Collins speaks out on proposal to cap federal student loans
Outline of appearances and comments by Dean Collins
Dean Eileen Collins has been called upon by news outlets statewide for her perspective on the U.S. Department of Education’s proposal to exclude nursing from the definition of “professional degree” programs. If the policy is adopted, students in “professional degree” programs would be allowed to borrow the highest amount at an annual limit of $50,000 with a lifetime cap of $200,000. Students in other graduate programs, including nursing, would be allowed to borrow $20,500 annually, with a lifetime cap of $100,000.
In recent weeks, Collins has appeared on
- WBEZ Chicago, In the Loop with Sasha-Ann Simons | Dec. 11
- Chicago Tonight | Dec. 3
- WAND-TV (Central Illinois) | Nov. 25 (with nurse anesthesia DNP student Gavin Withaeger)
- WGN Radio (link not available) | Nov. 24
- ABC 7 Chicago | Nov. 24
- NBC 5 Chicago | Nov. 21
- Crain’s Chicago Business | Nov. 21
Interviewed by host Brandis Friedman on the news program Chicago Tonight, Collins said, “Many counties in the state of Illinois do not have any anesthesia providers whatsoever.” She pointed to nurses’ ability to “fill that gap,” not only for anesthesiology, but for other health care.
“If we don’t have those nurses becoming nurse practitioners and CRNAs, it will create a worse shortage than we already have,” she said.
The government has published a “Myth vs. Fact” page online, stating, “Placing a cap on loans will push … graduate nursing programs to reduce their program costs, ensuring that nurses will not be saddled with unmanageable student loan debt.”
When asked by Friedman how realistic it is that schools will lower tuition, Collins said, “We can’t afford to do that. … The health care environment is increasingly complex. Therefore the complexity of teaching students goes up. We require complex simulation laboratories. We require faculty who are at the top of their game, and you can’t hire faculty at the top of their game at a very low price.”
Faculty and students from our Rockford campus have also appeared on news program in that market to discuss this issue. Campus director Laura Monahan was interviewed by WIFR on Nov. 21, and WREX 13 (NBC affiliate) included comments from Rockford-based MSN students Milia Harris, Kyalisha McCall and Skylar Savage in their Nov. 24 report.