ALA Council

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  • 1.  Working Group -- Resolution Supporting Student Debt Forgiveness

    Posted Feb 17, 2021 08:59 AM
    Hi, Fellow Councilors! I'd love to work with a small team to put together a resolution supporting student debt forgiveness. We know the topic is top of mind for many members with personal debt burdens as well as others who, like myself, work in higher education.

    Let me know if you're interested in working on this!

    ------------------------------
    Lindsay Cronk
    She/Her
    Core President-Elect, ALA Councilor-at-large, Loud Lady
    Head of Collection Strategies
    University of Rochester
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  • 2.  RE: Working Group -- Resolution Supporting Student Debt Forgiveness

    Posted Feb 17, 2021 09:01 AM
    I realized "working group" might be a misnomer here-- my apologies! I mean a lean writing team. Thanks for bearing with my Wednesday brain. 



    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: Working Group -- Resolution Supporting Student Debt Forgiveness

    Posted Feb 17, 2021 09:36 AM

    Hi Lindsay,

    As you start to pull this lean writing team together, just two suggestions to consider:

    1. Make sure that the team reviews the ALA Committee on Legislation – Legislative Agenda for 2021: http://www.ala.org/aboutala/sites/ala.org.aboutala/files/content/committees/ALA%20Legislative%20Agenda%202021.pdf
    2. Strongly consider conversations with COL and PPA prior to releasing a draft resolution to the Council list – just to make sure that the thoughts and concerns of those entities are considered right from the beginning, since this deals with a federal request.

    I make these suggestions as a member of COL…you can contact Joe Thompson, chair of COL, at jthompson@carr.org.

    Happy Wednesday,

    Lori

    Lori Fisher
    Administrator of Library Operations / Assistant State Librarian
    New Hampshire State Library
    20 Park Street
    Concord, NH 03301
    (603) 271-2393
    https://www.nh.gov/nhsl/
    (Pronouns: She, Her)



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    Lori Fisher
    Assistant State Librarian
    New Hampshire State Library
    She/Her/Hers
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    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Working Group -- Resolution Supporting Student Debt Forgiveness

    Posted Feb 17, 2021 09:40 AM
    Thank you so much for this, Lori! Will do! 



    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: Working Group -- Resolution Supporting Student Debt Forgiveness

    Posted Feb 17, 2021 11:05 AM
    Had another suggestion about reaching out to EB-- so I'm working on that right now! Thanks so much for your help and input, everyone.

    As a little background context, I wanted to share this video from President Biden's town hall last night. 


    A coalition of about 60 organizations have come together to ask Congress for student debt relief, and ALA's voice could/would inspire other associations to take a principled stand. https://www.voanews.com/student-union/60-organizations-ask-us-congress-student-debt-relief 

    I believe ALA should come out in support of debt forgiveness as an equity issue that affects our members directly as well as the communities they serve. One could say (and I will say) that pursuing student loan forgiveness/cancellation is an important antiracist effort, especially when we're aware that black women graduate with the highest levels of student loan debt in the country. 







    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: Working Group -- Resolution Supporting Student Debt Forgiveness

    Posted Feb 17, 2021 11:06 AM




    Original Message


  • 7.  RE: Working Group -- Resolution Supporting Student Debt Forgiveness

    Posted Feb 17, 2021 12:07 PM
    Hi Lindsay,

    Thank you for taking the lead on this action.  I  would be in support of this resolution.  If you need assistance drafting or a seconder, I am willing to serve on the team.

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    Andrea Jamison, PhD
    Assistant Professor of School Librarianship
    Illinois State University
    [She/Her/Hers]
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    Original Message


  • 8.  RE: Working Group -- Resolution Supporting Student Debt Forgiveness

    Posted Feb 17, 2021 12:48 PM
    I'm so grateful, Andrea! I will keep you posted on what I hear from EB, and I'd love to work with you on this. 



    Original Message