Offshore schools may lose federal loans

[swimguy23]

Originally Posted by romdoc

anymore news?

no there wont be for a while......congress goes on break soon anyways so chances are it wont even be voted on until the re-commence session

[Shah_Patel_PT]

Originally Posted by swimguy23

no there wont be for a while......congress goes on break soon anyways so chances are it wont even be voted on until the re-commence session

When does congress re-commence? How much time do we have to lobby against it??

[brablboy]

Originally Posted by onlyinthemorning

I believe the budget bill was pushed back to next week because the House Republicans don't have the votes. The moderates in their own party don't want to gut social programs such as Medicare and student loans. Apparently education is only the most important thing and the future of this country in an election year.

Are you sure that this was packaged in the budget bill? I'm pretty sure that the house has it labeled as the higher education reauthorization bill as the senate version does. The budget bill really has little or nothing to do with us. Plus, the reason for this inclusion (or exclusion I guess) is because other foreign schools (from Modavic's e-mail) have been fraudulent and have high default rates. SGU was just included simply b/c we are a foreign school. It's not as if the senator who proposed this is "out to get us" as ******'s e-mail might suggest to some. I think it's a legitimate cutback to undeserving institutions, and sgu was inadvertantly included.

I think if we let our congressional reps know what the circumstances are, the faults of the senate's version will be reconciled before it goes any further.

I agree with a lot of you people regarding the fact that the US needn't fund (provide loans) to schools who are fraudulent and with high default rates.

[RUSOMSGAPRESIDENT]

The Senate passed today the bill without the amendment which qualified us for Federal Student Loans...A combination of Senators and Representatives will be meeting on Monday in conference to decide on the final form of the bill.

THESE ARE THE POLITICIANS INVOLVED IN THE CONFERENCE:
CONTACT THEM ALL BY EMAIL PHONE LETTER ASAP...PLEASE HAVE YOUR PARENTS AND FRIENDS DO THE SAME

ALABAMA
Senator Jeff Sessions
Fax: (202) 224-3149
e-mail: senator@sessions.senate.gov

CALIFORNIA
Rep. Howard P. “Buck” McKeon
Fax: (202) 226-0683
Internet: http://www.house.gov/mckeon/
Rep. George Miller
Fax: (202) 225-5609
e-mail: george.miller@mail.house.gov
Rep. Lynn C. Woolsey
Fax: (202) 225-5163
Web Form: http://www.woolsey.house.gov/emailform.asp

CONNECTICUT
Sen. Christopher J. Dodd
Fax: (202) 224-1083
Web Form: http://dodd.senate.gov/webmail/

GEORGIA
Rep. Charles Norwood
Fax: (202) 226-0776
e-mail: rep.charlie.norwood@mail.house.gov
Sen. Johnny Isakson
Fax: (202) 228-0724
e-mail: www.Isakson.senate.gov

MASSACHUSETTS
Sen. Edward M. Kennedy
Fax: (202) 224-2417
Web Form: kennedy.senate.gov/contact.html

MICHIGAN
Rep. Dale E. Kildee
Fax: (202) 225-6393
e-mail: dkildee@mail.house.gov

NEW JERSEY
Rep. Robert E. Andrews
Fax: (202) 225-6583
e-mail: rob.andrews@mail.house.gov
Rep. Donald M. Payne
Fax: (202) 225-4160
e-mail: donald.payne@mail.house.gov

NEW YORK
REP. MAJOR R. OWENS
Fax: (202) 226-0112
e-mail: major.owens@mail.house.gov
Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton
Fax: (202) 228-0282
Web Form: http://clinton.senate.gov/email_form.html

OHIO
Rep. John A. Boehner
Fax: (202) 225-0704
e-mail: john.boehner@mail.house.gov
Sen. Mike DeWine
Fax: (202) 224-6519
E-mail: senator_dewine@dewine.senate.gov

TENNESSEE
Sen. Lamar Alexander
Fax: (202) 228-3398
Web Form: http://alexander.senate.gov/contact.cfm

WISCONSIN
Rep. Thomas E. Petri
Fax: (202) 225-2356
Internet: http://www.house.gov/petri/

[Shah_Patel_PT]

Please send this draft letter (fill in your infor) to your local senators and congressman to help keep our financial aid.

DRAFT STUDENT LETTER

Friday, November 11, 2005

Hon. XXXX Hon. XXXX
U.S. House of Representatives U.S. Senate
Washington, D.C. 20515 Washington, D.C. 20510

Dear Congressman xxx (or Dear Senator xxx):

I am a full-time student attending medical school at Ross University School of Medicine (RUSM) located in Dominica, West Indies. I did my undergraduate studies at ____________________ and expect to complete my medical studies ___[date]____. I am from [Town and State] and use student loans to help pay the expenses for attending medical school.

The reason for contacting you is to express my serious concern regarding a provision contained in a Senate bill (S.1614) reauthorizing the Higher Education Act (HEA). That bill seeks to delete from current law certain eligibility safeguards applicable to foreign medical schools such as RUSM which serve primarily students who are U.S. citizens, and to deny these students continued eligibility under an existing grandfather clause to participate in the Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP). This is a travesty and moreover a penny wise and pound foolish initiative, given the fiscal contribution that medical graduates make to our local and national economy upon graduation. The House bill, H.R. 609, continues current law and preserves eligibility for RUSM and similarly grandfathered institutions.

The education I receive at Ross University School of Medicine is excellent, as are the professors and the physical plant and equipment. I am able to pursue my dream of becoming a doctor with the help of the FFELP. I plan to return to the United States, where I expect to contribute to my community as a licensed physician.

I strongly urge you to uphold current law, which the House HEA reauthorization bill does, as this legislation continues to advance in Congress. I look forward to hearing from you in this regard. Should you need additional information or more details about RUSM’s academic program, please do not hesitate to contact me or visit www.RossU.edu.


Sincerely,


XXXXXX

[RUSOMSGAPRESIDENT]

The Senate passed today the bill without the amendment which qualified us for Federal Student Loans...A combination of Senators and Representatives will be meeting on Monday in conference to decide on the final form of the bill.

THESE ARE THE POLITICIANS INVOLVED IN THE CONFERENCE:
CONTACT THEM ALL BY EMAIL, PHONE, LETTER ASAP...PLEASE HAVE YOUR PARENTS AND FRIENDS DO THE SAME

ALABAMA
Senator Jeff Sessions
Fax: (202) 224-3149
e-mail: senator@sessions.senate.gov

CALIFORNIA
Rep. Howard P. “Buck” McKeon
Fax: (202) 226-0683
Internet: http://www.house.gov/mckeon/
Rep. George Miller
Fax: (202) 225-5609
e-mail: george.miller@mail.house.gov
Rep. Lynn C. Woolsey
Fax: (202) 225-5163
Web Form: http://www.woolsey.house.gov/emailform.asp

CONNECTICUT
Sen. Christopher J. Dodd
Fax: (202) 224-1083
Web Form: http://dodd.senate.gov/webmail/

GEORGIA
Rep. Charles Norwood
Fax: (202) 226-0776
e-mail: rep.charlie.norwood@mail.house.gov
Sen. Johnny Isakson
Fax: (202) 228-0724
e-mail: www.Isakson.senate.gov

MASSACHUSETTS
Sen. Edward M. Kennedy
Fax: (202) 224-2417
Web Form: kennedy.senate.gov/contact.html

MICHIGAN
Rep. Dale E. Kildee
Fax: (202) 225-6393
e-mail: dkildee@mail.house.gov

NEW JERSEY
Rep. Robert E. Andrews
Fax: (202) 225-6583
e-mail: rob.andrews@mail.house.gov
Rep. Donald M. Payne
Fax: (202) 225-4160
e-mail: donald.payne@mail.house.gov

NEW YORK
REP. MAJOR R. OWENS
Fax: (202) 226-0112
e-mail: major.owens@mail.house.gov
Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton
Fax: (202) 228-0282
Web Form: http://clinton.senate.gov/email_form.html

OHIO
Rep. John A. Boehner
Fax: (202) 225-0704
e-mail: john.boehner@mail.house.gov
Sen. Mike DeWine
Fax: (202) 224-6519
E-mail: senator_dewine@dewine.senate.gov

TENNESSEE
Sen. Lamar Alexander
Fax: (202) 228-3398
Web Form: http://alexander.senate.gov/contact.cfm

WISCONSIN
Rep. Thomas E. Petri
Fax: (202) 225-2356
Internet: http://www.house.gov/petri/

[The Republic]

I assume you are the SGA president at Ross.

At AUC, admin had a big meeting with the faculty and students all invited. Admin was very open about the situation.

Did Ross also have a similar meeting?

[tno77]

Wow this is terrible

I cant believe any more isnt being made out of this at school

The law is already PASSED? This is bad news for a lot of us

[mojojojo]

Originally Posted by tno77

Wow this is terrible

I cant believe any more isnt being made out of this at school

The law is already PASSED? This is bad news for a lot of us

As explained to me....


The senate has voted to remove the grandfather clause.
The house has voted to keep the grandfather clause.

Now when a senate bill and a house bill differ, the bill goes to a conference committee with members of both the house and the senate. The conference committee writes a compromise bill.

Once the same bill has passed both the house and the senate, it goes to the President for signature.

The grandfather clause is good. The grandfather clause allows AUC, Ross, and St. George to have federal Stafford loans. The senate bill removed the grandfather clause. The house bill did not.

If the grandfather clause is absent from the final bill, AUC, Ross, and St. George will lose the Staford loans. This would apply to current and future students, and we would all have to use private loans.

[tno77]

at ross we have no had a meeting yet. I hope we do when there is more information