Sen. Hickenlooper Challenges Trump's Threat to Eliminate Education Department, Advocates for Student Aid
Hickenlooper reassured students, promising bipartisan solutions to protect funding for key student programs.
By
Recently, international students have already received warnings from their respective universities that Trump's educational policy could affect their standing in the US.
However, US Senator John Hickenlooper has challenged these policies by speaking to body presidents from Colorado's colleges, addressing concerns about potential changes under the new administration of President-elect Donald Trump.
In particular, students expressed their fears about funding cuts to higher education, and rising costs of tuition, housing, and mental health services, per CPR Org. Hickenlooper admitted that these are problems, including the uncertainty of the Department of Education, which Trump has already indicated he would eliminate.
He told students that although extreme changes are possible, a bipartisan solution might protect funding for important student programs.
Student Challenges Under Trump's New Policies
Among the issues raised in the meeting was the growing burden of tuition and housing costs. Students reported seeing an increase in rent prices. Some were paying over $1,500 per month, depending on the area near the campus. They also told of the difficulty of balancing a job and academics while dealing with piling student debt. Hickenlooper concurred and stressed that continued support must be maintained for federal Pell Grants that benefit low-income students' payments toward college.
The lack of available mental health services on campuses is another critical issue. With academic life pressures, students seek counseling services, but universities face difficulties in recruiting and retaining professionals due to compensation issues.
Hickenlooper highlighted the effort to expand mental health resources through initiatives like the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act and the Peer-to-Peer Mental Health Act, which could be adapted for higher education.
In addition, many students voiced concerns regarding the future of undocumented students with possible changes in immigration policy. Hickenlooper stated that he would fight for the protection of these students and argued that it is necessary to find immigration policies that allow for economic growth with fair treatment of immigrant workers.
