"Liberal Education" spoke with two higher education policy experts on what they expect and hope for from the Biden administration. Viviann Anguiano is an associate director for postsecondary education at the Center for American Progress. Eric R. Felix is an assistant professor at San Diego State University, specializing in higher…

Secretary of Education William J Bennett's use of for-profit schools as a metaphor for all student-loan collection problems threatens to reduce the financial options for low-income, educational at-risk youth. More grant aid is a better solution than additional barriers to student eligibility. (MSE)

Consists of background information on and an interview with United States Representative William D. Ford, a Democrat from Michigan. Topics discussed include private technical schools, public funding of training, high-risk students, the student loan default rate issue, and accountability. (CH)

A proposed change in federal student loan policy from providing loans through lending institutions to providing loans directly to students is of enormous importance to higher education, with major implications for colleges and universities. There are powerful arguments pro and con. Institutions must ensure they and policymakers understand the…

Student loan debt levels are discussed in relation to borrowing patterns, educational opportunity, and cost-effectiveness of a college education; and common concerns about debt level are examined. It is concluded that while student indebtedness is high, these concerns are out of proportion to reality and reflect inappropriate assumptions about…

A discussion of the problem of student loan defaults places the issue in the context of loan program history and current federal policy. It argues that the situation is more complex than some public officials admit, and that short-term solutions will not effectively address the long-term problem. (MSE)

The new Australian Higher Education Contribution Scheme allows students to either pay a standard tuition charge on enrollment or defer payment until they are earning at least the current average taxable income. At that point, they incur a debt to the government for the amount deferred and repayment rate is based on income. Conceptual bases and…

Hearings were conducted to discuss legislation aimed at reducing student loan defaults in the federal Guaranteed Student Loan program. The Student Default Initiative Act of 1988 is designed to address the growing cost of student loan defaults and the increasing imbalance between grant and loan assistance. It develops a procedure to get the…

Hearings on the question of debt collection on student loans are presented. It is noted that in 1981 the Department of Education decided that collections on student loans would be shifted from the public to the private sector. The following concerns are addressed: the reasons for the Department's decision to transfer collection of defaulted…

Actions that a college might pursue if they have difficulty meeting their financial obligations on dormitory construction loans are discussed by the president of Kansas Wesleyan University. It is noted that when the administration of the loan program was shifted to the new Department of Education (the Department), the agency pushed to collect all…

Issues concerning mortgage-backed student loans are examined, with attention to the new tax law, policy and practical concerns that a college should address before starting this type of loan program, public policy issues, and two types of plans. The Tax Reform Act of 1986 phases out the deductibility of consumer interest charges and as a result…

Student borrowing for higher education has increased dramatically, and some students begin their adult lives with considerable debt. Financial burden measures should be incorporated into student loan repayment requirements and used to adjust either monthly or annual repayments or the period of repayment. Reducing debt burden would help make…

The merits of providing more loan opportunities to parents and students and the implications of this growing reliance on borrowing are considered. The objective is to clarify the alternative federal aid approaches that will be discussed as part of the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act. Federally-sponsored loan programs include Guaranteed…

Seven plans for financing higher education's expansion in the United Kingdom are described, analyzed, and compared, particularly as each addresses three issues: student loan program design; tuition; and student loan repayment. Criteria for evaluating the plans include efficiency, equity, and implications for stability of public spending. The…

In 1979 the Congress and the administration will consider legislation to extend and revise the Higher Education Act and, in the process, will review the structure of the student-aid system. Several alternatives are likely to be considered, but a fourth is proposed here: a major overhaul of the existing package of programs to make them more…