Dear President Obama,
The white house is about to be occupied by a man who owned a for-profit college, Trump University. As former for-profit college students and members of the Debt Collective, we are asking you to cancel our federal loans before Trump is inaugurated.
In this video, Corinthian debt striker Pam Hunt says what many of us are feeling.
Last Chance Obama from Basic Needs for All on Vimeo.
We've Done Our Part
Many of us attended Corinthian College, which collapsed under the weight of its own fraud last year. A few months ago, ITT Tech also declared bankruptcy. Art Institute, owned by EDMC, has been investigated and sued for years but continues to operate under a cloud of suspicion.
Along with Pam, we have been petitioning your administration for two years. We have gone on strike, marched in the streets, attended rulemaking sessions in Washington, and submitted thousands of legal disputes of our loans. Our campaign won widespread public support, as well as the backing of several members of Congress and eleven states Attorneys General.
Democrats Promised to Help
Last year Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, said that he agreed with us. He promised that his department would “provide every penny of relief” to those of us who were scammed by Corinthian. And, last month, the Department finalized a new set of regulations that provide a pathway to debt relief to groups of defrauded borrowers no matter which school they attended.
Inexplicably, the Department continues to drag its feet. Despite all the talk from this administration, fewer than 1% of us have received loan relief to date.
Will President Trump Do Your Job?
Debt relief for for-profit college borrowers should be at the top of your agenda because Donald Trump may make our situation even worse. The President-elect recently settled a settled a lawsuit brought by students who attended his own for-profit college!
What hope do we have that the Trump administration will actually make good on your administration’s promises? If he does decide to help, we will have no choice but to thank him. But help from Trump is unlikely. He has suggested that he might eliminate the Department of Education entirely. Where does that leave us?
This is Your last Chance
President Obama, please cancel all predatory student loans before you leave office as a good faith gesture to all of us who were preyed upon by our schools. The months of delays and stonewalling have left us with no choice. President Obama, this is your #lastchance. Don’t leave us at the mercy of President Trump!
Sincerely,
The For-Profit College Collective, including former students from Corinthian, ITT Tech, and Art Institute
**Pam Hunt, featured in the above video, is fighting for debt relief while battling breast cancer. We love you, Pam!