Assembly Higher Education Committee Chair Mila Jasey (D-Essex/Morris) issued the following statement Monday in response to a recent investigative report regarding the terms and conditions of NJCLASS loans issued by the New Jersey Higher Education Student Assistance Authority:
“For many New Jersey students, covering the cost of a college education requires securing financial assistance with the help of a parent or other family member. In some cases, these students seek higher education not merely to learn, but as a pathway to improving their economic status and that of their loved ones. Unfortunately, if the borrower dies or becomes disabled, for these families, what originally was a pathway to success may become a road to financial ruin.
“New Jersey must examine this complex issue carefully in pursuit of a solution that both limits hardship on families and enables the state to honor its obligations. Our state must review the existing system with a more compassionate eye to those situations that have such a destructive impact on people who simply sought to better their lives by earning a college degree.”