independent policy analyst
Independent policy analyst in Washington, DC, who has been involved in federal higher education issues for more than 20, including as former Associate Executive Director of AACRAO, the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers
Student Debt Crisis With the cost of a college education going up so fast, students are graduating with more and more debt, and a growing number of them are defaulting on that debt. That’s bad for their future finances, and it could have a huge impact on the U.S. economy.
Solving the Student Loan Nightmare More than 20 million students are expected to fill out FAFSA -- the Free Application for Federal Student Aid -- this year: 108 questions spread over 10 pages. And 72 pages of instructions. Now two U.S. senators have proposed reducing the form to the length of a postcard with just two questions.
Student Aid and College Failure As the gap grows between the rich and the poor in America's evolving economy, financial aid for college is supposed to be a great equalizer, but it's not working out that way. While 70 percent of wealthiest students graduate, just 26 percent of the poorest make it, even with $226 billion in aid for the academically qualified. Dropouts are left with tens of thousands of dollars in student-loan debt, but without diplomas to get good jobs to help pay it off. Is it time to reform student aid so it helps improve future prospects instead of making them worse?
Will College Become Unaffordable for a Majority of Americans? A moment ago, we heard about increased unemployment in the United States. The unemployment rate for college and university graduates is half what it is for the workforce as a whole. But rising costs are putting college and university degrees out of reach for most young Americans. In the past 25 years, tuition and fees have gone up 439% while median income has risen by 147%, and student loans are saddling graduates with more and more debt. For the first time in American history, older adults have more education than younger ones, while other countries are educating their children faster. That's ominous news for a country that attained world leadership because of higher education.
Accusations of lying fly between James Comey and White House During his testimony Thursday, former FBI Director James Comey accused President Trump and other White House officials of lying when they said the FBI was in disarray and its staff had lost confidence in him. President Trump’s lawyer said Comey was wrong -- that the president never asked for his loyalty, and never asked him to back off the investigation into former NSA director Michael Flynn.
Why did Jared Kushner want a back channel with Russians? News broke Friday that President Trump’s son-in-law and senior advisor, Jared Kushner, tried setting up a back channel between the Trump transition team and the Russian government. What are the consequences for Kushner, President Trump, and the investigation into Russian meddling?