economic health of society is driven by consumption. But that's really not the point. I am not in favor of a consumer-driven economy, but that's the absurd reality in which we all live and somehow accept. But it doesn't matter if this particular couple - who were clearly portrayed in an unfavorable light - own a flat-screen T.V. I mean, if you compare it to blaming a rape victim, it's like saying, "hey, rape victim, buy a pair of pants. Stop wearing short skirts." As the saying goes - it's your own damned fault that you're in the situation you're in. Hmph. It's just ridiculous and disgusting and pointless to say.  But thank you, NYT, for taking a picture of their flat screen-TV. Well done. Bravo.

Instead of looking at the bigger picture, instead of pointing out systemic abuse and corruption, we love to nit-pick. We love frivolity. We like to blast people for things that aren't even relevant to the bigger point - they were lied to, along with 7000 other educators in Kentucky. That's what matters. (We as a society prefer to blame the victim(s) and not look at why people are victimized). And I can assure this presumptuous and judgmental reader that most of the people I know who are drowning in student loan debt have more than 2 jobs. Some of them have 3 jobs. So there!

I know there's a close race right now in Kentucky with the Attorney General. He hasn't been sympathetic to these teachers, and I'd really like to talk to some of these educators about their situation. I think we could influence this primary if we were to raise some hell. Maybe that could make a difference .  . .

There's yet another case (shocking!) in N.C. too. There, about 70 teachers are claiming that they've been denied loan forgiveness.  But I am sure that there was some "misunderstanding." Even if there wasn't a misunderstanding, and the teachers are right, who knows if they'll be granted what they are owed. Just like the teachers in Kentucky. Meanwhile, no one in the press gives a damned about the student lending crisis. Nobody pays attention in this city - that's for sure. They've all been bought out by the lenders. To confirm the so-called legitimacy of higher education, they get to attend phony award ceremonies at universities (who are also to blame), and everybody in power gets to pat themselves on the back. Job. Well. Done. Perhaps they're hoping that this problem will just go away. Well, I have news for those who ignore the problem - it ain't going away, and we're organizing across this country to make a difference.

I'm on a mission too. I want all potential college students and their parents to boycott ALL universities and colleges. If you can't foot the bill: DO NOT GO. End of story. As I've said before, college is a racket.