Student debt rises as loan forgiveness remains uncertain

CNBC 04 June 2021

Because of the coronavirus pandemic, the price of higher education is an even bigger consideration than usual for students and their families. At the same time, the cost of a four-year college or university in the United States has never been higher, writes Jessica Dickler for CNBC.

For those already struggling under the weight of student debt, President Joe Biden used his executive powers to extend the pause on federal student loan payments until October. Now, nearly 43 million federal borrowers are hoping massive student loan forgiveness might be Biden’s next major move. Although the upcoming annual White House budget proposal won’t include any student debt forgiveness, the status of this proposal is still unknown.

“The fact that President Biden didn’t include student loan forgiveness in his budget request does not mean that student loan forgiveness won’t happen,” higher education expert Mark Kantrowitz said. Biden has asked the US Department of Justice and Department of Education to issue a report on the limits of his authority to forgive student loans through executive action, and he is unlikely to take any action until he receives those findings, whether through executive action or proposed legislation, Kantrowitz added.
Full report on the CNBC site

Receive email updates from UWN

Global newsletters    Africa newsletters    Other
    (other includes related events and webinars)

Data will be processed according to our standard terms & conditions.

Research focuses on production of jet fuel from halophytes

UAE University staff

With an eye to developing a clean, alternative aviation fuel to reduce carbon emissions, researchers at the United Arab Emirates University have been focusing on the production of jet fuel from sustainable resources such as halophytes, which are salt-tolerant plants that could be cultivated on a wider scale in the region’s coastal areas.

The value of being human: How teachers can work alongside AI

Michael Milligan

Artificial intelligence is now a part of our evolution in technology and teachers need to be encouraged to find ways to bring AI into the classroom and have students use it in a way that is beneficial to them in the long term.

Ground-breaking research on seawater biodesalination

UAE University staff

As water scarcity reaches critical levels globally, a research team at the United Arab Emirates University seeks to revolutionise seawater desalination practices, offering a path to mitigate water scarcity while championing environmental preservation.