Resolution in Regards to the Passage of the Debt Free Future Act
WHEREAS, student debt and public college inaccessibility disproportionately affects minority groups, and Salem State University will soon become a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) and Minority Serving Institution (MSI); and
WHEREAS, Salem State University is known for being a civically engaged campus, and influential community engaged leaders including Senator Joan Lovely, Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll, Representative Manny Cruz, District Attourney Paul Tucker, Healing Abuse Working for Change (HAWK) secretary Lauren Hubacheck and many others have graduated from or work at Salem State University; and
WHEREAS, the Salem State University class of 2023 with 924 students graduated with a total debt burden of $3.2 million; and
WHEREAS, higher education is an important pathway to economic mobility, and public university graduates are much more likely to remain in Massachusetts after graduation, starting families, contributing to the economy, and forming the fabric of our local communities; and
WHEREAS, the need for public education should not end at high school, but offer educational opportunity through a Bachelor’s Degree; and
WHEREAS, the Fair Share Amendment has been passed through the legislature, ensuring new funding for public education and transportation; and
WHEREAS, the Debt Free Future Act eliminates tuition and fees in all Massachusetts public colleges, making a college education accessible to a greater percentage of the population;
THEREFORE, Be it Resolved that the Salem City Council strongly urges that the Massachusetts legislature promptly vote The Debt Free Future Act (H.1265/S.823) favorably out of committee and pass it into law; and
THEREFORE, Be it Further Resolved that the Clerk of the City sends a copy of this resolution to the chairs and members of the Joint Committee on Higher Education, the Joint Committee on Ways and Means, the Senate President, the Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives, Senator Joan Lovely, Representative Manny Cruz, and the Governor Maura Healey.