Six months after Wisconsin student loan debt specialist appointed, website set to launch
One Wisconsin Now questioned why Weiss hasn't been more visible, noting DFI's website doesn't appear to offer any contact information. [Capital Times]
Higher Education
New Polls Find Overwhelming Support for Allowing Refinancing of Student Loans
Over 80 Percent of Survey Respondents in Three Swing State Senate Districts Back Allowing Wisconsin Student Loan Borrowers to Refinance.
One Wisconsin Institute Unveils First-of-Its-Kind Student Loan Voter Scorecard
At StudentLoanVoter.org, Wisconsin Voters Can Find Out Who Is, And Who Isn’t, Supporting Common Sense Reforms to Reduce Burden on Student Loan Borrowers.
Globe University Supporter Sen. Ron Johnson ‘Has Some Explaining to Do’ After Court Fraud Ruling
According to media reports, a Minnesota judge has ruled that the for-profit Globe University has violated state consumer protection and fraud laws.
ITT Tech Shuts Its Doors; Walker, Schimel & Johnson Provide ‘Aid and Comfort’ to Predatory For-Profit Colleges
ITT Tech announced it's closing immediately, leaving hundreds of Wisconsin students in limbo, while Republicans give aid and comfort to predatory for-profits.
‘Hard Questions’ About Sen. Ron Johnson’s Opposition to Common Sense Student Debt Reforms Provoke Unhinged Radio Rant
U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson has certainly earned his Ph.D. in Washington D.C. doublespeak with his outburst this week.
What Is it With Republican Support of For-Profit College Scams?
Scott Walker and Ron Johnson oppose allowing more than 500,000 Wisconsin student loan borrowers to refinance their loans, just like you can a mortgage.
Critics howl in response to Ron Johnson’s call to replace college instructors with videos
“We know Ron Johnson graduated from college 40 years ago, but we assumed it was from a university here on planet Earth,” quipped Scot Ross, executive director of One Wisconsin Now. [Capital Times]
Gov. Scott Walker Does Nothing for One Million Student Loan Borrowers
Walker is making education less and less affordable, with serious consequences for our state economy and the best he can do is apparently hold photo ops with bureaucrats.
Fighting Bob Fest to rev up progressives again
Fighting Bob Fest 2016 is less than a month away... Among the other speakers will be Scot Ross, who has feverishly campaigned for college loan reform. [Capital Times]
Ron Johnson Says We Should Replace College with Video Tapes
We know Ron Johnson graduated from college 40 years ago, but we assumed it was from a university here on planet Earth.
One Wisconsin Now Sponsored Mobile Billboard Encourages People to Tell Wisconsin Senator to Get in Gear and Support Student Loan Debt Reforms
On the critical issue of student debt and college affordability, Sen. Ron Johnson could not be worse.
Gov. Walker’s Election Year Tuition Gimmick Fails Student Loan Borrowers
Walker Has Presided Over 40,000 Eligible Students Being Denied Financial Aid, Wisconsin Rising to 3rd Highest in Nation in Grads with Student Debt
Hillary Clinton Uses Historic Address to Tout Student Loan Reforms
Democratic Presidential nominee Hillary Clinton used her historic address this evening to outline her solutions to the $1.4 trillion student loan debt crisis.
Student Loan Refinancing Takes Center Stage at Democratic Convention
Unfortunately, Republicans like Ron Johnson and Scott Walker think student loan borrowers should be left to the mercy of Wall Street profiteers.
Republican National Convention Student Loan Debt Tally: 43 Million Americans With $1.3 Trillion in Student Loan Debt, 0 Mentions in Addresses of Rep. Paul Ryan, Rep. Sean Duffy and Sen. Ron Johnson
Speeches of three Wisconsin officials – Reps. Paul Ryan and Sean Duffy and Sen. Ron Johnson – contained zero references to the crisis of student debt.
Sen. Ron Johnson Ought to be Apologizing Instead of Bragging About Record on Student Loan Debt
He’s stood in the way of common sense refinancing to help millions of borrowers across the nation and in Wisconsin.
Ron Johnson’s Bad Endorsement: Trump U as Solution to Student Loan Debt Crisis
Trump University left students across the country deep in debt. Will Ron Johnson continue to endorse more for-profit colleges as a solution to the student loan debt crisis?
Would Trump University Have Gotten Less Scrutiny in Wisconsin Under Law Change Proposed by Gov. Walker After Taking $10,000 Trump Contribution?
Donald Trump gives Scott Walker the maximum contribution for his re-election campaign, Scott Walker turns around and seeks to make oversight of the for-profit college racket more difficult.
Scott Walker: Trump donation was not accompanied by any Trump U conversations
The liberal group One Wisconsin Now raised questions about the timing of that proposal in relation to the ongoing Trump University investigation and Trump's donation to Walker. [Capital Times]
House Speaker Paul Ryan’s Plan Doesn’t Include Common Sense Student Debt Refinancing
It's appalling Ryan would call his plan a better way while refusing to help any of the 43 million Americans with over $1.3 trillion in student loan debt.
Russ Renews Call for Refinancing of Federal Student Loans
Russ Feingold is standing with student loan borrowers in Wisconsin and renewing the call for common sense reform to allow them to refinance their loans.
Analiese Eicher: Indentured servitude isn’t answer to student debt crisis
The crisis of college affordability and student loan debt demands solutions. Turning students into modern-day indentured servants is not among them. [Wisconsin State Journal]
Analiese Eicher: Congratulations, grads — you’re borrowers now
Let’s celebrate the accomplishments of our graduates and let’s resolve to make sure they don’t face futures needlessly burdened by student debt. [Capital Times]
Gov. Scott Walker Refuses to Help One Million Wisconsin Student Loan Borrowers With Their Student Loan Debt, Wants Help Paying Off His From Disastrous Presidential Bid
Scott Walker is now asking for campaign donations to pay off the massive debt from his failed 71 day campaign for President because his sons are in college.
the Student Loan Debt Project
Confronting the 21st Century’s Third Rail of Economic Politics
Fourth Anniversary of Student Debt Reaching $1 Trillion Finds Wisconsin Republicans Still Opposing Common Sense Reform
Wisconsin Republicans stand united against common sense solutions to the student loan debt crisis that today marks the fourth anniversary of hitting and surpassing the $1 trillion mark.
As Tax Filing Deadline Looms, Gov. Walker and GOP Legislature Miss Another Chance to Help Wisconsin Student Loan Borrowers
Gov. Scott Walker and the Republican legislature did nothing as the student loan debt crisis worsens, refusing to act on the ‘Higher Ed, Lower Debt’ Act.
Gender Pay Gap Adds to Student Loan Debt Crisis for Wisconsin Women
On Equal Pay Day it’s important to consider the real, negative economic consequences for women and their families when it takes them on average over four months longer for their annual pay to reach the same level as men.
Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker names specialist on student loan crisis
The announcement drew criticism from One Wisconsin Now, a left-leaning advocacy group. Many in the state have called for allowing student loans to be refinanced, like mortgages and car loans. [UPI]
Scott Walker names student loan debt specialist
One million Wisconsin student loan borrowers want action and Gov. Scott Walker's 'solution' is reassigning a bureaucrat to answer the phone. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]
Debt Perception
Based on current projections by One Wisconsin Institute, a nonprofit organization that conducts research on student loan debt, it will take 21 years or so to repay this amount. [Workforce]
Student Loan Debt Takes National Stage in Wisconsin
Democrats Offering Student Loan Refinancing, Affordability; Republicans Offering Free Student Labor, Trump’s Scam University, Cuts to Higher Education
Walker’s college affordability bills pass, minus cornerstone provision
Analiese Eicher said she believes Republicans only intended to pass "political talking points." The group has highlighted the issue of student loan debt for several years. [Capital Times]
$0.0: Total Amount of Help Student Loan Borrowers Will Get From Senate Republicans
It would have only taken some common sense to provide real help to student loan borrowers. Apparently that was too much to ask for from Senate Republicans.
Harsdorf, Senate GOP Kills Student Loan Refinancing Plan
Gov. Walker and the Republicans have been exposed as phonies on the student loan debt crisis. They’ve made the crisis worse.
GOP and Dems push for college affordability, with many voters listening
The liberal organization One Wisconsin Now, for example, has researched the economic impacts of student loan debt since 2011. [La Crosse Tribune]
Scot Ross: Give Gov. Scott Walker an ‘incomplete’ on student debt
Make no mistake, Walker didn't create Wisconsin's student loan debt. But his attacks on higher education, combined with his anemic response to the $19 billion crisis, are much like his own college career: Incomplete. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]
Research Finds Student Loan Debt Driving Increased Debt Among Older Americans
Student loan debt is burdening young people who’ve just graduated and threatening the retirements of people who have worked hard their entire lives.
College affordability package clears Assembly, path unclear in Senate
Republicans are trying to pass off a scheme that denies every single person in with student debt any help lowering their monthly loan payment as a solution to the student loan debt crisis. [Capital Times]
Assembly passes college affordability bills
One Wisconsin Now released a statement condemning state lawmakers who vote in favor of passing the package, saying the measures do not go far enough to address student loan debt. [Milwaukee Business News]
Republicans Pull Student Loan Bait and Switch With Scheme Denying Any Help Lowering Monthly Loan Payments
In the waning days of the final legislative floor period Republicans are trying to pull a bait and switch on nearly one million Wisconsin student loan borrowers.
Presidential Candidates With College Affordability Plans Come to Wisconsin
When the candidates debate tonight in Wisconsin, they’ll be appearing in the state with the third highest percentage of college graduates with student loan debt.
Dave Zweifel: Yet again Wisconsin is choking on Gopher dust
As Scot Ross, director of One Wisconsin Now, pointed out, not one student loan borrower in Wisconsin will see their monthly payments reduced by one cent under the Wisconsin governor’s proposal. [Chippewa Herald]
UW-L professor thinks it’s silly not to let students refinance debt
Scot Ross with the group suggests that some Wisconsin auto plants may have shut down because college loan debt is keeping many people from buying new cars. [WIZM-FM]
Democratic legislators push for student debt solutions
“I carry with me the stories of hundreds of folks across Wisconsin and how this debt is holding them back from achieving their version of the American Dream,” Analiese Eicher said. [La Crosse Tribune]
Students and Borrowers Call for Reforms Not Empty Rhetoric to Stem Crisis of College Affordability and Loan Debt
The student loan debt and college affordability crises are real challenges facing Central Wisconsin, and real reform, not election year gimmicks, are needed.
Democrats to hold student debt listening session
The listening session will include a presentation from One Wisconsin Now on the student loan debt crisis, the impact state budget cuts have had on the University of Wisconsin System and its funding, and the ramifications for higher education affordability for students. [Wausau Daily Herald]
Scot Ross: Scott Walker gets an ‘incomplete’ on student debt
Make no mistake, Walker didn’t create Wisconsin’s student loan debt. But his attacks on higher education, combined with his anemic response to the $19 billion crisis, are much like his own college career: incomplete. [Capital Times]
Walker vs. Legislators: Addressing student loan debt crisis
I would describe Walker’s alleged college affordability plan in the same way I would characterize his own personal higher education experience — woefully incomplete. [Badger Herald]