MISSOURI STUDENTS ASSOCIATION

University of Missouri

2500 Student Center CoIumbia, Missouri 65201 msa@missouri.edu msa.missouri.edu

Dear Congresswoman Hartzler,
I am writing you today with deep concern over the impending student loan rate increase set to take effect
on July 1
st
, in less than two weeks. The planned rate increase, from 3.4% to 6.8%, would take thousands
of dollars from the pockets of students and their families at a time when many can scarce afford it.
Subsidized student loans are a vital piece of the financial puzzle that allows Missourians of all financial
backgrounds to attend institutions of higher learning and better serve themselves, their families, and their
state.
A skilled and educated workforce is necessary for a growing and prosperous Missouri. To that end, I am
proud to say that the University of Missouri system produces more graduates than any other institution in
our state. Our graduates overwhelmingly make their homes in Missouri, and contribute to our economy.
The university itself generates billions of dollars of growth in research and economic development every
year. The University of Missouri is a powerful economic engine that is fueled by the ability of
Missourians to afford the tuition, textbooks, and other costs that accompany attendance at a quality
university.
According to the Missouri Coordinating Board for Higher Education, the federal government extended
subsidized loans to 13,761 University of Missouri-Columbia students in 2012 alone. These cheap` loans
expand economic opportunity to many Missourians who otherwise would be trapped in a poor job market
with nothing more than their high school degree.
Students at the University of Missouri recognize the harsh realities of sequestration and the tough
environment that you and your colleagues in Washington D.C. face as you strive to find a solution to this
problem. I, along with thousands of other students at the University of Missouri who I represent, support
any bipartisan solution that will save our peers from an economic peril that threatens their ability to gain a
higher education.
This is a crisis we care about deeply, and we hope to be a part of any discussion about its resolution. I
hope that as July 1
st
approaches, you will continue your work on behalf of your constituents and students
across the state to ensure that congress keeps higher education affordable and open to all who seek it.

Go Tigers,

Nick Droege
University of Missouri Student Body President