Next Tuesday, May 14, 2019 Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum will host the second national symposium on the student debt crisis in Portland, Oregon. The symposium entitled “The Student Debt Crisis: Lives on Hold”, will include four panels featuring national experts who are helping solve the crisis.  The first symposium hosted by Attorney General Rosenblum on the student debt crisis was held three years ago.

“States Attorneys General have a significant role to play in addressing the student debt crisis, and making sure that consumers make smart decisions when it comes to incurring debt. I’m excited that we are once again bringing together national experts and leaders in the field,” said Attorney General Rosenblum. “In Oregon, it is estimated that outstanding student loan debt has surpassed $18 billion. We must not let up on addressing this crisis as many lives are already “on hold”. This symposium will focus on what we can do to solve this crisis.”

Attorney General Rosenblum is committed to helping students and consumers saddled with education-related debt. Attorney General Rosenblum is working with the Oregon Legislature to pass an Oregon Student Loan Bill of Rights which would institute basic consumer protections for student loan borrowers, including licensing businesses that service student debt. The legislation would also create a student loan ombudsperson (ombuds) educate borrowers who are navigating debt management, refinancing and consolidation.

In 2017, AG Rosenblum also helped spearhead legislation requiring all Oregon colleges and universities to send students annual, easy-to-understand letters explaining the scope of their federal educational debt. The letters to student borrowers must include the amounts of the loans taken out, and approximate payment plan.

The Conference of Western Attorneys General (CWAG) and the Student Borrower Protection Center (SBPC) are co-sponsoring the symposium. The SBPC is led by the former Student Loan Ombudsman with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), Seth Frotman, who will be a speaker at the symposium.

WHEN:            May 14, 2019

WHERE:         Oregon Department of Justice
100 SW Market
Portland, Oregon

TIME:              9:00 AM: Welcome and Opening Remarks from AG Rosenblum

For Media: Please contact Kristina Edmunson at kristina.edmunson@doj.oregon.gov to RSVP or to receive a full schedule.

The Oregon Department of Justice (DOJ) is led by Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum, and serves as the state’s law firm. The Oregon DOJ advocates for and protects all Oregonians, especially the most vulnerable, such as children and seniors.