Take a minute (well, actually a minute and a half) to watch great TV coverage about the Student Speakout at Holyoke Community College. Organized by PHENOM members, drawing a large crowd, this event clearly struck a nerve.
Nationally, two-thirds of the class of 2011 held student loans, with the average amount owed being $26,600, according to a report from the Institute for College Access & Success’ Project on Student Debt, that’s 5% more than just one year previously. This is severely impacting families, hurting the economy as it tries to get out of a recession, and is a major threat to our country’s future.
PHENOM will be focusing on the issue of debt this year, and specifically looking at state policies that exacerbate or ameliorate the debt crisis. This will include legislation, budget priorities, and tax policy.