Home
Latest Updates
Statement of Rich Williams, U.S. PIRG Higher Education Advocate, on the Congressional passage of bipartisan legislation to prevent subsidized Stafford student loan interest rates from doubling.
Banks and other financial firms take advantage of partnerships with colleges and universities, creating financial traps for students.
Banks and other financial firms are taking advantage of a variety of opportunities to form partnerships with colleges and universities to produce campus student ID cards and to offer student aid disbursements on debit or prepaid cards. In addition to on-campus services, such as student ID functions offered on the card, some cards offer traditional debit card services linked to bank accounts; other cards provide additional reloadable prepaid card functions. The disbursement of financial aid and university refunds is the most significant partnership identified.
This summer we're running voter registration drives at concerts and music festivals across California, and we'd love your help.
Let us know if you want to volunteer: sign up here.
Pages
PIRG In The News
California has the highest number of identity theft complaints in the nation, and the average cost to victims is skyrocketing.
Given the history of shady dealings between banks and colleges, Congress needs to take a hard look at the increasingly common practice of schools contracting with banks to disburse financial aiddollars to students.
With six days left before Congress makes a decision on the doubling ofstudent loan interest rates, President Barack Obama and college students around the country continue to push for congressional action to stop the increase.
Thought the student loan crisis was bad as it is? Now add hefty fees into that mix. Providers say students can avoid the fees that pile up when they elect to receive their financial aid on a debit card, but new research from a consumer advocacy group finds that these companies throw up roadblocks to keep the fee revenue rolling in, even as colleges make big bucks off their affiliations with these institutions.
Pages
-
The Hunger and Homelessness Campaign makes meals at the Ocean Park Community Center with food they gathered at a donation drive earlier in the week. -
CALPIRG interns after making meals at the Ocean Park Community Center. -
This Halloween, the Hunger and Homelessness Campaign collected over 150 canned food items for local food banks during their Trick-Or-Can event. -
UC Davis students kick off a TEXT-2-GIVE table for Somalia Famine Relief on the quad – our efforts statewide raised thousands of dollars for famine relief. -
he Improv Group at UCR came to our Open Mic Night to fundraise for the famine in Somalia. -
The UC Davis Hunger and Homelessness campaign raised hundreds of dollars for famine relief in Somalia. -
Hunger and Homelessness intern Roua Aboukhadijeh collecting interview footage on campus for a short film on poverty. -
Volunteers make props for upcoming hunger and homelessness events. -
The Hunger and Homelessness campaign tabling at the Davis Farmer's Market for the Davis Empowerment Project to help reintegrate the homeless back into the workforce. -
CALPIRG volunteers handing out homemade lunches to those in need.
Internships
Work on important issues, learn valuable skills, get hands-on experience, and make a difference.