Student Union
60 Organizations Ask US Congress for Student Debt Relief

A coalition of more than 60 advocacy groups is urging Congress to cancel student debt in the next coronavirus stimulus package.
In an open letter submitted to lawmakers on Tuesday, signatories including the American Federation of Teachers, the NAACP and the Public Law Center expressed concern over the "increasingly grim predictions we hear about the state of our economy," especially the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which they say "fails to address this looming economic crisis."
Enacted March 27, CARES allowed U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos to waive interest rates on federally held student loans for 60 days as part of COVID-19 emergency relief efforts.
Signatories say their proposed stimulus package will go beyond the CARES Act, offering "federal student debt cancellation, so the hardest hit don't struggle, and an extended federal student loan payment suspension that is expanded to all borrowers to at least March 2021."
The letter says an "extended payment suspension" would help families begin to recover, as well as "free up extra dollars to inject into the economy" during the existing national emergencies of the pandemic and the resultant economic crisis.
Additionally, by strengthening those who already have loans, an extended suspension on payments will ensure that "tens of millions of borrowers come out of this crisis with lighter debt burdens."
Ruby Rosenthal contributed to this story.
See all News Updates of the Day
- By VOA News
Competition grows for international students eyeing Yale

It’s tough to gain admission to Yale University, and it’s getting even tougher for international students as standout students from around the world set their sights on Yale.
The Yale Dale News, the campus newspaper, takes a look at the situation here.
- By VOA News
Student from Ethiopia says Whitman College culture made it easy to settle in

Ruth Chane, a computer science major from Ethiopia, writes about her experiences settling into student life at Whitman College in the U.S. state of Washington.
"The community at Whitman College made sure I felt welcomed even before I stepped foot on campus," she says.
- By VOA News
Claremont Colleges student gets a shock when she heads home to Shanghai

In The Student Life, the student newspaper for the Claremont Colleges, a consortium of five liberal art colleges and two graduate schools in Claremont, California, student Rochelle Lu writes about readjusting to her Shanghai home after spending a semester in the United States.
- By VOA News
Cedarville University aims to ease transition for international students

Cedarville University in the U.S. state of Ohio says it’s got more than 140 international students representing 44 countries.
Here, the school interviews Jonathan Sutton, director of international student services. He talks about his job and the opportunities for international students on campus.
- By VOA News
Morehouse College offers prospective students tips on applying and thriving

Morehouse College, a private, historically Black liberal arts college in the U.S. state of Georgia, offers a guide for international students interested in attending the school.
Among the tips to apply and thrive at Morehouse:
- Take advantage of the school’s orientation program
- Turn to the school’s Center for Academic Success for tutoring, support and more
- Immerse yourself in campus life via clubs and societies