Heidi Alexander: “Here is a letter from Vanderbilt University to Congressman Cooper from the Chancellor which says: Our overarching…”

“Here is a letter from Vanderbilt University to Congressman Cooper from the Chancellor which says: Our overarching concern with [this proposal] is that the legislation forces institutions, including Vanderbilt, to switch to direct lending. Here is a distinguished university, one of the top research universities in the world. They have chosen--they believe it is best for their students and for their campus to use the private banks and non-profits. We know better, of course, than Vanderbilt University, what is best for the campus and best for the students. We say no, July 1, only the government. In their letter they continue: Vanderbilt opposes the elimination of the FFEL program. We encourage Congress to carefully study the many alternate proposals. . . . In addition to our concerns about the elimination of choice, competition, and the high level of services, products and debt management we believe would come with this switch, we are very concerned that the proposed timeframe for this mandated conversion is unreasonable. So Vanderbilt opposes that. So does the Baptist College of Health Sciences, so does Maryville College, so does the Middle Tennessee School of Anesthesia, so does Dyersburg State Community College.”