Dive Brief:
- Those on the far left of the Democratic Party are pressuring Hillary Clinton to embrace a debt-free college plan during her presidential run.
- The Washington Post reports that the Progressive Change Campaign Committee is planning a coordinated effort to make the concept of debt-free public higher education a major issue during the 2016 campaign.
- The committee ultimately wants all democratic candidates to support the plan and is organizing events on campuses in Iowa and New Hampshire to garner more support and attention, according to the article.
Dive Insight:
Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Chuck Schumer are among the sponsors of a resolution to allow students to leave public colleges without any debt. Sen. Bernie Sanders, an Independent, has also pushed for the U.S. to follow suit with nations that fully subsidize higher education. Average student loan debt in the United States is between $25,000 and $30,000 for college graduates. The combined national student loan debt tops $1 trillion. Warren has been a vocal advocate of higher education opportunities that don’t force students to borrow any money. The senate proposal calls for more funds to colleges for scholarships, lower tuition, and support for students to get their degrees faster. As the first Democratic candidate for president and the presumed frontrunner, Clinton is facing the most concerted lobbying yet.