President, Institute for College Access and Success
President of the Institute for College Access and Success, a nonprofit research and advocacy group that works to make higher education more affordable
PROFILE
Lauren Asher
Guest
FROM Lauren Asher
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
Corinthian Colleges Closes Its Doors Corinthian Colleges officially went out of business today. It was once one of the country’s biggest for-profit college chains. But now, the Santa Ana-based Corinthian Colleges has shut down its remaining two dozen campuses. Corinthian owned Everest College, WyoTech, and Heald College schools. The company gave almost no warning to the nearly 16,000 students affected by the closures. And it was already in big trouble before today. Corinthian had been accused of falsifying job placement rates by the federal Department of Education, and was under investigation in several states. We learn more about its troubled history and what former students are struggling with.
Which Way, L.A.?
Student Loans: Does Public Money Need Private Administration? The big news on Sunday was House passage of healthcare reform and the so-called " reconciliation " bill that now goes to the Senate. Hardly noticed was that "reconciliation" also included the biggest change in the student loan program since 1965.
To the Point
Student Loans: Does Public Money Need Private Administration? The scenario is all too familiar: increased demand and rising costs; diminishing revenues during a major recession. It's not healthcare, it's higher education. Yet -- almost without notice -- the two were packaged together in the reconciliation bill passed by the House on Sunday. The biggest student-loan change in 45 years would eliminate private middlemen in favor of government lending directly to struggling students. Some, but not all, of $61 billion in savings would go to Pell Grants for the neediest. Not one Republican voted for it. We hear the pros and cons.
Recommended
To the Point
Replacing Obamacare: Now you see it… now you don’t As the Senate deliberates replacing Obmacare, health coverage for millions of people is at stake. There've been no public hearings, and a draft measure won't be made public. Is the House version so unpopular that that Senate is hiding a version that looks much the same?
To the Point
Human Rights in the era of Donald Trump President Trump’s UN Ambassador, Nikki Haley, said today the US might pull out of the United Nations’ Human Rights Council. Serious violators of human rights are members of the Council itself–and a US resignation could make things worse. Later on today’s show, now that he’s into his second term, comedian turned US Senator Al Franken is telling jokes again.
To the Point
Will the Senate write a healthcare bill in secret? While Democrats and Republicans argue White House relations with Russia, another question is being decided behind closed doors: who gets help buying health insurance and who doesn't? We hear how the pros and cons are being shrouded in secrecy.