Campus thoughts on student loan forgiveness plan

On Aug 24, President Joe Biden said students who have an outstanding student loan debt up to about $10,000, may be eligible to qualify for the Student Loan Forgiveness plan. Those who accepted Pell Grants during their education can qualify up to $25,000. If the student has the said amount piling up, and their income (or their parents) is less than $125,000, they will be eligible, according to the Associated Press.

Students at the Richland campus of Dallas College had their opinions about this proposal. Peter Cho, lab specialist of the Art Department t said, “I think that it’s brilliant to have student debt eliminated.” Cho is an Iraqi war veteran and didn’t need to apply. He was supported by a GI Bill from his service with the U.S. Army. He said that he had to apply for the bill to also help pay for his expenses.

“I don’t think education should be on that steep of a price, especially turning into some kind of industry,” Cho referring to how expensive college can be, it may turn into a corporate enterprise.

“Back then, it used to be far cheaper to get a degree than it is now and I just think that student debt is garbage,” Cho said. “I’ve always heard that people (students) have changed their subject (majors) like five times.”

Cho said that he believes students who are fairly young when entering college should have a right to discover their desired career paths.

Richland science major Myesa Haque said, “I think that it should work the same way financial aid does.” Students that pass their classes with a minimum of a C, don’t need to pay back the Pell Grant they were awarded.

“Where if you look at household incomes and determine who gets financial aid or a debt relief”

Most Americans make less than $100,000, according to the data organization World Population Review, and some students, depending on the financial situation of their parents may not qualify for financial aid.

Richland High School student Jannat Liya plans on majoring in computer science. “I don’t have any, like, college loans or anything to pay off right now, but a lot of students do.” Liya said. “So I think that it is helpful that they would pass that and not everyone can [like] afford to pay their debt before they die.”

Kelly Sonnanstine, Office of Student Life coordinator at Richland, said she fully supports the Student Debt Forgiveness program.

“I think that this will give a lot of people a little bit of relief. Many people will likely be completely out of debt once it happens.

“Yes, it will increase our national debt but there are tons of places where we spend exorbitant amounts of money that can be shaved. [I] think military spending. Does this solve all the issues? No! Not even close,” Sonnanstine said.

“The root of the issue is not the loans and people not paying them back. The root of the issue is the cost of higher education. It is just too much for many people. It has become an elitist privilege for people and also keeps others in a lower caste. Plus, even though you might not be able to afford it, you have to have it to get a decent job. And then the ‘decent job’ still isn’t enough to live on with the debt,” said Sonnanstine.

Sonnanstine is still paying off her student loans.

“I was very fortunate to have a ton of scholarship money for my undergraduate degree and then was able to pay off the undergraduate loans. The master’s degree loans, however, are a bit tougher. I was in a situation where I lost my job in the housing crash while I was in school so I had to live off of loans. Florida was hit very hard by that whole mess and many people were in the same situation. When you have to live off of loans, they pile up quickly. I am, however, in the place where I have worked for the college for 10 years and made payments faithfully, so it could fall into the total forgiveness category. I’m keeping my fingers crossed.”

Richland biology professor Jill Buettner can afford to pay for her two children to go to college and also in support of the bill.

“For my personal point of view, which is that I have enough money to pay for taxes, so that is not a driving factor in my decisions which it is for some people. You know, anytime you mention a tax hike it’s an absolute ‘no!’” said Buettner.

Some Americans may be opposed to this bill that may seem unfair that it may require more taxes. Buettner stated that this would benefit many people that she knows.

“I know my daughter’s boyfriend is working a full-time job now and struggling to pay for what he did to borrow during his undergraduate years,” Buettner said.

According to the AP, the package will help about 43 million Americans. A third of that number owe less than $10,000 and the national student debt is already over $1.6 trillion. The student loan payment freeze that was initially set to expire on Aug 31 has been extended for the final time through Dec. 31 because of people who were struggling financially during the pandemic.