President Obama's Weekly Address 9/12/15: A New College Scorecard

WASHINGTON, DC — In this week's address, the President announced the launch of a new College Scorecard, meant to help students and parents identify which schools provide the biggest bang for your buck. Designed with input from those who will use it most, the Scorecard offers reliable data on factors important to prospective students, such as how much graduates earn, and how much debt they have when they graduate. In an economy where some higher education is still the surest ticket to the middle class, the choices that Americans make when searching for and selecting a college have never been more important. That’s why the President is committed to making sure there exists reliable information that helps students find the college that best fits their needs so that they can succeed.

President Obama's Weekly Address 3/14/15: A Student Aid Bill of Rights

WASHINGTON, DC — In this week’s address, President Obama laid out his vision for quality, affordable higher education for all Americans. Today, a college degree is the surest ticket to the middle class and beyond, but it has also never been more expensive. Everyone, from elected officials to universities to business leaders, has a part to play in making college affordable for all students. The President has already made historic investments in college education affordability, and earlier this week, he announced a Student Aid Bill of Rights – a set of guiding principles behind his vision for affordable education. In his address the President urged everyone to visit WhiteHouse.gov/CollegeOpportunity and sign this declaration, because together we can ensure students who work hard for a college degree do not graduate saddled with debt.

Pallone Highlights President Obama’s Community College Proposal During Event At Middlesex County College

EDISON, NJ – Today, Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) hosted an event at Middlesex County College to highlight President Obama’s plan to make community college free for responsible students. Congressman Pallone was joined by Joann La Perla-Morales, President of Middlesex County College; New Jersey Assemblyman Patrick J. Diegnan, Jr.; Middlesex County Freeholder Director Ronald G. Rios; and students of the college.

“I have always supported improving access to higher education, and I think President Obama’s proposal to make community college free would be a tremendous step toward making the costs of higher education more affordable,” said Pallone. “Here in New Jersey, and across the nation, community colleges offer educational opportunity to students just beginning higher education, to people already in the workforce looking to gain additional training, and for the unemployed looking to change careers. The President’s proposal could benefit them all, and countless others for whom higher education currently seems unattainable.”

The proposal, which the President discussed in his State of the Union address earlier this week, would make two years of community college as free and universal as high school, so long as students enroll in a certain number of classes, maintain a 2.5 GPA, and make progress toward completing their program.

President Obama's Weekly Address 8/16/14 : Everyone Should Be Able to Afford Higher Education

WASHINGTON, DC — In this week’s address, with schools getting ready to open their doors again over the next few weeks, the President talked directly to students and parents about the importance of preparing for an education beyond high school. In today’s economy, some higher education continues to be the surest ticket to the middle class, but for too many families across the country, paying for higher education is a constant struggle. The President and First Lady know this first hand – they only finished paying off their student loans ten years ago – and that’s why they have made it a priority to help make college more affordable for families. They have taken action to reform student loans, expand grants and college tax credits, help make loan payments more manageable, and have proposed plans to make sure colleges also do their part to bring down costs. And just this week, as part of the President’s Year of Action, the administration announced a new series of commitments to support students who need a little extra academic help getting through college.

The High Cost of Higher Education

The following is from Congressman Rush Holt's newsletter:

We can all agree that college costs have made it difficult for too many to afford to attend college. Yet at today’s interest rates, the typical student borrower can expect to pay at least $6,000 in additional interest to the federal government over the life of a loan, and some students pay far more. Because of that, the federal government actually makes a profit from student borrowers – about $66 billion on loans issued from 2007 through 2012.

Congress shouldn’t balance the federal budget on the backs of students. Senator Elizabeth Warren and Representative John Tierney have introduced a bill to allow borrowers with outstanding student loan debt to refinance at new, lower interest rates. I am a co-sponsor.

It seems unfair that people of lower income, who must borrow money to get an education, have to pay more for that education. It works against the upward mobility we prize.

I encourage you to make sure you’re taking advantage of all programs available to keep your student loan debt manageable, such as income-based repayment plans and public service loan forgiveness. Learn more about them here.

Cultivating the Next Generation of Innovators

I recently recognized the winners of my first Congressional STEM App Competition. The contest, conducted in Congressional districts around the country, asks high school students to develop a prototype of a mobile application to connect Americans with their government. The competition is a reminder of the need to ensure that our students learn the scientific and technological skills essential to their success in the 21st century.

Winners Nishil Shah, Ram Vellanki, and Rohith Varansai from South Brunswick High School created an app called "MyGov" to improve communication between constituents and their respective government officials. My distinguished selection committee and I were impressed with their coding skills and their understanding of the importance of a functional representative government. You may view a virtual demonstration of the app here.

Obtaining a Long Overdue Recognition

On February 15, 1969, while on a sweep mission in Vietnam, C Troop in the 25th Infantry Division of the U.S. Army came under fire. Then-Specialist James Perkins braved heavy enemy fire to keep his advancing troop in line, standing atop his vehicle and using hand signals to direct his comrades forward. Despite sustaining injuries in action, Specialist Perkins remained undeterred.

Mr. Perkins did not receive a Purple Heart, and recently contacted me to ask if he should have received the award. Indeed, he should have. I was honored to recently present the Purple Heart which Mr. Perkins had earned. The long-overdue medal is a lasting, public recognition of Mr. Perkins’ service to the United States.

If you know a veteran who also is due a medal or award that she or he never received, pleasee-mail me or call me at 1-87-RUSH-HOLT so that our nation may properly honor our heroes.

Sincerely,

Rush Holt
Member of Congress

President Obama's Weekly Address 8/24/13: Making Higher Education More Affordable for the Middle Class

WASHINGTON, DC— In his weekly address, President Obama noted that while college education has never been more important, it has also never been more expensive. That’s why the President proposed major new reforms to make college more affordable for middle class families and those fighting to get into the middle class. The President’s bold plan would tie federal financial aid to the value and opportunity that colleges provide students, encourage innovation and competition, and help Americans manage their existing student debt by allowing everyone to cap monthly payments at 10 percent of their discretionary income. The President acknowledged that these reforms won’t be popular with everyone – especially those who benefit from the status quo – but we have to shake up the current system because the path we’re on is simply unsustainable.

Making College More Affordable

From the E-Newsletter of Congressman Rush Holt:


This is a challenging moment for students and young workers in New Jersey. College has never been more crucial to our economy and to job creation than it is today – but college also is more expensive now than ever before.

As a longtime teacher, I have seen firsthand the power of higher education to transform lives, and I want to share with you the steps I am taking in Congress to make college more affordable:

Congressman Rush Holt

• Keeping College Loan Rates Low. A few years ago, I helped write a law that cut student loan interest rates from 6.8 to 3.4 percent, saving the average student borrower more than $2,000. Recently, the new tea party members in Congress sought to undo this rate cut, creating an unnecessary crisis as students sought to plan for the year ahead.  The good news is that I helped reach a compromise to ensure that rates will remain low for at least another year, helping 144,000 New Jersey students. Please know that I am supporting legislation to make the rate cut permanent.
   
• Helping Math and Science Teachers Afford College. The TEACH Grant program, created by a law that I helped write, provides up to $4,000 a year in grants – up to $16,000 over four years – for students who commit to teaching math, science, or foreign language for at least five years.
   
• Supporting Graduates Who Enter Public Service. Students who want to serve their communities as teachers, police officers, firefighters, and soldiers should not be prevented from doing so by college debt. A law that I helped write forgives student loan debt after 10 years for graduates who enter public service.

Education is key to the American Dream for individuals – and importantly, it is key to our nation’s economic future. Each of us has a stake in ensuring that the next generation of workers, business leaders, and innovators has access to the opportunities they need to learn, succeed, and create new jobs.

Resources to Make College More Affordable

Recently, I joined officials from Rutgers and the New Jersey Higher Education Student Assistance Authority to talk with local students and parents about college aid opportunities.  Among the resources we shared:

• StudentAid.Ed.Gov is the Education Department’s official source for free information on preparing for and funding education beyond high school.
   
• www.HESAA.Org, the New Jersey Higher Education Student Assistance Authority’s website, offers information on grants, scholarship, loans, and programs for veterans.

I am always happy to help you learn more about college affordability options or to help resolve problems with your student loans. Send a message atholt.house.gov/contact or call 1-87-RUSH-HOLT (1-877-874-4658).

Sincerely,

Rush Holt
Member of Congress

President Obama's Weekly Address 4/28/12: Helping our Veterans and Servicemembers Make Informed Decisions about Higher Education

WASHINGTON, DC— In this week’s address, President Obama told the American people about a new Executive Order he signed on Friday to crack down on bad actors that prey on our veterans and service members considering higher education. Unfortunately these brave men and women are often bombarded by schools that provide false or misleading information about things like interest rates on loans, credit transfers, and job placement programs. The President’s new Executive Order makes it easier for veterans and service members to make informed decisions about financial aid and paying for college and also takes a number of steps to fight deceptive practices by some institutions. President Obama will always make sure that those who serve this country get every opportunity they deserve.

President Obama's Weekly Address 4/21/12: Calling on Congress to Prevent Student Interest Rates from Doubling

WASHINGTON, DC—In this week’s address, President Obama called on Congress to act before student loan interest rates double for more than 7.4 million students, adding an average of $1000 to their debt. Having a college education has never been more important, but it’s also never been more expensive. While the Obama administration has taken historic steps to provide Americans with a fair shot at an affordable college education, Republicans in Congress have instead prioritized huge new tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires. Congress has a chance to take action on what should be an area of bipartisan agreement to prevent this unnecessary and damaging increase in interest rates and give our young people a chance to succeed in the jobs of today and tomorrow.

NJPP Monday Minute 4/19/10: Christie budget gets an "F" in higher education cuts

In preparation for yearly budget hearings, the Office of Legislative Services analyzes each state department and posts analyses online. Because the Christie administration was slow to provide budget details this year, OLS analyses are less comprehensive than in past years. The information available, however, details significant changes in the administration's proposed appropriations for higher education.

OLS' Higher Educational Services report estimates that resources available to students and institutions of higher education will be nearly 14 percent less than current year spending. Of the more than 30 detailed changes included in this analysis, only one represents an increased appropriation.

COLLEGE FUNDING
Because state funding to colleges and universities has decreased while operating costs increased, state support as a share of college budgets has declined precipitously - from an average across all of the colleges and universities of 48 percent in 1990 to less than 14 percent in the budget Gov. Christie has proposed for FY 2011. Cuts in institutional funding and caps on tuition and fees limit the number and scope of courses colleges can offer.


TUITION AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
The Christie administration proposes reductions in support to state colleges and universities, and funding cuts to all financial assistance programs but one.

On average, college tuitions in New Jersey are already among the highest in the nation. A survey for 2007-2008 by The College Board ranked New Jersey's $9,984 in-state average tuition and fees as second only to Vermont's $10,428.

As tuition and fees have grown, student assistance also has generally increased - until this year. Tuition Aid Grants (TAG) and the New Jersey Student Tuition Assistance Reward Scholarship I and II (NJSTARS) are the state's largest aid programs. TAG may see a cut of $10.9 million to $292.6 million in FY 2011. Currently, one in three full-time New Jersey college students receives a TAG grant. The budget estimates that TAG appropriations will support 63,735 students in academic year 2010-2011, 924 more than in 2009-2010. It will support more students, in part, because awards to students at private colleges would be much smaller due to a reduction in the maximum size of these awards.

The budget plans to increase the NJSTARS programs by $1.46 million to $20.1 million. This is the only increase identified in the OLS analysis. But while it is expected to support 2,100 students in college now (252 more than in 2009-2010), incoming freshman students to county colleges who do not already have a scholarship lined up are out of luck. No support will be available to them for the foreseeable future.

THOMAS EDISON STATE COLLEGE
Perhaps the most bizarre recommendation regarding higher education in the FY 2011 budget is the elimination of the $5.3 million appropriation to Trenton's Thomas Edison State College (TESC) and the recommendation that it (along with the state library and the state museum) be transferred to Rutgers University "as a new model for the revitalization of Trenton's cultural district." Presidents Pruitt at TESC and McCormick at Rutgers reportedly heard about this plan only shortly before the Governor's budget address.

The colleges have little in common and seem to have little to offer one another. TESC's instructional program is not provided through a traditional classroom but as distance learning through online courses. According to NJ Biz, TESC's 18,206 students make it the second largest institution of higher education in New Jersey (after Rutgers and just ahead of Montclair State University). Just under half of its students are active duty military personnel; the remainder are non-military and about 5,500 of them are New Jersey residents. Because TESC has no residential facilities and no campus-based classrooms, its costs are lower. Its $4,815 in-state and $6,840 out-of-state tuition and fees are respectively about 40 percent and 33 percent of those charged at Rutgers.

It is unclear how either institution would gain. Rutgers limits the number of credits that can be transferred from other institutions; TESC does not. Rutgers limits the number of credits that can be earned through testing, prior learning assessment or from military and/or corporate training; TESC does not. Rutgers has few programs tailored to adults and has limited experience with online education for adults; this is TESC's bread and butter. Rutgers operates on a traditional academic calendar; TESC begins a new semester each month, enabling students to begin when they are ready and finish when they complete their degree requirements.

Considering these differences, it is difficult to believe anyone thought about this much at all-particularly when it must happen by July 1 after less than four months of deliberation. In a budget as loaded with controversy and questionable decisions as this one, what really is the point here and who benefits?

FLUNKING OUT
A recent update of NJPP's 2006 report Flunking Out: New Jersey's Support for Higher Education Falls Short found that the budget cuts proposed by the Christie Administration will likely lead to tuition increases, a serious hardship as the state-and the nation-struggle with recession. The further erosion of state support will make it more difficult for the state's colleges and universities to maintain their current programs and will curtail growth. The longer the state waits to invest in these institutions, the more expensive it will be to do it.

Gov. Christie is well aware that New Jersey institutions of higher education are under-funded. His own transition team reported that, "...some [are] grossly under-funded, so more funding for operating support would be a positive thing, especially given NJ's bottom-of-the-nation ranking in funding changes for higher education over the last several years."

Education is vital for those entering the job market, for those in low-level jobs and for the unemployed. The higher tuition rates rise, the tougher it will be to get that education. The state's future and economic vitality is a function of the quality of its workforce. Without a quality workforce, New Jersey will limit its ability to participate in a high tech economy.

The state's decision makers need to consider strong support of New Jersey's universities as a vital and necessary investment in New Jersey's future and economy - this budget proposal does not take this long-range view.

Corzine at Montclair State

Governor Jon Corzine heads to Montclair State to talk about the new Economic Recovery Legislation and what it will do for higher education in NJ.