Student Bill of Rights is right bill for students

As students, we are constantly told that college is an invaluable investment in our futures. Current societal expectations tell us to sacrifice whatever we can to attend college because it will be worth it in the long run; but this isn’t always correct. The college experience is often laden with chains and asterisks brought on by a storm of worry over loan payments. College, which is supposed to be a time of freedom, exploration and self-discovery instead becomes riddled with guilt and anxiety over money and debt.

This is why the new Student Aid Bill of Rights proposed by the Obama administration on Tuesday is not only important, but necessary. The current economic climate has become so divisive that many white-collar careers are nearly impossible to achieve without some sort of higher education, which is unattainable to many students because of the current ruthless and predatory system of student loans. This new bill provides comprehensive reforms and attacks the issue of debt in such a way that the government is on the side of the students, rather than on the side of the banks. This includes everything from creating a feedback system for borrowers to filing complaints about lenders in a direct and timely manner, helping students plan monthly payments that they can afford and simplifying the federal loan application processes.

In recent years, the U.S. government has been increasingly painted as the enemy of the people rather than their ally. This bill, however, shows a long-awaited change from an administration responding to a pressing demand its people have made and working to effectively implement it into policy. In other words, the government seems to be back on our side. Perhaps it has come to the realization that many came to years ago: that releasing a sea of debt-laden students into the world will lead to years spent paying off debt and little economic progress.

What is most crucial in the new bill is the “Bill of Rights for Student Aid” itself, which will serve as the foundation for future legislation. A “Bill of Rights” like this empowers all students to strive for higher education and opens up entire futures for them because it gives them a concrete basis for fighting off predatory student loans. It will make youth feel that if they want a college education, they are entitled to it — an extremely important step forward for the nation as a whole. No high school student in the U.S. should who feel defeated or unworthy of higher education because they cannot afford it.

Although this bill is certainly good news and will hopefully serve as the basis for real change, there is still a lot more that needs to be done. Higher education costs must be tackled on a much larger scale, and legislation must make efforts to include students of all backgrounds. As tuitions rise, more and more families are feeling the pinch. While this bill will certainly help many in need, every family and every student is different, and filling out numbers on a few forms cannot accurately assess their ability to afford higher education. This is something that needs to be addressed in future legislation. It is nevertheless refreshing to see that students are being given the respect and encouragement we deserve from our government. We can only hope that this trend continues.