The SAVE Plan for Student Loan Repayment: Which Fields and Colleges Benefit Most?

The Biden administration launched a new income-driven repayment (IDR) plan for federal student loans this year called Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE). The plan cuts borrowers' monthly payments compared with current IDR plans, provides earlier loan forgiveness for smaller debts, and prevents unpaid interest from accumulating.To better understand how borrowers from different degree programs and higher education institutions will benefit from the new SAVE plan, this report uses College Scorecard data to examine loan repayment patterns for more than 25,000 postsecondary programs.

Pineoblastoma segregates into molecular sub-groups with distinct clinico-pathologic features: a Rare Brain Tumor Consortium registry study

Pineoblastomas (PBs) are rare, aggressive pediatric brain tumors of the pineal gland with modest overall survival despite intensive therapy. We sought to define the clinical and molecular spectra of PB to inform new treatment approaches for this orphan cancer. Tumor, blood, and clinical data from 91 patients with PB or supratentorial primitive neuroectodermal tumor (sPNETs/CNS-PNETs), and 2 pineal parenchymal tumors of intermediate differentiation (PPTIDs) were collected from 29 centres in the Rare Brain Tumor Consortium. We used global DNA methylation profiling to define a core group of PB from 72/93 cases, which were delineated into five molecular sub-groups. Copy number, whole exome and targeted sequencing, and miRNA expression analyses were used to evaluate the clinico-pathologic significance of each sub-group. Tumors designated as group 1 and 2 almost exclusively exhibited deleterious homozygous loss-of-function alterations in miRNA biogenesis genes (DICER1, DROSHA, and DGCR8) in 62 and 100% of group 1 and 2 tumors, respectively. Recurrent alterations of the oncogenic MYC-miR-17/92-RB1 pathway were observed in the RB and MYC sub-group, respectively, characterized by RB1 loss with gain of miR-17/92, and recurrent gain or amplification of MYC. PB sub-groups exhibited distinct clinical features: group 1–3 arose in older children (median ages 5.2–14.0 years) and had intermediate to excellent survival (5-year OS of 68.0–100%), while Group RB and MYC PB patients were much younger (median age 1.3–1.4 years) with dismal survival (5-year OS 37.5% and 28.6%, respectively). We identified age

The Influence of Manga on the Graphic Novel

This material has been published in The Cambridge History of the Graphic Novel edited by Jan Baetens, Hugo Frey, Stephen E. Tabachnick. This version is free to view and download for personal use only. Not for re-distribution, re-sale or use in derivative works. © Cambridge University PressProviding a range of cogent examples, this chapter describes the influences of the Manga genre of comics strip on the Graphic Novel genre, over the last 35 years, considering the functions of domestication, foreignisation and transmedia on readers, markets and forms

The Pell Grant Proxy: A Ubiquitous But Flawed Measure of Low Income Student Enrollment

Policymakers and the media use the Pell Grant program to measure the share of low-income students enrolled at specific colleges and universities, but the reliability of this measure is rarely scrutinized. This paper discusses several key limitations of the “Pell proxy” that could affect its reliability, especially when used to draw conclusions about admissions and recruiting practices at particular universities or categories of schools. Generally, the proxy undercounts low-income students enrolled in institutions of higher education while counting middle-income students as low-income. Using the Pell proxy to compare trends is even more problematic because Pell Grant take-up rates and eligibility rules have changed markedly over time. These trends may have affected the makeup of Pell Grant students differently by institution, reducing the reliability of the Pell proxy further

Federal student loan interest rates: A historical perspective

Federal student loan interest rates: A historical perspective is a podcast interview with Jason Delisle, Director of the Federal Education Budget Project at the New America Foundation. Delisle provides an overview of the history of federal student loans, including detailed descriptions of each type of loan, to help further explain the current student loan interest rate debate in Congress. Providing a thorough background of the debate to raise current rates on subsidized Stafford Loans, Delisle delineates how Congressional action or inaction would impact families. Furthermore, Delisle explains his alternative proposal, which calls for linking all federal student loans to the rates of ten year treasury bonds. Interview facilitation, commentary and discussion presented by Kathryn Dodge, Alison Griffin, and Elise Scanlon of Radio Higher Ed

A finer point: Jason Delisle on challenging assumptions about the demographic of those with college debt

“A finer point: Jason Delisle on challenging assumptions about the demographic of those with college debt” is a brief podcast interview with Jason Delisle, Director of the Federal Education Budget Project at New America Foundation. Delisle discusses the highlights of his most recent report, The Graduate Student Debt Review: State of Graduate Student Borrowing. The report suggests a significant portion of student loan debt is held by graduate students (approximately 40%). Delisle provides insights as to why this might be, what policies have effected graduate student borrowing, and suggestions for policy makers to address the increasing levels of graduate school loan debt. Interview facilitation, commentary and discussion presented by Kathryn Dodge, Alison Griffin, and Elise Scanlon of Radio Higher Ed

A Finer point with Jason Delisle: Update on the direction of student loan policy

A Finer point with Jason Delisle: Update on the direction of student loan policy is a brief podcast interview with Jason Delisle, Director of the Federal Education Budget Project with the New America Foundation. Delisle provides listeners with an update on policy surrounding student loan programs including a discussion of interest rates on student loans, whether the student loan program is still meeting its goals, and future directions for change in federal student loan policies. Additionally, Delisle calls attention to the use of forbearance and income-based repayment plans as a method of non-payment and why this might be cause of concern amongst taxpayers

COVID-19 Intensity Across U.S. States and the Liquidity of U.S. Equity Markets

We study the effects of COVID-19 intensity on equity market liquidity across U.S. states. We exploit cross-sectional variation in cases and deaths to investigate any association with the deterioration of stock liquidity of firms whose headquarters or operations are in the corresponding state(s). Our motivation stems from several underlying economic channels such as order processing costs, inventory costs, and adverse selection costs. We find strong negative relations between pandemic intensity and various intra-day liquidity measures. Our results are more pronounced for firms operating in states with more stringent containment and health measures and within industries with greater risk exposure