We at the Investigative Fund are partnering with a team of graduate students at the Stabile Center for Investigative Journalism at Columbia University. The topic of their investigation is the student lending and debt collection industry, and they are asking for your help:

$527 billion.

That’s how much money Americans owe in student loan debt.

Last school year alone, U.S. students took out about $95 billion in loans.

And, according to the latest figures, college students are, on average, saddled with a record $23,200 in debt upon graduation.

As students and recent graduates confront the toughest job market in a generation, the squeeze to repay their school loans has incited countless conflicts with lenders and debt collectors.
   
The Stabile Center for Investigative Journalism, in partnership with the Huffington Post Investigative Fund, is examining the student loan crunch. In particular, we’re investigating abusive practices by debt collectors—and the federal government’s response to these problems.

We’re interested in hearing if you – or someone you know – have had problems dealing with your debt collector. We're also interested in your dealings with the government’s mediator, known as the Department of Education's Ombudsman office.  Your stories and tips will help us investigate.

Some debt collection companies, according to lawsuits, have violated federal rules that prohibit contacting graduates through late-night phone calls and threatening letters. Students are also encountering problems with their lenders– such as lost payments, shifting interest rates, or disputes about the total amount owed.

When these problems occur, the government ombudsman is supposed to be a resource for independent, neutral mediation. Some of the most difficult complaints for the ombudsman to resolve come from former students trying to discharge their student loans due to disability, according to the Department of Education's 2009 Annual Report on federal student aid.

Have you had trouble discharging your debt due to disability? Have you had other issues with the ombudsman?  Has your debt collector been harassing you?  Tell us your story by completing the form below, or e-mail us at stabiletips@gmail.com. We look forward to hearing from you!

About the Investigative Fund-Stabile Partnership: The Stabiles are a team of student reporters at the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism working with the Huffington Post Investigative Fund to examine the student lending industry. Most recently, we reported how nonprofit lenders -- some of them with checkered histories -- lobbied to win special treatment in the student lending bill approved last September in the U.S. House.
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