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Abstract: 

Rising college costs are frequently in the news. According to statistics from the College Board, for the 2016 to 2017 academic year, “moderate” costs (with “costs” including not just tuition, but various fees, room and board, books and educational supplies, and transportation) at a public college averaged $24,610, and moderate costs at a private college averaged $49,320. With these “moderate” annual costs exceeding some families’ annual incomes, it is no surprise that student loans are a recourse for many students. According to the website studentloanhero.com, an average college graduate in 2016 left school with $37,172 of debt, a figure that represents a 6% increase from 2015. In this issue, we focus on several concerns regarding student debt (and debt relief). First, we examine the fate of student-borrower protections, particularly regarding for-profit colleges, in the changing landscape of the Trump Administration. Next, we consider the (stringent) conditions under which student loans can be discharged based on hardship. Finally, we assess the plight of parents who exert themselves to pay their children’s tuition at the risk of not being able to meet other financial obligations. One way that some students manage costs is to turn to those institutions touted by the Obama Administration as ideal sites for upward mobility: community colleges. For some students, a two-year degree may suffice for entry into a promising field, as envisioned by former President Obama. Other students save money by beginning their education at a community college and then transferring to a four-year institution. In this issue, we look at some of the specific challenges in campus safety management for the unique environment of the community college.

Keywords: Emergency and Security Planning; College Debt; Discrimination; Dismissal

Affiliations:  1: Editor; 2: Editor; 3: Editor.