Student campaign urges college debt turnaround
Amanda Goeser
Issue date: 10/2/08 Section: News
Nineteen thousand dollars. That's how much the average college student is in the hole.
"Almost two out of three college students owe an average of more than $19,000," according to gottuition.org. A nation-wide campaign sponsored by the National Education Association, Got Tuition? aims to take a stab at student debt.
On Sept. 25 the campaign visited Truman. As part of the event, students signed a petition to be delivered to Congress. The petition highlights the need for change in higher education affordability. Volunteers gave away T-shirts and footballs to the first 100 students who signed the petition, as well as information regarding the campaign.
Senior Kristina Rieman was first introduced to the Got Tuition? campaign this summer at a student leadership conference and was instrumental in bringing the Got Tuition? campaign to Truman.
"We had 294 signatures, which was as of that day, the largest in Missouri, but then later that night, I do believe they got 400 somewhere else," Rieman said. "We've also got the Web site out there, so people can sign the petition online."
The Day of Action at Truman was one of about 15 such days across the nation, with more institutions continually hosting the campaign.
Shilpa Reddy, is the spokesperson for the Got Tuition? Campaign. Based in Washington D.C., she helps leaders at individual schools host a Day of Action.
"What we wanted to make sure that any of these Days of Action included was grass-roots lobbying of members of Congress on issues that we think are important to college affordability," Reddy said. "The types of things we are asking Congress to take a look at are expanding loan forgiveness for public service careers, increasing the Pell Grant, lower interest rates for student loans, making sure that Federal Aid to states is consistent so that tuition won't have to be raised."
Given the ongoing economic crisis, student loans may become even harder to come by as banks compensate for the shortfall by awarding fewer loans, student loans included, Reddy said.
"Almost two out of three college students owe an average of more than $19,000," according to gottuition.org. A nation-wide campaign sponsored by the National Education Association, Got Tuition? aims to take a stab at student debt.
On Sept. 25 the campaign visited Truman. As part of the event, students signed a petition to be delivered to Congress. The petition highlights the need for change in higher education affordability. Volunteers gave away T-shirts and footballs to the first 100 students who signed the petition, as well as information regarding the campaign.
Senior Kristina Rieman was first introduced to the Got Tuition? campaign this summer at a student leadership conference and was instrumental in bringing the Got Tuition? campaign to Truman.
"We had 294 signatures, which was as of that day, the largest in Missouri, but then later that night, I do believe they got 400 somewhere else," Rieman said. "We've also got the Web site out there, so people can sign the petition online."
The Day of Action at Truman was one of about 15 such days across the nation, with more institutions continually hosting the campaign.
Shilpa Reddy, is the spokesperson for the Got Tuition? Campaign. Based in Washington D.C., she helps leaders at individual schools host a Day of Action.
"What we wanted to make sure that any of these Days of Action included was grass-roots lobbying of members of Congress on issues that we think are important to college affordability," Reddy said. "The types of things we are asking Congress to take a look at are expanding loan forgiveness for public service careers, increasing the Pell Grant, lower interest rates for student loans, making sure that Federal Aid to states is consistent so that tuition won't have to be raised."
Given the ongoing economic crisis, student loans may become even harder to come by as banks compensate for the shortfall by awarding fewer loans, student loans included, Reddy said.
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