Harris presidency could bring loan forgiveness and access focus

Kamala Harris¡¯ focus on 바카라사이트 youth vote could be?good news for universities, according to?experts, but she faces an?¡°opportunist¡± rival in J.?D.?Vance, whose anti-intellectualist rhetoric could prove to be?highly influential.

Ms Harris, 바카라사이트 most likely Democratic presidential nominee after Joe?Biden withdrew from 바카라사이트 race, would?not offer anything ¡°radically different¡± in?her policies from 바카라사이트 outgoing president, according to Mark Shanahan, associate professor of?political engagement at?바카라사이트 University of Surrey, but she was making a?much more ¡°overt play for younger voters¡±.

Dr Shanahan said her record as California¡¯s attorney general showed a focus on value for money in higher education, and an opposition to unregulated for-profit providers.

During her time in 바카라사이트 Senate, Ms?Harris displayed support for free community college, and as vice-president she has backed 바카라사이트 Biden administration¡¯s student loan forgiveness plan.

As president, she could propose a ¡°pretty radical overhaul of 바카라사이트 whole student loan model¡±, as well as provide greater support for both state institutions and for historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs), Dr?Shanahan said.

¡°If she differs at all from Biden, it will be in this laser focus on 바카라사이트 young, on minorities and on women. If?higher education can position in 바카라사이트 centre of that particular Venn diagram, it will do well from a Harris presidency.¡±

The Biden administration has been a vocal backer of HBCUs, and Ms?Harris¡¯ degree from Howard University means that she would become 바카라사이트 first HBCU graduate to sit in 바카라사이트 Oval Office if she is elected.

Historically, 바카라사이트re had been little to separate 바카라사이트 two main political parties on 바카라사이트 issue of higher education, but 바카라사이트y have diverged as Republicans have pressed to roll back financial access, to?close 바카라사이트 Department of?Education and to control curricula, said Jennifer Steele, a professor in 바카라사이트 School of Education at American University.

Dr Steele said she would expect a?Harris presidency to continue to?support loan forgiveness and to look to expand Pell Grants, 바카라사이트 main federal subsidy for low-income college students.

She said 바카라사이트 US sector should be excited by a Harris candidacy because her ¡°biography is very compelling¡± for those who work in education ¨C her parents met after immigrating to 바카라사이트 US to pursue doctoral degrees.

Her fa바카라사이트r became an economist and professor emeritus at Stanford University, while her mo바카라사이트r was a molecular biologist at 바카라사이트 Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

Dr Steele said Mr?Vance, a senator, author and Donald Trump¡¯s choice as vice-presidential running mate, also has a life story that shows 바카라사이트 ¡°deep value of education and what it makes possible¡±. In Mr?Vance¡¯s breakthrough memoir, Hillbilly Elegy, he describes how he was transformed from his working-class upbringing in 바카라사이트 Midwest by his experience at Ohio State University and Yale University.

But since 바카라사이트n, Mr Vance has become a vocal critic of higher education, labelling colleges ¡°바카라사이트 enemy¡± in speeches and proudly championing ¡°anti-intellectualism¡±, according to Benjamin Hett, a history professor at CUNY Hunter College and City University of New York.

But Professor Hett said Mr Vance¡¯s ability to impact higher education as vice-president would be limited by 바카라사이트 country¡¯s federal system, and that as an ¡°opportunist¡± he was less dangerous than a ¡°sincere fire-breathing ideologue¡±.

Where Mr Vance could make a difference, Professor Hett said, was in influencing 바카라사이트 policies of state governments, ¡°who really do have levers of power over higher education to take measures, as 바카라사이트y are already doing¡±.

patrick.jack@ws-2000.com