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# Student Vote

## Sitemaps

- [XML Sitemap](https://studentvote.org/sitemap.xml): Contains all public & indexable URLs for this website.

## Posts

- [University of California, Berkeley, leads the way on climate with a commitment for 100 percent clean energy by 2050](https://studentvote.org/2019/03/07/uc-berkeley-leads-the-way-on-climate/) - UC Berkeley becomes biggest American university to fully commit to clean energy
- [Renewable Energy 101: Tools to move campuses toward renewable energy](https://studentvote.org/2018/11/12/renewable-energy-101-tools-move-campuses-toward-renewable-energy/) - Environment America designed this series of 11 fact sheets as a resource for students, faculty and administrators interested in moving their campuses toward 100 percent clean, renewable energy. The fact sheets have been crafted to illustrate the importance, challenges and opportunities of 11 technologies and strategies. Each fact sheet includes two case studies of effective action on college campuses, as well as a list of resources.
- [Student PIRGs Partners with Environment America, Students And Faculty To Urge Colleges And Universities To Shift To 100 Percent Clean, Renewable Power](https://studentvote.org/2019/01/31/student-pirgs-partners-with-environment-america-students-and-faculty-to-urge-colleges-and-universities-to-shift-to-100-percent-clean-renewable-power/) - The Student PIRGs and Environment America, along with students across the country, will launch 50 campaigns in 15 states this year, imploring colleges and universities to generate 100 percent of their energy from renewable sources.
- [Student PIRGs Celebrates National Award for Civic Engagement](https://studentvote.org/2017/10/26/student-pirgs-celebrates-national-award-civic-engagement/) - WASHINGTON D.C. -- On Friday, the Student PIRGs won the Youth Category of the American Civic Collaboration Awards, or Civvys.
- [Open 101: An Action Plan for Affordable Textbooks](https://studentvote.org/2018/01/25/open-101-action-plan-affordable-textbooks/) - This new report investigates high textbook prices for common courses at schools across the country and contains recommendations that, if enacted, could save students billions of dollars.
- [OPEN TEXTBOOKS PILOT RENEWED, SAVING COLLEGE STUDENTS UP TO $50 MILLION](https://studentvote.org/2018/09/27/open-textbooks-pilot-renewed-saving-college-students-50-million/) - Today, Congress set aside $5 million to renew the Open Textbook Pilot program for FY19, which gives grants to colleges and universities to promote adoption of free and open textbooks by professors. The program could save students up to $50 million!
- [Student-Led Movement Inspires Historic Midterm Turnout](https://studentvote.org/2018/11/07/student-led-movement-inspires-historic-midterm-turnout/) - TAMPA, FL- All preliminary results point to a record breaking surge in youth voter turnout in the 2018 midterm elections. Students working with the Public Interest Research Groups’ New Voters Project made over 375,000 Get Out the Vote contacts in 11 states.
- [McDonald’s Takes Step to Protect Public Health](https://studentvote.org/2018/12/11/mcdonalds-takes-step-to-protect-public-health/) - CHICAGO: Today, McDonald’s released a new policy to restrict medically important antibiotic use in its beef supply chain. The company says it will immediately start measuring and assessing antibiotic use in its top ten beef sourcing markets. Then, by the end of 2020. McDonald’s plans to set targets for lower use of medically-important antibiotics.
- [Student PIRGs 2018 Annual Report](https://studentvote.org/2019/01/18/student-pirgs-2018-annual-report/) - This year, students working with their PIRG chapters across the country got their campuses to ban bee killing pesticides, passed a federal bill to make textbooks more affordable, and raised tens of thousands of dollars for hurricane victims. In the face of rising hyper-partisanship, our chapters across the country took on 68 - you read
- [OSPIRG Kicking off Their 2017 Campaigns](https://studentvote.org/2017/02/08/ospirg-kicking-their-2017-campaigns/) - OSPIRG is back in full swing with new and existing missions including the existing “Save the Bees” campaign and their upcoming project called “Stop the Overuse of Antibiotics.
- [New Report Shows College Textbooks are "Ripoff 101"](https://studentvote.org/2004/01/29/new-report-shows-college-textbooks-are-ripoff-101/) - University professors and students from around the country came together today to release a new report which finds that textbook publishers engage in a number of market practices that drive up the price of textbooks for students.
- [New Report Shows College Textbook Costs Increasing Sharply Ahead of Inflation](https://studentvote.org/2005/02/01/new-report-shows-college-textbook-costs-increasing-sharply-ahead-inflation/) - College textbook prices have increased at nearly four times the rate of inflation for all finished goods since 1994 and textbook publishers engage in practices that artificially inflate textbook costs, according to a new study by the Student PIRGs. With textbook costs already high - an average of $900 a year, or a fifth of tuition at a public four year university - the Student PIRGs called on publishers to stop needlessly inflating textbook costs.
- [Ripoff 101: 2nd Edition](https://studentvote.org/2005/02/27/ripoff-101-2nd-edition/) - In order to both confirm our initial findings and to follow up on a number of anecdotal reports of additional problems with textbook pricing, the State PIRGs conducted an expanded survey of the most widely purchased textbooks at 59 colleges and universities across the country. (February 2005)
- [Seven Hundred Physics and Math Professors from Over One Hundred Universities Call on Thomson Learning to Stop Unnecessary Textbook Revisions](https://studentvote.org/2005/04/07/seven-hundred-physics-and-math-professors-over-one-hundred-universities-call-thomson-learning/) - As a prominent publisher continues to issue "new" editions of textbooks that are not significantly "new", hundreds of college physics and mathematics professors issued a joint call to action. The call to action was sparked by the latest research from the Student PIRGs that found that new textbook revisions reduce the availability of used books, which are 45% cheaper than new books.
- [A Guide to Establishing Textbook Rental Services](https://studentvote.org/2005/07/27/guide-establishing-textbook-rental-services/) - One innovative way to lower textbook costs is allowing students to rent, rather than purchase, their textbooks each semester. This document is a twelve step guide for colleges and universities interested in lowering textbook costs for students by transitioning to a textbook rental service or exploring new, innovative business models. (July 2005)
- [Limited Knowledge](https://studentvote.org/2005/08/01/limited-knowledge/) - The future of academic research is in peril. University budgets are decreasing while the cost of academic journals is skyrocketing. As a result, universities are unable to purchase vital journal subscriptions that help boost the quality and success of new academic research. Fortunately, new and innovative solutions are growing in popularity and have the potential to change the future of academic communication. (September 2005)
- [GAO Report Finds Textbook Prices Skyrocketing](https://studentvote.org/2005/08/16/gao-report-finds-textbook-prices-skyrocketing/) - A new report by the United States Government Accountability Office (GAO) confirms previous research conducted by the Student Public Interest Research Groups (Student PIRGs) into textbook prices. The GAO report, requested by Congressman David Wu last year, found that textbook prices have risen at twice the rate of annual inflation over the last two decades, an average of 6 percent each year since 1987-1988, compared with overall price increases of 3 percent per year.
- [Textbooks for the 21st Century](https://studentvote.org/2006/08/01/textbooks-21st-century/) - College textbooks are an essential but increasingly expensive part of obtaining a higher education. Major publishers have done little to provide adequate lower-cost versions of most textbooks and advertise them to professors ordering books for their classes. In response, alternative and online publishers are offering lower-cost and even free versions of some textbooks. Although these alternatives have the potential to compete with the traditional publishers, they have not yet secured a significant part of the textbook market. As a result, the responsibility for making textbooks more affordable still falls on the major publishers. (August 2006)
- [New Report Details Latest Examples of Textbook Ripoffs](https://studentvote.org/2006/10/31/new-report-details-latest-examples-textbook-ripoffs/) - A new report, released today by The Make Textbooks Affordable Campaign, presents new case studies of how the college textbook publishing industry deliberately undermines the used book market and inflates prices. Based upon surveys and interviews of bookstore managers and university faculty across the country, the report – “Required Reading: A Look at the Worst Publishing Tactics at Work” – identifies specific textbooks that employ types of publishing tactics, and illustrates how they inflate the cost of textbooks for students.
- [New Report Exposes Publishing Industry Tactics That Drive Up the Cost of College Textbooks](https://studentvote.org/2007/02/08/new-report-exposes-publishing-industry-tactics-drive-cost-college-textbooks/) - Students are still paying too much for their textbooks, as book prices skyrocket at four times the rate of inflation, according to the new report from the Massachusetts Public Interest Research Group. The report highlights one major cause for the artificially high prices – publishers don’t provide clear information about their prices to faculty.
- [Exposing the Textbook Industry](https://studentvote.org/2007/02/27/exposing-textbook-industry/) - Today's college students are under enormous financial pressure. The gap between tuition and fees and financial aid leaves many students working long hours through college, struggling to make ends meet, and graduating with large debts. The high cost of textbooks is yet another financial burden. MASSPIRG conducted a survey of 287 professors from a variety of disciplines at Massachusetts colleges and universities over the fall semester of 2006 to get their views on textbook industry practices that drive up prices. (February 2007)
- [Washington Governor Signs College Textbook Transparency Act](https://studentvote.org/2007/04/21/washington-governor-signs-college-textbook-transparency-act/) - Making Washington the first state to act in 2007 on the growing problem of college textbook prices, Governor Christine Gregoire signed a landmark measure this morning that will help lower the cost of textbooks for Washington college students. The law requires textbook publishing companies to disclose prices and change-of-edition information when marketing course materials to faculty in the state of Washington.
- [Government Report Finds Textbook Costs Still Skyrocketing](https://studentvote.org/2007/05/25/government-report-finds-textbook-costs-still-skyrocketing/) - The Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance, which advises the Department of Education and Congress on student financial aid policy, has completed a yearlong report to Congress on potential solutions to the problem of skyrocketing college textbook prices.
- [5 Ways to Save on Textbooks Now, 3 Ways to Lower Prices Long Term](https://studentvote.org/2007/08/22/5-ways-save-textbooks-now-3-ways-lower-prices-long-term/) - With the new school year quickly approaching, students will soon be slammed with the high cost of textbooks. Students have a few tools they can use right now to find cheaper books. And, there are three emerging ideas that, together, might help permanently drive down prices in the future.
- [Gov. Schwarzenegger Terminates California College Textbook Affordability Act](https://studentvote.org/2007/10/15/gov-schwarzenegger-terminates-california-college-textbook-affordability-act/) - Statement on Governer Schwarzenegger's decision to veto SB 832, a bill that would have increased textbook price transparency.
- [Required Reading](https://studentvote.org/2007/10/27/required-reading/) - Over the last three years, research conducted by the Student Public Interest Research Groups (PIRGs) and others have shown that textbooks are a growing cost of going to college. These studies also have found that the textbook industry is using a host of practices that drive up the price of college textbooks. In the fall of 2006, we interviewed faculty members, walked through bookstores and interviewed bookstore staff to uncover textbooks that reveal six types of textbook industry gimmicks. (October 2006)
- [1,000 Professors from 300 Colleges Declare Preference for Affordable Textbooks](https://studentvote.org/2008/04/15/1000-professors-300-colleges-declare-preference-affordable-textbooks/) - One thousand professors from over 300 colleges in all 50 states released a statement today declaring their preference for high-quality, affordable textbooks, including open textbooks, over expensive commercial textbooks.
- [Cutting Interest Rates, Lowering Student Debt - Updated](https://studentvote.org/2008/06/25/cutting-interest-rates-lowering-student-debt-updated/) - In 2007 Congress passed the College Cost Reduction and Access Act. The bill included several provisions to lessen the burden of student debt including: More than two billion dollars a year in additional funding for the Pell Grant program. The Pell Grant helps more than 5 million lower-income students each year. A new Income-Based Repayment program that allows student loan borrowers to repay their federal loans as a percentage of their income. Reductions in interest rates on subsidized Stafford student loans.
- [Congress Moves to Cut Textbook Costs in Landmark Bill](https://studentvote.org/2008/07/31/congress-moves-cut-textbook-costs-landmark-bill/) - Marking the first major federal action to curb the skyrocketing cost of college textbooks, Congress approved legislation today that will bring down prices for millions of students.
- [Course Correction](https://studentvote.org/2008/08/01/course-correction/) - The Student PIRGs conducted this study to determine how digital textbooks can live up to their potential as a solution. Through a survey of 504 students from Oregon and Illinois and 50 commonly assigned textbook titles, we confirm three fundamental criteria – affordability, printing options, and accessibility. We found that publishers’ digital “e-textbooks” fail to meet these criteria, and that an emerging form of digital textbooks – open textbooks – are a perfect match. (August 2008)
- [New Report Finds That E-Textbooks Are More Expensive, Less Practical for College Students](https://studentvote.org/2008/08/26/new-report-finds-e-textbooks-are-more-expensive-less-practical-college-students/) - Textbook publishers’ digital “e-textbooks” do not give students any relief from skyrocketing costs, according to a new report released by the Student Public Interest Research Groups (Student PIRGs). With textbooks already amounting to a $700-$1000 yearly expense, the report criticizes publishers for offering yet another unaffordable option.
- [Youth Turnout Up Sharply in Key Super Tuesday States](https://studentvote.org/2009/02/06/youth-turnout-sharply-key-super-tuesday-states/) - Youth turnout surged in key primary states last night, continuing a striking trend started in the first presidential contests of 2008. "In all the noise of last night's election, one message was heard loud and clear," said Sujatha Jahagirdar, Program Director with the Student PIRGs' New Voters Project. "Young people are tuning in and turning out."
- [Obama’s Budget: Supporting Students, not Banks](https://studentvote.org/2009/03/26/obamas-budget-supporting-students-not-banks/) - A report by the USPIRG Higher Education Project estimates the impact of transferring $5 billion in student lender bank subsidies to Pell Grant recipients in each state.
- [New Voters Project: 2007-2008 Program Summary](https://studentvote.org/2009/04/01/new-voters-project-2007-2008-program-summary/) - Youth Vote Overview, 2007-2008 YOUNG PEOPLE put another brick in democracy’s foundation this election cycle. An estimated two million more young Americans under the age of 30 cast a ballot than in 2004. This increase followed a primary season in which young voter turnout rates doubled in states across the country—even tripling in Iowa, Mississippi, Florida and Oklahoma, and quadrupling in Tennessee.
- [Saving Dollars, Saving Democracy](https://studentvote.org/2009/05/06/saving-dollars-saving-democracy/) - Millions are being wasted due to antiquated voter registration systems and procedures. U.S. PIRG Education Fund’s survey of 100 counties showed that over $33,467,910.00 of public money was spent on simple registration implementation and error-correction issues in 2008. The Fund finds that a more streamlined and automatic system linking existing databases with the state voter rolls could free up significant resources at the local level.
- [The Three Trillion Dollar Question: What Health Care Reform Can Save For Families, Businesses and Taxpayers](https://studentvote.org/2009/08/04/three-trillion-dollar-question-what-health-care-reform-can-save-families-businesses-and/) - Without health care reform, the United States is projected to spend over $40 trillion on health care in the next decade. Experts estimate that thirty percent of that spending – up to $12 trillion dollars – will be wasted on ineffective care, pointless red tape, and counterproductive treatments that can actually harm patients.
- [Subpriming Our Students](https://studentvote.org/2009/12/01/subpriming-our-students/) - New Briefing Paper Says College Students Need Consumer Financial Protection Agency to ‘Watchdog’ Risky Loans.
- [The Right Track](https://studentvote.org/2010/02/09/right-track/) - America’s highways and airports are increasingly congested. Our nation’s transportation system remains dependent on oil. And our existing transportation infrastructure is inadequate to the demands of the 21st century. The United States should build an efficient and fast passenger rail network, with high-speed rail as a central component, to help address the nation’s transportation challenges in the 21st century.
- [Campus Credit Card Trap](https://studentvote.org/2010/03/01/campus-credit-card-trap/) - This study is an in-person survey of a diverse sample of over 1500 students, primarily single undergraduates, at 40 large and small schools and universities in 14 states around the country conducted between October 2007 and February 2008. It analyzes how students pay for their education, how many use and how they use credit cards and, as an important goal of the survey, their attitudes toward credit card marketing on campus and whether or not they support principles to rein in credit card marketing on campus.
- [Student Loan Overhaul Approved by Congress](https://studentvote.org/2010/03/26/student-loan-overhaul-approved-congress/) - WASHINGTON — Ending one of the fiercest lobbying fights in Washington, Congress voted Thursday to force commercial banks out of the federal student loan market, cutting off billions of dollars in profits in a sweeping restructuring of financial-aid programs and redirecting most of the money to new education initiatives.
- [Characteristics of Campus Fair Cards](https://studentvote.org/2010/04/01/characteristics-campus-fair-cards/) - In March, the U.S. PIRG Education Fund released The Campus Credit Card Trap,[i] reporting the findings of a major survey of student attitudes toward the marketing of credit cards on college campuses. This follow-up paper outlines the recommended characteristics (terms and conditions) that credit cards marketed to college students should have to be considered “fair” to college students and other young people. Such fair cards should also be marketed subject to all of the PIRG marketing principles and be accompanied by independent financial education and literacy programs.
- [Road Work Ahead](https://studentvote.org/2010/04/28/road-work-ahead/) - To fix our roads and bridges, America first must fix our transportation policies. To counteract the tendencies to neglect repair and maintenance, we must adopt strong “fix-it first” rules that give priority to maintenance of our existing roads and bridges, set national goals for the condition of our transportation system, and hold state governments accountable for achieving results.
- [Risking Our Future Middle Class](https://studentvote.org/2010/05/14/risking-our-future-middle-class/) - Young Americans face “lasting damage” from the dual crises in the financial sector and in personal finance, making it urgent that Congress pass strong financial reform legislation.
- [New Federal Law Will Curb Skyrocketing Textbook Costs](https://studentvote.org/2010/07/21/new-federal-law-will-curb-skyrocketing-textbook-costs/) - A groundbreaking federal law designed to tackle the rapidly rising cost of textbooks has kicked in just in time to impact college students this fall. The law, which was part of the Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) passed by Congress in 2008, is considered the first major federal action on this issue.
- [New Laws, Free Books and Textbook Rentals Could Help Curb Rising Costs This Fall](https://studentvote.org/2010/08/26/new-laws-free-books-and-textbook-rentals-could-help-curb-rising-costs-fall/) - BOSTON, Mass. (August 26, 2010) — Students across the country are gearing up for sticker shock over textbook prices this semester. The average student spends $900 per year on textbooks, and new calculations by [current-domain:name] show that costs have increased at an astounding rate: textbook wholesale prices have risen more than four times the rate of inflation over the last two decades (1990-2009).
- [A Cover to Cover Solution](https://studentvote.org/2010/09/30/cover-cover-solution-2/) - The Student PIRGs conducted this study to evaluate options from the traditional textbook market - rentals, e-books and e-readers - and open textbooks as potential next steps to reduce the high cost of textbooks. The report finds that student preferences vary widely, and that options like rentals and e-books only appeal to a subset of students. Open textbooks have the highest potential as a solution because they can meet the needs of all students.
- [New Report Finds Switching To Open Textbooks Saves Students Thousands](https://studentvote.org/2010/09/30/new-report-finds-switching-open-textbooks-saves-students-thousands/) - On the heels of a new federal law on textbook affordability, the Student PIRGs today released a report calling rentals, e-books and e-readers short-term remedies, and hailing open textbooks as the next step to rein in runaway costs. Already, more than 1,300 professors across the country are using open textbooks - which are free online, affordable in print and openly licensed - saving students 80% on average according to the new report.
- [In a Digital Age, Students Still Cling to Paper Textbooks](https://studentvote.org/2010/10/19/digital-age-students-still-cling-paper-textbooks/) - CLINTON, N.Y. — They text their friends all day long. At night, they do research for their term papers on laptops and commune with their parents on Skype. But as they walk the paths of Hamilton College, a poster-perfect liberal arts school in this upstate village, students are still hauling around bulky, old-fashioned textbooks — and loving it.
- [A Track Record of Success](https://studentvote.org/2010/11/11/track-record-success/) - As America moves toward construction of new high-speed rail networks in regions throughout the country, we have much to learn from experiences abroad. High-speed rail lines have operated for more than 45 years in Japan and for three decades in Europe, providing a wealth of information about what the United States can expect from high-speed rail and how we can receive the greatest possible benefits from our investment.
- [Campus Donations](https://studentvote.org/2010/11/22/campus-donations/) - A group of Florida State University students is collecting donations to feed the homeless. The FSU Public Interest Research Group has already collected 500 hundred dollars.
- [College Students ‘Subprimed’](https://studentvote.org/2010/12/09/college-students-subprimed/) - Many of today’s college students face unnecessary financial risks by relying on unregulated private student loans to pay for college, with some students paying up to 18 percent interest.
- [The Cost of Repeal for Young Adults: Examining the Impact of Repealing the New Federal Health Care Law on Young Adults](https://studentvote.org/2011/01/18/cost-repeal-young-adults-examining-impact-repealing-new-federal-health-care-law-young/) - In this report, U.S. PIRG has examined official research, data, and projections from independent sources, to provide a detailed picture of repeal’s impact on young adults. The evidence reveals that young people would face significant costs if the Affordable Care Act is repealed.
- [Toward Common Ground: Bridging the Political Divide to Reduce Spending](https://studentvote.org/2011/03/01/toward-common-ground-bridging-political-divide-reduce-spending/) - Our nation faces unprecedented fiscal challenges, as the commitments we’ve made now and into the future far outpace our fiscal capacity. Congress, the President’s National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform, and citizens across the country must grapple with very difficult decisions about how we can put our fiscal house in order.
- [Unacceptable Risk: Two Decades of “Close Calls,” Leaks and Other Problems at U.S. Nuclear Reactors](https://studentvote.org/2011/03/29/unacceptable-risk-two-decades-of-close-calls-leaks-and-other-problems-at-u-s-nuclear-reactors/) - This report analyzes the unacceptable risks of nuclear power to people and the environment, and demonstrates why the United States must move away from nuclear power and toward safer alternatives. The report concludes with recommendations to the Obama Administration for addressing the risks posed by nuclear power, including instituting a moratorium on the relicensing of existing, aging nuclear power plants and on the licensing of new nuclear reactors. This report also calls for the elimination of federal loan guarantees and other subsidies for nuclear power plants.
- [Growing Up Toxic: Chemical Exposures and Increases in Developmental Disease](https://studentvote.org/2011/04/01/growing-toxic-chemical-exposures-and-increases-developmental-disease/) - A growing body of scientific evidence shows that the widespread use of chemicals in our society harms our health and the health of our children. The incidence of many serious health problems – including premature birth, learning disabilities, behavioral disorders, asthma and allergies, early puberty, obesity, diabetes, reduced fertility, and some types of cancer – shows links with exposure to chemicals that can interfere with the process of growth and development.
- [Exorbitant Costs Spur Launch of National ‘Textbook Rebellion’](https://studentvote.org/2011/04/06/exorbitant-costs-spur-launch-of-national-textbook-rebellion/) - TextbookRebellion.org, a national campaign to promote alternatives to sky-high priced college textbooks, launched today with a petition drive and tools for individuals and groups to get involved.
- [Big Banks Bigger Fees: A National Survey of Bank Fees and Fee Disclosure Policies](https://studentvote.org/2011/04/12/big-banks-bigger-fees-national-survey-bank-fees-and-fee-disclosure-policies/) - A survey of more than 350 bank branches reveals that fewer than half of branches obeyed their legal duty to fully disclose fees to prospective customers, while one in four provided no fee information at all. The report also includes a shopping guide, which will compare banking options, direct consumers to free and low-cost checking choices, and provide a list of fees that consumers should look out for when picking a bank.
- [Florida Legislature passes rewritten election rules critics say aim to suppress voter turnout](https://studentvote.org/2011/05/06/florida-legislature-passes-rewritten-election-rules-critics-say-aim-suppress-voter-turnout/) - TALLAHASSEE — In a move critics say is aimed at helping Republican chances in 2012, the Legislature on Thursday rewrote the rules for voting in Florida.
- [Election bill controversy grows](https://studentvote.org/2011/05/18/election-bill-controversy-grows/) - TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Last year Carley Sattler helped register hundreds of voters at Florida State University. “A lot of students weren’t even aware that there were elections,” she said at the time. Sattler is the Chapter Chair of FSU Public Interest Research Group and regularly participates in voter registration drives. But she may stop signing up voters because of changes in Florida’s elections laws.
- [Scott signs bill that cuts early voting days and adds restrictions](https://studentvote.org/2011/05/19/scott-signs-bill-cuts-early-voting-days-and-adds-restrictions/) - TALLAHASSEE -- Florida will have fewer early voting days, and voters will have a harder time updating their registrations at the polls, under a fiercely debated elections bill that Gov. Rick Scott signed into law on Thursday.
- [Voting groups pressure DOJ to reject Fla election law changes](https://studentvote.org/2011/06/28/voting-groups-pressure-doj-reject-fla-election-law-changes/) - TALLAHASSEE –Three non-partisan groups joined the growing chorus of groups that are asking the U.S. Department of Justice to reject changes that Gov. Rick Scott approved to Florida’s voting laws.
- [High-Speed Rail: Public Private or Both?](https://studentvote.org/2011/07/18/high-speed-rail-public-private-or-both/) - Private sector companies are likely to play a major role in the construction of high-speed rail lines in the United States. Public-private partnerships – or “PPPs” – have come to play an important role in the construction of high-speed rail lines around the world.
- [Who Is Richard Cordray?](https://studentvote.org/2011/07/19/who-richard-cordray/) - When Representative Luis Gutiérrez, a liberal member of the House Financial Services Committee, heard over the weekend that President Obama had nominated Richard Cordray to head the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, he wasn’t sure what to think. Not because he was unsure about Cordray’s record—Gutiérrez just didn’t know who he was.
- [High Prices Prevent College Students from Buying Assigned Textbooks](https://studentvote.org/2011/08/11/high-prices-prevent-college-students-buying-assigned-textbooks/) - Skyrocketing textbook prices have driven many college students to risk their grades by foregoing assigned books according to new survey results. This startling trend adds to mounting evidence that high college expenses can impact student success.
- ['Textbook Rebellion' Launches Cross-Country Tour](https://studentvote.org/2011/08/31/textbook-rebellion-launches-cross-country-tour/) - The Textbook Rebellion kicked off a six-week, cross-country tour with events planned for 40 campuses nationwide. At the tour stop, the University of Maryland, coalition members, students, faculty and a representative from the U.S. Department of Education were joined by the tour mascots, 'Mr. $200 Textbook' and 'Textbook Rebel,' to announce the launch.
- [Textbook Rebellion' national tour coming to UW-Madison](https://studentvote.org/2011/09/14/textbook-rebellion-national-tour-coming-uw-madison/) - Move over, Bucky. Two mascots will be on the UW-Madison campus Thursday to call for lower textbook prices.
- [State student interest group protests high textbook costs](https://studentvote.org/2011/09/14/state-student-interest-group-protests-high-textbook-costs/) - High textbook prices have caused junior and sociology major Kate Lavery to struggle in her classes.
- [In The Public Interest: Student Loan Defaults Skyrocket, Double in Past 6 Years](https://studentvote.org/2011/09/15/public-interest-student-loan-defaults-skyrocket-double-past-6-years/) - On September 12th, the US Department of Education released the official FY 2009 cohort default rates on student loans. The number of students who defaulted within two years of entering repayment increased to 8.8%, up from 4.5% in FY 2003 and 7% in FY 2008.
- [“Textbook Rebellion” Makes Case For Cheaper Books At IU](https://studentvote.org/2011/09/15/textbook-rebellion-makes-case-for-cheaper-books-at-iu/) - The name Textbook Rebellion may seem a bit extreme, but IU students passing by the rally on their way to classes were eager to stop and sign petition protesting high textbook fees. Nicole Allen helped organize the event that is part of a national effort to reduce textbook costs.
- [CALPIRG protests plastic bags with giant inflatable turtle](https://studentvote.org/2011/10/10/calpirg-protests-plastic-bags-giant-inflatable-turtle/) - CALPIRG held a press conference Wednesday morning to bring attention to their goal of banning plastic bags in the city of Berkeley, and eventually the whole state.
- [Berkeley City Council to consider moving forward with plastic bag ban](https://studentvote.org/2011/10/11/berkeley-city-council-consider-moving-forward-plastic-bag-ban/) - Berkeley City Council is set to consider an item at its Tuesday meeting that would “initiate a public process to inform residents and businesses” that the council is seriously considering adopting a ban on single-use plastic bags.
- [Help for college debt coming, but not soon enough for some](https://studentvote.org/2011/10/28/help-college-debt-coming-not-soon-enough-some/) - This week, President Barack Obama introduced two changes to the federal student loan program to help new borrowers. An estimated 1.6 million students will be eligible for the new repayment plan, which allows student borrowers to cap their loan repayments at 10 percent of their discretionary income, up from 450,000 under the current system. Another 6 million will be able to consolidate their debt, in some cases slightly reducing their interest rates.
- [Groundbreaking State-Sponsored Program Will Save Students Millions On Textbooks, PIRG Analysis Finds](https://studentvote.org/2011/10/31/groundbreaking-state-sponsored-program-will-save-students-millions-textbooks-pirg-analysis/) - The Washington State Board of Community and Technical Colleges launched a library of low-cost course materials for the state's 42 highest-enrollment courses. An analysis conducted by the Student PIRGs finds that the program will pay for itself through textbook savings within a single year.
- [NJPIRG works to ban plastic bag use on campus](https://studentvote.org/2011/11/04/njpirg-works-ban-plastic-bag-use-campus/) - As part of its Sustainable U campaign, the New Jersey Public Interest Research Group aims to make the University more environmentally conscious by asking students to stop using plastic bags.
- [Berkeley City Council takes step forward in adopting plastic bag ban](https://studentvote.org/2011/11/09/berkeley-city-council-takes-step-forward-adopting-plastic-bag-ban/) - With Alameda County poised to adopt a single-use plastic bag ban soon, the Berkeley City Council decided at its meeting Tuesday night to officially inform the public that such a ban may be on its way in the city.
- [OSPIRG works to combat unhealthy food subsidies](https://studentvote.org/2011/11/11/ospirg-works-combat-unhealthy-food-subsidies/) - “It makes no sense that a box of Twinkies is less expensive than a bag of carrots.” This statement, found on the website of the Oregon Student Public Interest Research Group, summarizes the main argument against government subsidies to agribusiness firms, and is at the heart of OSPIRG’s recent “Stop Subsidizing Obesity” campaign.
- [Trouble in Toyland](https://studentvote.org/2011/11/11/trouble-toyland/) - The 2011 Trouble in Toyland report is our 26th annual survey of toy safety. In this report, we provide safety guidelines for consumers when purchasing toys for young children and provide examples of toys currently on store shelves that may pose potential safety hazards.
- [CSUN student petitioning for textbook companies to lower prices](https://studentvote.org/2011/11/27/csun-student-petitioning-textbook-companies-lower-prices/) - Tired of the rising cost of education? CTVA major Marcos Castro said that’s why he’s looking for signatures for a petition demanding textbook companies lower their prices.
- [Income-Based Repayment: A Closer Look](https://studentvote.org/2011/12/05/income-based-repayment-closer-look/) - Rich Williams, higher education advocate for the U.S. Public Interest Research Group, or PIRG, told Diverse that the move by the White House “is a positive step, but more needs to be done on student debt.”
- [Federal bill cuts Pell Grants for about 100,000 students nationwide](https://studentvote.org/2011/12/12/federal-bill-cuts-pell-grants-about-100000-students-nationwide/) - Rich Williams, the higher education advocate for the U.S. Public Interest Research Group, said in a statement that Congress is “blindsiding about 143,000 students next year.”
- [New Consumer Finance Chief Can Lower Student Debt](https://studentvote.org/2012/01/04/new-consumer-finance-chief-can-lower-student-debt/) - Washington, D.C. – Today, President Obama is taking a bold step to protect student consumers from financial tricks and traps by announcing a recess appointment of his well-qualified nominee, Richard Cordray, to head the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The CFPB can improve private student loans as well as credit cards and debit cards issued on campus.
- [Student-Aid Groups Welcome Consumer-Protection Leader](https://studentvote.org/2012/01/05/student-aid-groups-welcome-consumer-protection-leader/) - Yesterday's recess appointment by President Obama of Richard Cordray to head the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau was applauded by groups that advocate for student financial aid.
- [Obama's New Consumer Finance Chief Can Lower Student Debt](https://studentvote.org/2012/01/05/obamas-new-consumer-finance-chief-can-lower-student-debt/) - The CFPB is a new kind of regulator designed to do one job and do it well -- protect Americans from toxic financial products. However, since July 21, the CFPB has been up and running, but only with partial powers. Now, with a director in place, the CFPB has additional abilities that kick in -- including the right to regulate private student lenders like Sallie Mae.
- [Consumer bureau: Now, it can do something](https://studentvote.org/2012/01/05/consumer-bureau-now-it-can-do-something/) - Rich Williams, a higher education advocate for U.S. Public Interest Research Groups (PIRG) said he's looking forward to the consumer bureau's work with student loans, as well as credit cards and debit cards issued on campus. With a director, the bureau can now set rules of the road for all providers of student loans, not just those issued by banks.
- [Student Groups Come Together to Ban Plastic Bags](https://studentvote.org/2012/01/05/student-groups-come-together-ban-plastic-bags/) - Student groups at UCSB including the Associated Students Coastal Fund, Environmental Affairs Board, Isla Vista Surfrider Foundation and CalPirg, have banded together with campus administration and the Plastic Pollution Coalition to make a profound impact on the campus community and the City of Santa Barbara.
- [Deposits may be added for water bottles](https://studentvote.org/2012/01/24/deposits-may-be-added-water-bottles/) - BOSTON (WWLP) - Environmentally-conscious campaigners got festive, dressing up for Halloween and asking lawmakers for a "treat" this year, by passing the proposed bottle bill update.
- [CALPIRG collects signatures to protest possible student loan interest rate increase](https://studentvote.org/2012/02/02/calpirg-collects-signatures-protest-possible-student-loan-interest-rate-increase/) - CalPIRG members asked students to sign Valentine's Cards to Senator Boxer, Senator Feinstein, and Representative Lee to pass HR 3826, avoiding an increase in student loan interest rate hikes. The UC Berkeley chapter of CALPIRG used Valentine’s Day as an opportunity to collect signatures in the hopes of fighting the heartbreak of student loan debt.
- [CALPIRG Releases New Shopping Guide For Cell Phones](https://studentvote.org/2012/02/03/calpirg-releases-new-shopping-guide-cell-phones/) - San Francisco, CA – It is a challenge to save money when shopping for a cell phone, but it needn’t be. The California Public Interest Research Education Fund (CALPIRG) released today a new cell phone shoppers’ guide titled Making the Right Call: A Consumers' Guide to a New Cell Phone Plan, offering simple tips consumers can take to save money when buying a new cell phone
- [College Affordability a Priority in Obama’s Budget](https://studentvote.org/2012/02/14/college-affordability-a-priority-in-obamas-budget/) - With the student loan interest rate about to double this July, President Obama proposed to halt the rate hike in his FY 2012 budget released today.
- [Groups target textbook prices to rein in college costs](https://studentvote.org/2012/02/17/groups-target-textbook-prices-rein-college-costs/) - A push to create free or inexpensive textbooks is gaining momentum as educators, philanthropists and policymakers nationwide search for new ways to rein in college costs.
- [Facebook’s Tax Dodge Stands to Make Billions for Company and Zuckerberg](https://studentvote.org/2012/02/29/facebooks-tax-dodge-stands-to-make-billions-for-company-and-zuckerberg/) - U.S. Senator Carl Levin isn’t necessarily the man you’d look to for the latest news about Facebook. The 77-year old was described by Time magazine as “pudgy, balding and occasionally rumpled, and he constantly wears his glasses at the very tip of his nose.” However, today he broke some shocking news on the Senate floor about special tax favors that Facebook and its CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, will enjoy at great cost to the U.S. Treasury.
- [Interest rate could double on some student loans](https://studentvote.org/2012/03/08/interest-rate-could-double-some-student-loans/) - The fixed interest rate on Stafford federal subsidized loans, held by nearly 8 million undergraduates, is set to double on July 1, a few months before the start of the new school year.
- [Students to Congress: Don’t Double Student Debt Rates](https://studentvote.org/2012/03/13/students-to-congress-dont-double-student-debt-rates/) - Washington, D.C. – With the student loan interest rate about to double this July for almost 8 million loan borrowers, The Student PIRGs and coalition partners deliver over 130,000 letters to Congress urging a different plan.
- [Rate on popular student loan about to double](https://studentvote.org/2012/03/14/rate-popular-student-loan-about-double/) - (MoneyWatch) COMMENTARY The interest rate for a popular federal student loan is about to double for millions of college students.
- [Video: Congress urged to act fast on student loan interest rates](https://studentvote.org/2012/03/14/video-congress-urged-act-fast-student-loan-interest-rates/) - Washington (CNN) Freshman Tyler Dowden from Northern Arizona University has high aspirations for a career as a psychologist, but worries about his future have brought him to Washington with a petition for Congress not to raise interest rates on his Stafford student loans.
- [Rising Concerns Over Student Loans, Public and Private](https://studentvote.org/2012/03/14/rising-concerns-over-student-loans-public-and-private/) - College students and their advocates are increasingly concerned about student loans, both those administered by the federal government and those made by private lenders.
- [Ryan Budget a Windfall for Special Interests,  Devastating to Public Priorities](https://studentvote.org/2012/03/20/ryan-budget-windfall-special-interests-devastating-public-priorities/) - Statement of U.S. PIRG Tax and Budget Associate Dan Smith on the FY 2013 budget proposed by Chairman Paul Ryan of the House Budget Committee.
- [Political Blotter: Santorum in Alamo; Citizens United in the cross hairs](https://studentvote.org/2012/03/21/political-blotter-santorum-alamo-citizens-united-cross-hairs/) - Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum will visit the East Bay for a fundraising event next Thursday evening
- [CALPIRG seeks to garner 60,000 signatures to ban plastic bags](https://studentvote.org/2012/03/22/calpirg-seeks-garner-60000-signatures-ban-plastic-bags/) - Local politicians and environmental advocates joined the UC Berkeley chapter of CALPIRG on Upper Sproul Plaza Wednesday to speak about the importance of banning the distribution of single-use plastic bags in California.
- [College students to use spring break to help communities, energy workshop canceled](https://studentvote.org/2012/03/26/college-students-use-spring-break-help-communities-energy-workshop-canceled/) - TRUCKEE, Calif. — CALPIRG's (California Public Interest Research Group) Energy Service Corps (a joint project of CALPIRG and AmeriCorps) student volunteers will take time off from spring break to help communities save money on heating and electric bills. The student volunteers will perform free energy audits and weatherizations of homes and buildings in Truckee. They will also teach energy conservation lessons in schools and run a workshop for community members about energy use and energy efficiency. The energy workshop and weatherization for Tuesday, March 27, 3-6 p.m. at High Fives Nonprofit Foundation, 10775 Pioneer Trail, Truckee has been canceled.
- [130,000 Letters Tell Congress: Don't Double Student Debt Rates](https://studentvote.org/2012/03/28/130000-letters-tell-congress-dont-double-student-debt-rates/) - Time is running out. On July 1, student loan interest rates for nearly eight million students will double.
- [Campus Goes Green for Public Transportation](https://studentvote.org/2012/03/29/campus-goes-green-public-transportation/) - Salem, MA – In the spirit of St. Patrick’s Day, Salem State students gathered on campus this month to urge Massachusetts to “Go Green for Public Transportation.”
- [CALPIRG Releases Subsidize Junk Food Report](https://studentvote.org/2012/03/29/calpirg-releases-subsidize-junk-food-report/) - CALPIRG is meeting with Congresswoman Lois Capps tomorrow to talk about the upcoming farm bill discussions and where priorities should be for federal farm subsidies.
- [UMD rally-goers push for better public transit](https://studentvote.org/2012/03/30/umd-rally-goers-push-better-public-transit/) - DARTMOUTH — Calling for better public transit in Massachusetts, about 20 people turned out for the Step Up for Public Transportation rally at UMass Dartmouth Thursday night
- [Student creates website to track down cheapest textbooks available](https://studentvote.org/2012/04/01/student-creates-website-track-down-cheapest-textbooks-available/) - As a junior business major, Matthew Ellis should supposedly be concerned with making himself a fortune — not saving others a fortune on their textbooks.
- [Budget plan proposes cuts to Pell Grants](https://studentvote.org/2012/04/02/budget-plan-proposes-cuts-pell-grants/) - Rep. Paul Ryan’s budget plan heads to the Senate, after it passed in the House of Representatives last week, 228-191.
- [Student debt rises as political issue](https://studentvote.org/2012/04/03/student-debt-rises-political-issue/) - The White House and Democratic lawmakers are scrambling to find funds to stop an expected doubling of student loan interest rates this summer, arguing that they’re heading off another potential blow to the economy.
- [New Report: Long-Term Drop in How Much People Drive, Youth Desire More Transportation Options](https://studentvote.org/2012/04/05/new-report-long-term-drop-how-much-people-drive-youth-desire-more-transportation-options/) - A new report released today by The Student PIRGs demonstrates that Americans have been driving less since the middle of last decade. The report, Transportation and the New Generation: Why Young People are Driving Less and What it Means for Transportation Policy, shows that young people in particular are decreasing the amount they drive and increasing their use of transportation alternatives.
- [Transportation and the New Generation](https://studentvote.org/2012/04/05/transportation-and-new-generation/) - From World War II until just a few years ago, the number of miles driven annually on America’s roads steadily increased. Then, at the turn of the century, something changed: Americans began driving less. By 2011, the average American was driving 6 percent fewer miles per year than in 2004. The trend away from driving has been led by young people.
- [Vast Majority of PA College IDs Not Valid for Voting](https://studentvote.org/2012/04/13/vast-majority-pa-college-ids-not-valid-voting-0/) - A recent study released today by PennPIRG and a broad coalition of voter protection groups found that Pennsylvania’s new photo ID voting law could potentially disenfranchise more than 80% of the state’s college students.
- [New York Times: Student Loan Interest Rates Loom as Political Battle](https://studentvote.org/2012/04/20/new-york-times-student-loan-interest-rates-loom-political-battle/) - Rich Williams, the higher education advocate for U.S. Public Interest Research Group, said he thought about 14 moderate Republican senators might support the effort to keep the interest rates down. “This should be a bipartisan issue,” he said. “It’s something everyone gets.”
- [Obama, Romney focus on student debt as campaign issue](https://studentvote.org/2012/04/23/obama-romney-focus-student-debt-campaign-issue/) - “This should send a clear message to Congress that this is a common sense nonpartisan issue,” said Rich Williams, higher education advocate for U.S. PIRG.
- [President calls for extending lower interests on student loans to combat rising debt burden](https://studentvote.org/2012/04/24/president-calls-extending-lower-interests-student-loans-combat-rising-debt-burden/) - Statement of Rich Williams, Higher Education Advocate for U.S. PIRG, on the President’s call for extending lower interests on student loans to combat rising debt burden. Washington, D.C. – President Obama spoke today at the University of North Carolina on the importance of higher education and his support for a proposal to stop student loan interest rates from doubling on July 1st.
- [The Cost of College Will Soar if Interest Rates Allowed to Double](https://studentvote.org/2012/04/25/cost-college-will-soar-if-interest-rates-allowed-double/) - The loans distributed by the U.S. Department of Education currently hold an interest rate of 3.4 percent. But that rate is set to double if Congress fails to act by July 1, 2012. If that occurs, millions of students will see their interest rates soar to 6.8 percent on the new loans they take in the next year thereby causing a steep rise in their loan burden and effectively increasing the cost of attaining a college degree.
- [Senators Block Bill to Keep Student Loan Interest Rates From Doubling On July 1](https://studentvote.org/2012/05/08/senators-block-bill-keep-student-loan-interest-rates-doubling-july-1/) - “The bottom line is that this is important to future graduates and their families, it is a top concern among students, and has support from across the political spectrum."
- [Los Angeles City Council to vote on single-use, plastic- and paper-bag ban in markets](https://studentvote.org/2012/05/22/los-angeles-city-council-vote-single-use-plastic-and-paper-bag-ban-markets/) - UCLA’s chapter of the California Public Interest Research Group has been campaigning in favor of the measure. In March, the Undergraduate Students Association Council voted unanimously to support CALPIRG’s campaign to ban plastic bags.
- [Chance to make utilities more accountable lost for outages is gone with the wind](https://studentvote.org/2012/05/27/chance-make-utilities-more-accountable-lost-outages-gone-wind/) - Power giants NStar and Northeast Utilities won a green light from Massachusetts' regulators for their multibillion-dollar merger without having to answer serious questions about the catastrophic outages that darkened vast swaths of New England last fall, a review of merger records shows.
- [Deals with banks stack fees on college students](https://studentvote.org/2012/05/29/deals-banks-stack-fees-college-students/) - As many as 900 colleges are pushing students into using payment cards that carry hefty costs, sometimes even to get to their financial aid money, according to a report to be released Wednesday by a public interest group.
- [Colleges Push 'Extra-Credit' Card Fees on Students](https://studentvote.org/2012/05/30/colleges-push-extra-credit-card-fees-students/) - As many as 900 colleges are pushing students into using payment cards that carry hefty costs, sometimes even to get to their financial aid money, according to a report released Wednesday by a public interest group.
- [News Summary: Bank deals pile fees on student debt](https://studentvote.org/2012/05/30/news-summary-bank-deals-pile-fees-student-debt/) - FEE TRAP: As many as 900 colleges are pushing students into using payment cards that carry hefty costs, sometimes even to get to their financial aid money, according to a report released Wednesday by a public interest group.
- [Bank deals stack on additional fees for students with financial aid](https://studentvote.org/2012/05/30/bank-deals-stack-additional-fees-students-financial-aid/) - As many as 900 colleges are pushing students into using payment cards that carry hefty costs, sometimes even to get to their financial aid money, according to a report to be released Wednesday by a public interest group.
- [Colleges' bank deals saddle students with big fees](https://studentvote.org/2012/05/30/colleges-bank-deals-saddle-students-big-fees/) - A public interest group says as many as 900 colleges are pushing students into using payment cards that carry hefty costs, sometimes even to access students' financial aid money.
- [Why Student Debit Cards Are Wolves in Sheep's Clothing](https://studentvote.org/2012/05/30/why-student-debit-cards-are-wolves-sheeps-clothing/) - Over 9 million students are at risk for increased educational debt, due to bank-affiliated student debit cards that come with high fees, insufficient consumer protections, and few options.
- [Banks Skim Millions in Fees from Student Aid Using Debit-Card-Linked Student IDs](https://studentvote.org/2012/05/30/banks-skim-millions-fees-student-aid-using-debit-card-linked-student-ids-0/) - Washington, D.C. – Over 9 million students are at risk for increased educational debt, due to bank-affiliated student debit cards that come with high fees, insufficient consumer protections, and few options. Financial institutions now have affinity partnerships with almost 900 campuses nationwide, grafting bank products onto student IDs and other campus cards to become the primary recipient of billions in federal financial aid to distribute to students.
- [Banks Skim Millions in Fees from Student Aid Using Debit-Card-Linked Student IDs](https://studentvote.org/2012/05/30/banks-skim-millions-fees-student-aid-using-debit-card-linked-student-ids/) - Washington, D.C. – Over 9 million students are at risk for increased educational debt, due to bank-affiliated student debit cards that come with high fees, insufficient consumer protections, and few options. Financial institutions now have affinity partnerships with almost 900 campuses nationwide, grafting bank products onto student IDs and other campus cards to become the primary recipient of billions in federal financial aid to distribute to students.
- [The Campus Debit Card Trap](https://studentvote.org/2012/05/30/campus-debit-card-trap-2/) - Banks and other financial firms are taking advantage of a variety of opportunities to form partnerships with colleges and universities to produce campus student ID cards and to offer student aid disbursements on debit or prepaid cards. In addition to on-campus services, such as student ID functions offered on the card, some cards offer traditional debit card services linked to bank accounts; other cards provide additional reloadable prepaid card functions. The disbursement of financial aid and university refunds is the most significant partnership identified.
- [Florida judge blocks parts of "onerous" voter registration law](https://studentvote.org/2012/05/31/florida-judge-blocks-parts-onerous-voter-registration-law/) - (CBS News) A Federal District judge in Florida placed a preliminary injunction on new Florida voter registration requirements on third-party organizations, calling parts of the law "onerous."
- [Here's How Prepaid Cards Could Be Better: A 4-Part Plan](https://studentvote.org/2012/05/31/heres-how-prepaid-cards-could-be-better-4-part-plan/) - The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) announced recently that it's taking a look at regulating the prepaid card industry. This decision has come at a really good time. Although these cards were originally targeted at the unbanked, now the whole world seems to be the target market.
- [To students’ heavy debt loads, add another burden: heavy fees on cards marketed by colleges](https://studentvote.org/2012/05/31/to-students-heavy-debt-loads-add-another-burden-heavy-fees-on-cards-marketed-by-colleges/) - WASHINGTON — As many as 900 colleges are pushing students into using payment cards that carry hefty costs, sometimes even to get to their financial aid money, according to a report released Wednesday by a public interest group.
- [Students Lose When Financial Aid Goes Onto Fee-Laden Debit Cards](https://studentvote.org/2012/05/31/students-lose-when-financial-aid-goes-fee-laden-debit-cards-0/) - Thought the student loan crisis was bad as it is? Now add hefty fees into that mix. Providers say students can avoid the fees that pile up when they elect to receive their financial aid on a debit card, but new research from a consumer advocacy group finds that these companies throw up roadblocks to keep the fee revenue rolling in, even as colleges make big bucks off their affiliations with these institutions.
- [Students Lose When Financial Aid Goes Onto Fee-Laden Debit Cards](https://studentvote.org/2012/05/31/students-lose-when-financial-aid-goes-fee-laden-debit-cards/) - Thought the student loan crisis was bad as it is? Now add hefty fees into that mix. Providers say students can avoid the fees that pile up when they elect to receive their financial aid on a debit card, but new research from a consumer advocacy group finds that these companies throw up roadblocks to keep the fee revenue rolling in, even as colleges make big bucks off their affiliations with these institutions.
- [Will State Legislatures Ever Learn](https://studentvote.org/2012/06/01/will-state-legislatures-ever-learn/) - A federal judge yesterday blocked Florida from enforcing key provisions of a new law that has been crippling voter registration drives across the state.
- [Student-Grown Produce at Rutgers Provides Fresh, Organic Option](https://studentvote.org/2012/06/02/student-grown-produce-rutgers-provides-fresh-organic-option/) - About one mile from Rutgers University is a plot of farmland that, for some students, is the "Garden of Eden."
- [Campus debit cards can carry downsides](https://studentvote.org/2012/06/02/campus-debit-cards-can-carry-downsides/) - Consumer advocates have long criticized the amount of fees associated with debit cards. Most recently, a report by the U.S. Public Interest Research Group Education Fund found that hundreds of colleges have partnerships with financial companies to put a student’s financial aid on debit or prepaid cards that carry hefty fees. Under some of these deals, official student photo ID cards can double as debit cards.
- [“Campus Debit Card Trap” Skims Millions from Students: Report](https://studentvote.org/2012/06/04/campus-debit-card-trap-skims-millions-from-students-report/) - “Campus debit cards are wolves in sheep’s clothing,” said NJPIRG Advocate Jen Kim. “Students think they can access their dollars freely, but instead, their aid is eaten up by bank fees.”
- [U.S. PIRG: College students overpaying for campus debit cards](https://studentvote.org/2012/06/04/us-pirg-college-students-overpaying-campus-debit-cards/) - College students are finding their scarce dollars eaten up by fees on the cards, which many schools are using for student IDs and to disburse financial aid, according to a new study by U.S. Public Interest Research Group.
- [Florida Voting Wars: Judge Halts Voter Registration Law, Justice Department Purge Warning](https://studentvote.org/2012/06/07/florida-voting-wars-judge-halts-voter-registration-law-justice-department-purge-warning/) - A federal judge last week blocked key provisions of a restrictive law regulating voter registration drives in Florida, the same day the Department of Justice demanded that state officials stop purging the voter rolls.
- [Democrats Ask CFPB to Look Into Student Debit Cards](https://studentvote.org/2012/06/07/democrats-ask-cfpb-look-student-debit-cards/) - WASHINGTON — Two prominent Democrats asked the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to examine fees charged to college students who receive financial-aid disbursements on their debit cards.
- [Durbin urges Dept. of Education to examine student debit card fees](https://studentvote.org/2012/06/08/durbin-urges-dept-education-examine-student-debit-card-fees/) - Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), along with several other congressional groups, sent letters to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the U.S. Department of Education expressing concern about the impact of debit card agreements on college students.
- [Extra fees slam students](https://studentvote.org/2012/06/08/extra-fees-slam-students/) - With the cost of higher education rising so fast that some Americans are being priced out of college, it is unconscionable that some unscrupulous financial firms have found yet another way to empty the pockets of students and their families.
- [Welch demands end to large bank fees on student debit and prepaid cards](https://studentvote.org/2012/06/12/welch-demands-end-large-bank-fees-student-debit-and-prepaid-cards/) - BURLINGTON, Vt. – Rep. Peter Welch is calling for an end to rip-off debit and prepaid card fees being charged by big banks to some college students in order to access their federal student loans.
- [Susan Tompor: Avoiding debit card fees](https://studentvote.org/2012/06/14/susan-tompor-avoiding-debit-card-fees/) - Just how do we get banks and other financial firms to stop using pretty plastic like crack? Why are some student loans connected to a debit card with costly fees?
- [Bottle bill expansion sidetracked on Beacon Hill](https://studentvote.org/2012/06/15/bottle-bill-expansion-sidetracked-beacon-hill/) - BOSTON —Supporters of expanding the bottle bill to cover more types of beverages were outraged by a committee vote yesterdaymorning that will likely torpedo the proposal until next January, when the next legislative session begins.
- [Debit Cards on Campus](https://studentvote.org/2012/06/19/debit-cards-campus/) - Given the history of shady dealings between banks and colleges, Congress needs to take a hard look at the increasingly common practice of schools contracting with banks to disburse financial aiddollars to students.
- [Fizz-Ed](https://studentvote.org/2012/06/21/fizz-ed/) - The widely popular move to update the Massachusetts Bottle Bill (H890 in the House, S1650 in the Senate) has been dealt another blow by the powerful committee in whose hands the measure’s fate resides. The bill, which would update the decades-old recycling program to require deposits on non-carbonated beverages such as juices, coffee beverages and bottled water, has once again been sent out for “further study” by the Joint Committee on Telecom, Utilities and Energy.
- [Pennsylvania Students and Parents Ask Lawmakers to Extend Loan Interest Rates](https://studentvote.org/2012/06/21/pennsylvania-students-and-parents-ask-lawmakers-extend-loan-interest-rates/) - If no Congressional action is taken, the interest rate on subsidized Stafford Student Loans will double from 3.4% to 6.8% on July 1. A group including Pennsylvania students, parents, and thePennsylvania Public Interest Research Group (PennPIRG), a non-profit, non-partisan, public interest advocacy organization, are calling on Pennsylvania Senators Bob Casey and Pat Toomey to take action to keep interest rates where they are now.
- [Housing Market Woes Continue, Legislators Hold Keys To Possible Solutions](https://studentvote.org/2012/06/21/housing-market-woes-continue-legislators-hold-keys-possible-solutions/) - Continued stagnation within the U.S housing market has been cited as one of the key factors contributing to a still slow economic recovery. Meanwhile, forecasts for the remainder of the year indicate a rise in foreclosures and sluggish home sales remain.
- [REAL ESTATE AGENTS CALL ON CONGRESS TO KEEP STUDENT LOAN RATES LOW](https://studentvote.org/2012/06/21/real-estate-agents-call-congress-keep-student-loan-rates-low/) - Today, real estate agents joined the Arizona Public Interest Research Group (Arizona PIRG) to call for an extension of the low rate on federal student loans. Congress has until July 1 to stop the interest rate on subsidized Stafford student loans from doubling to 6.8 percent. Student loan borrowers carry more than $25,000 in loans on average, which can hurt their creditworthiness and can stop them from qualifying for mortgages.
- [These Debit Cards Are Bad News](https://studentvote.org/2012/06/21/these-debit-cards-are-bad-news/) - Last month, the U.S. PIRG Education Fund (link opens PDF file) released a report taking aim at a new, distasteful trend: colleges and financial institutions combining forces to enrich themselves at the expense of students looking for a convenient method to access their financial aid.
- [State watchdog group targets environment, insurance rates](https://studentvote.org/2012/06/21/state-watchdog-group-targets-environment-insurance-rates/) - Earlier this year, Diane Brown, executive director of the consumer watchdog Arizona Public Interest Research Group, was recognized by the Arizona League of Conservation Voters for leading efforts to improve environmental and conservation policies in Arizona.
- [Senate bill brings some big changes to farm policy.](https://studentvote.org/2012/06/21/senate-bill-brings-some-big-changes-farm-policy/) - WASHINGTON – Briefly putting election-year politics aside, the Senate on Thursday moved toward strong approval of legislation assuring that farmers hit by bad times will be protected and that millions of others hurt by the bad economy won't go hungry.
- [After bottle bill defeat, food groups back recycling effort](https://studentvote.org/2012/06/22/after-bottle-bill-defeat-food-groups-back-recycling-effort/) - BOSTON — The food and beverage groups that lobbied to block an expanded bottle deposit law announced a new pro-recycling initiative on Wednesday, saying they would put $533,000 behind a two-year pilot program.
- [Massachusetts legislators calling for Constitutional Amendment to reverse Supreme Court's Citizens United decision](https://studentvote.org/2012/06/23/massachusetts-legislators-calling-constitutional-amendment-reverse-supreme-courts-citizens/) - BOSTON -- Concord Rep. Cory Atkins feels one of her colleagues this election cycle could become the first local victim of the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision.
- [Obama, students push Congress to prevent student loan interest rate increase](https://studentvote.org/2012/06/24/obama-students-push-congress-prevent-student-loan-interest-rate-increase/) - With six days left before Congress makes a decision on the doubling ofstudent loan interest rates, President Barack Obama and college students around the country continue to push for congressional action to stop the increase.
- [STATEMENT ON SUPREME COURT PASSING ON REVISITING CITIZENS UNITED](https://studentvote.org/2012/06/25/statement-supreme-court-passing-revisiting-citizens-united/) - Today the Supreme Court passed on the opportunity to revisit its 2010 Citizens United decision which is wreaking havoc on democracy and it has done so in a way that avoids giving the American public a much deserved explanation.
- [Pennsylvania Voter ID Law Will Prevent College Students from Voting](https://studentvote.org/2012/06/25/pennsylvania-voter-id-law-will-prevent-college-students-voting/) - This November should be an exciting time on Pennsylvania college campuses. Students across the state, many for the first time, will cast a vote in the presidential election. Unfortunately, many Pennsylvania students will be kept out of our political process.
- [Why Doubling Student Loan Interest Rates Would Hurt Latinos](https://studentvote.org/2012/06/26/why-doubling-student-loan-interest-rates-would-hurt-latinos/) - Tuition is going up at Florida’s public universities this fall. Now, barring Congressional intervention, student loan interest rates will double on July 1st from 3.4 to 6.8 percent.
- [State Senate OK’s price scanner bill](https://studentvote.org/2012/06/26/state-senate-oks-price-scanner-bill/) - With just two senators present, the state Senate approved a bill Monday morning that food stores in Massachusetts have been pushing unsuccessfully for a decade.
- [Californians Facing New Identity Theft Threats Study Says](https://studentvote.org/2012/06/27/californians-facing-new-identity-theft-threats-study-says/) - California has the highest number of identity theft complaints in the nation, and the average cost to victims is skyrocketing.
- [TRANSPORTATION BILL IS A STEP BACKWARDS](https://studentvote.org/2012/06/28/transportation-bill-step-backwards/) - Statement by Phineas Baxandall, WashPIRG’s Senior Transportation Analyst, regarding the final Federal Transportation Bill as released today. The nation has been without a new transportation bill since the 2005 law expired in September 2009 and has been subject to nine temporary extensions.
- [SUPREME COURT UPHOLDS HEALTH REFORM](https://studentvote.org/2012/06/28/supreme-court-upholds-health-reform/) - Statement of US PIRG Policy Analyst Laura Etherton on today’s Supreme Court ruling upholding health reform:
- [Financial loss from identity theft increasing, report says](https://studentvote.org/2012/06/28/financial-loss-identity-theft-increasing-report-says/) - Fewer people were victims of identity theft last year than in 2010, but each person lost substantially more money, according to a new report by the California Public Interest Research Group.
- [Congress votes to keep student loan interest rate from doubling](https://studentvote.org/2012/06/29/congress-votes-keep-student-loan-interest-rate-doubling/) - Just two days before the student loan interest rate was scheduled to double, Congress passed a measure that includes maintaining the current 3.4 percent loan interest rate for more than 7 million students.
- [Responding to Students, Congress Extends Low College Loan Rate](https://studentvote.org/2012/06/29/responding-students-congress-extends-low-college-loan-rate-0/) - WASHINGTON - June 29 - Statement of Rich Williams, U.S. PIRG Higher Education Advocate, on the Congressional passage of bipartisan legislation to prevent subsidized Stafford student loan interest rates from doubling:
- [RESPONDING TO STUDENTS, CONGRESS EXTENDS LOW COLLEGE LOAN RATE](https://studentvote.org/2012/06/29/responding-students-congress-extends-low-college-loan-rate/) - Statement of Rich Williams, U.S. PIRG Higher Education Advocate, on the Congressional passage of bipartisan legislation to prevent subsidized Stafford student loan interest rates from doubling.
- [Southbridge landfill foes say delay in environmental master plan is costly](https://studentvote.org/2012/06/30/southbridge-landfill-foes-say-delay-environmental-master-plan-costly/) - SOUTHBRIDGE — State environmentalists, who have aligned with local opponents of the landfill here, took aim Thursday at the state's master plan for reducing solid waste. They say it's two years delayed.
- [New Account Fraud](https://studentvote.org/2012/07/02/new-account-fraud/) - The California Public Interest Research Group has released a new report on identity theft that should raise some eyebrows. Pulling together statistics from the High Technology Theft Apprehension and Prosecution program, the Federal Trade Commission, Javelin Strategy and Research, and other credible sources, CALPIRG paints an increasingly bleak picture concerning financial identity theft. Of greatest interest to your Guide was the information on new account fraud.
- [President Signs Bill Preventing Student Loan Interest Rates from Doubling](https://studentvote.org/2012/07/06/president-signs-bill-preventing-student-loan-interest-rates-doubling/) - Students can breathe a sigh of relief today. At least for the next year, student strapped with debt will get a temporary reprieve from doubling interest rates on their loans borrowed next year.
- [Study: young people drive less, use alternative transportation more](https://studentvote.org/2012/07/08/study-young-people-drive-less-use-alternative-transportation-more/) - Biking is more than a past-time for one Lincoln resident. Cole Marolf chooses a bike as his way of transportation to get around Lincoln.
- [Regence Rate Hike to Reach 16.4% for Some Customers](https://studentvote.org/2012/07/08/regence-rate-hike-reach-164-some-customers/) - PORTLAND, Ore., July 6 -- The Oregon State Public Interest Research Groupissued the following news release:
- [Regence BlueCross BlueShield Rate Hike to Reach 16.4 Percent for Some Customers](https://studentvote.org/2012/07/09/regence-bluecross-blueshield-rate-hike-reach-164-percent-some-customers/) - July 9, 2012 -- More than 52,000 Oregonians with individual health insurance plans will see rate hikes of 9.6% on average, and as high as 16.4%, if the premium rate hike posted today by Regence BlueCross BlueShield goes forward.
- [PROVIDENCE CUSTOMERS MAY SEE RATES RISE AS MUCH AS 18.6%](https://studentvote.org/2012/07/10/providence-customers-may-see-rates-rise-much-186/) - Providence Customers May See Rates Rise As Much As 18.6% More than 12,000 Oregonians with individual health insurance plans will see rate hikes of 15.7% on average, and as high as 18.6%, if the premium rate hike posted today by Providence Health Plans goes forward. Many customers will also see increased out-of-pocket costs.
- [CALPIRG report: Bay Area hospital charges highest in state](https://studentvote.org/2012/07/12/calpirg-report-bay-area-hospital-charges-highest-state/) - A new report reveals some major discrepancies in the cost of having surgery in California. The price of many common surgical procedures is far higher in the Bay Area than anywhere else in the state.
- [POLL SHOWS VOTERS FAVOR STRONG OVERSIGHT OF WALL  STREET AND BACK NEW CFPB](https://studentvote.org/2012/07/18/poll-shows-voters-favor-strong-oversight-wall-street-and-back-new-cfpb/) - Madison, WI – July 18, 2012 -- Financial reforms enacted in response to the financial meltdown remain popular with those likely to vote in 2012, a new opinion poll by Lake Research Partners shows. The poll was commissioned by AARP, National Council of La Raza (NCLR), the Center for Responsible Lending (CRL) and Americans for Financial Reform (AFR). Saturday July 21 will mark the two year anniversary of the Dodd Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, which created the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), a new agency with a strong record of successes for consumers despite facing constant unfounded political attacks in its first year of work.
- [Your Money: How you can benefit from the Capital One settlement](https://studentvote.org/2012/07/18/your-money-how-you-can-benefit-capital-one-settlement/) - (Reuters) - The Capital One Financial settlement with U.S. regulators over deceptive marketing of credit card "add-on products" means a lot to all consumers, not just Capital One customers, according to consumer advocates.
- [VOTERS WANT STRONG OVERSIGHT OF WALL STREET AND BACK NEW CONSUMER COP](https://studentvote.org/2012/07/20/voters-want-strong-oversight-wall-street-and-back-new-consumer-cop/) - Boston, MA—Financial reforms enacted in response to the financial meltdown remain popular with voters, a new opinion poll by Lake Research Partners shows. With just one year of work under its belt, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has a strong record of successes for consumers despite facing constant unfounded political attacks.
- [NEW FINANCIAL AID SHOPPING SHEET HELPS STUDENTS KNOW BEFORE THEY OWE](https://studentvote.org/2012/07/24/new-financial-aid-shopping-sheet-helps-students-know-they-owe-2/) - “The good news today is that students have one tool to help keep skyrocketing student loan debt in check.
- [Mass. groups take aim at Citizens United](https://studentvote.org/2012/07/24/mass-groups-take-aim-citizens-united/) - The League of Women Voters and liberal groups including Common Cause and MASSPIRG are seeking to place a question on the November ballot calling for a federal constitutional amendment establishing that corporations are not entitled to the same free-speech rights as people.
- [Federal Subsidies Support Junk Food Instead Of Fresh Food, Report Says](https://studentvote.org/2012/07/25/federal-subsidies-support-junk-food-instead-fresh-food-report-says/) - Citing the obesity epidemic among America’s children, a California consumer group says federal subsidies support junk food instead of fresh food. CALPIRG’s report is called “Apples to Twinkies 2012” because it says producers of corn syrup are financially favored over apple growers.
- [Apples To Twinkies 2012](https://studentvote.org/2012/07/25/apples-twinkies-2012/) - In this report, we find that in 2011, over $1.28 billion in taxpayer subsidies went to junk food ingredients, bringing the total to a staggering $18.2 billion since 1995. To put that figure in perspective, $18.2 billion is enough to buy 2.9 billion Twinkies every year - 21 for every single American taxpayer.
- [AG SUBSIDIES PAY FOR 21 TWINKIES PER TAXPAYER, BUT ONLY HALF OF AN APPLE APIECE](https://studentvote.org/2012/07/25/ag-subsidies-pay-21-twinkies-taxpayer-only-half-apple-apiece/) - Federal subsidies for commodity crops are subsidizing junk food additives like high fructose corn syrup, enough to pay for 21 Twinkies per taxpayer every year, according to U.S. PIRG’s new report, Apples to Twinkies 2012. Meanwhile, limited subsidies for fresh fruits and vegetables would buy half of an apple per taxpayer.
- [Farm Bill Study: Junk Food Crops Get the Bulk of Federal Subsidies  Source: Farm Bill Study: Junk Food Crops Get the Bulk of Federal Subsidies](https://studentvote.org/2012/07/25/farm-bill-study-junk-food-crops-get-bulk-federal-subsidies-source-farm-bill-study-junk-food/) - A new study released Wednesday in San Diego shows that American taxpayers are subsidizing junk food at a level that dwarfs federal support for healthy foods.
- [Report: Most Taxpayer Money Subsidizes Junk Food](https://studentvote.org/2012/07/25/report-most-taxpayer-money-subsidizes-junk-food/) - A consumer report released Wednesday revealed the majority of taxpayer subsidies are being funneled toward crops used to make junk food and food additives, like high fructose corn syrup.
- [Taxpayers are subsidizing 21 Twinkies, half an apple](https://studentvote.org/2012/07/25/taxpayers-are-subsidizing-21-twinkies-half-apple/) - NEW HAVEN — If agricultural subsidies were to go directly to consumers in the city, residents would be able to buy 1.2 million Twinkies, or 32,120 apples, according to a study released Wednesday by Connecticut Public Interest Research Group.
- [Billions in Tax Dollars Subsidize Junk Food Industry](https://studentvote.org/2012/07/25/billions-tax-dollars-subsidize-junk-food-industry/) - Childhood obesity rates have more than tripled in the past 30 years, an alarming public health development that is contributing about $150 billion a year to the overall cost of U.S. health care. Almost one in five children aged six to eleven are seriously overweight, making them highly vulnerable to heart disease, diabetes and other serious illnesses.
- [Subsidies Report Reveals Millions Spent On Junk Food, Much Less On Organic Foods](https://studentvote.org/2012/07/25/subsidies-report-reveals-millions-spent-junk-food-much-less-organic-foods/) - New Jersey Public Interest Research Groups will release a report Wednesday at the Paramus Farmers Market depicting how tax payer monies are supporting federal subsidies for junk food additives while contributing to the childhood obesity epidemic.
- [REGENCE REDUCES PAYMENTS TO HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS](https://studentvote.org/2012/07/26/regence-reduces-payments-healthcare-professionals/) - July 26, 2012 -- Physicians and other healthcare professionals are being hit with a rate reduction from Regence BlueCross BlueShield on October 1, while the insurer is asking the InsuranceDivision to approve a 9.6 percent increase for roughly 53,000 people who buy their own coverage. A public hearing on that rate request will be held next Monday at 3 p.m. in Salem.
- [1.7 Million real people (not of the #Citizens #United species) transparently submitted petitions to the Senate Judiciary Committee hearings July 24](https://studentvote.org/2012/07/26/17-million-real-people-not-citizens-united-species-transparently-submitted-petitions-senate/) - On Tuesday afternoon, MoveOn DC members attended a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, chaired by Assistant majority leader, Senator Dick Durban, called “Taking Back Our Democracy: Responding to Citizens Unitedand the Rise of super PACS”. The hearing was called to examine the proposed responses to the Supreme Court’s ruling on Citizens United and included discussion of constitutional amendments and pending legislation before Congress.
- [STUDY: Farm Bill Contributing To America’s Obesity Crisis](https://studentvote.org/2012/07/26/study-farm-bill-contributing-to-americas-obesity-crisis/) - While Congress struggles to push a Farm Bill through before the critical legislation expires, a new report by the California Public Interest Group (CALPIRG) highlights an underdiscussed problem with the way the law has been structured in the past: it’s making us unhealthy. CALPIRG researchers found that the crop subsidies in the Farm Bill overwhelmingly went to ingredients that fuel the junk food industry rather than fresh fruits and vegetables. As a result, the subsidies artificially driving down prices for the very foodstuffs fueling the nation’sobesity crisis:
- [Are federal funds feeding obesity epidemic?](https://studentvote.org/2012/07/26/are-federal-funds-feeding-obesity-epidemic/) - More than $18 billion in federal funding that subsidizes corn and soybean crops, which are changed into the main ingredients in junk food, ultimately are contributing to the country’s obesity epidemic, according to a public interest research group.
- [Senate OK of bottle bill is step in right direction](https://studentvote.org/2012/07/26/senate-ok-bottle-bill-step-right-direction/) - Robert Hedlund, Republican of Weymouth, deserves our hearty thanks for finally getting a vote on the updated bottle bill in the Massachusetts Senate (“Bottle bill gains OK in Mass. Senate,” Metro, July 21). It has been stalled in the Legislature for 14 years despite widespread support.
- [Billion-Dollar Taxpayer Subsidies for Junk Food Junkies](https://studentvote.org/2012/07/27/billion-dollar-taxpayer-subsidies-junk-food-junkies/) - The U.S. government is indirectly contributing to the nation’s obesity problem, according to one consumer advocacy group, by providing billions of dollars in agricultural subsidies that help produce junk food.
- [Million-Dollar Megaphones](https://studentvote.org/2012/08/02/sp-22/) - Latest Numbers on Outside Spending, Secret Money and Super PAC Fundraising for 2012
- [Million Dollar Megaphones](https://studentvote.org/2012/08/02/million-dollar-megaphones/) - Outside spending by organizations that aggregate unlimited contributions from wealthy individuals and institutions is playing a significant role in the 2012 election cycle, and much of it is not disclosed.
- [New Report Details Latest Numbers on Outside Spending, Secret Money and Super PAC Fundraising for 2012 Elections](https://studentvote.org/2012/08/02/new-report-details-latest-numbers-outside-spending-secret-money-and-super-pac-fundraising/) - WASHINGTON – The Top 5 “dark money” spenders on presidential election ads have reported less than 1% of their spending to the FEC, which is all that is required by the agency’s insufficient standards, according to a new report analyzing the latest campaign filings.
- [Influence Industry: Small group makes big dent on super PAC individual donations, study says](https://studentvote.org/2012/08/02/influence-industry-small-group-makes-big-dent-super-pac-individual-donations-study-says/) - It’s no secret that some very rich people support the super PACs and other groups that have inundated the 2012 campaign with unlimited sums of cash. But a study to be released Thursday details the extent to which this kind of donating is the sport of the One Percent.
- [REGENCE BLUECROSS BLUESHIELD DEFENDS PROPOSED RATE HIKE AT SALEM HEARING](https://studentvote.org/2012/08/03/regence-bluecross-blueshield-defends-proposed-rate-hike-salem-hearing/) - Escalating medical and prescription drug costs have given Regence BlueCross BlueShield executives little choice but to raise rates an average 9.6 percent for people who buy their own insurance, an executive told Oregon insurance regulators Monday.
- [New Report On Secret Money And Super PACs In 2012 Election](https://studentvote.org/2012/08/03/new-report-secret-money-and-super-pacs-2012-election/) - WASHINGTON--(ENEWSPF)--August 2 - The Top 5 “dark money” spenders on presidential election ads have reported less than 1% of their spending to the FEC, which is all that is required by the agency’s insufficient standards, according to a new report analyzing the latest campaign filings.
- [FDIC Orders Higher One to Repay Students $11 Million in Campus Debit Card Settlement](https://studentvote.org/2012/08/08/fdic-orders-higher-one-repay-students-11-million-campus-debit-card-settlement/) - Washington, D.C. – The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) today announced an $11 million civil penalty and restitution settlement with the largest campus financial aid disbursement and debit card company Higher One and its bank affiliate for alleged “unfair” and “unsafe” practices involving overdraft fees imposed on college students.
- [FLORIDA VICTORY FOR YOUNG PEOPLE](https://studentvote.org/2012/08/30/florida-victory-young-people/) - Tallahassee, FL – Civic groups and Florida voters won a huge victory when a federal judge indicated he will permanently remove some of the most restrictive parts of Florida’s new voter registration laws, which have made it harder for student governments and civic groups to help register young people to vote.
- [urvey: Thousands of College Students May Be Disenfranchised by Pa. ID Law](https://studentvote.org/2012/09/19/urvey-thousands-college-students-may-be-disenfranchised-pa-id-law/) - Pennsylvania’s controversial new voter ID law has produced attempts to overturn it and attempts to comply with it.
- [Study questions students' access to valid voter ID](https://studentvote.org/2012/09/21/study-questions-students-access-valid-voter-id/) - At least 28,500 students from more than 15 colleges will not be able to use their school IDs to vote in Pennsylvania in November, according to a study by a consumer-advocacy group.
- [The great textbook robbery](https://studentvote.org/2012/09/22/great-textbook-robbery/) - A watchdog group called CALPIRG has issued a report called Ripoff 101, documenting that the giant publishers are raising prices of college texts at a rate three times higher than the prices of general books.
- [California online voter registration system could increase student voter turnout](https://studentvote.org/2012/09/23/california-online-voter-registration-system-could-increase-student-voter-turnout/) - Californians can now register to vote from their computers, thanks to an online voter registration system launched Wednesday — a program that university student groups have been lobbying for and expect to bring more students to the polls this November.
- [Group educates community on energy saving practices](https://studentvote.org/2012/09/24/group-educates-community-energy-saving-practices/) - After a month of recruiting volunteers and meeting with campus and community leaders, the CSU chapter of the nationwide Energy Service Corps is ready to take its message of energy conservation to the citizens and youth of Fort Collins.
- [Campus, county working to register voters for the 2012 election as part of National Voter Registration Day](https://studentvote.org/2012/09/26/campus-county-working-register-voters-2012-election-part-national-voter-registration-day/) - Students with the UC Santa Cruz chapter of California Public Interest Research Group worked Tuesday to register more than 40 new voters as part of National Voter Registration Day.
- [Voter registration rally held on Sproul Tuesday](https://studentvote.org/2012/09/26/voter-registration-rally-held-sproul-tuesday/) - A voter registration drive and rally near Sather Gate on Tuesday aimed to publicize California’s new online voter registration system and to register new voters.
- [Think you can Vote With Your College ID? Think Again.](https://studentvote.org/2012/09/26/think-you-can-vote-your-college-id-think-again/) - As a Commonwealth Court judge reconsiders the validity of the new voter ID law, a consumer advocacy group says the most common missing element missing on college IDs, including several in the Lehigh Valley, is an expiration date.
- [Students at UCSD Register to Vote Online](https://studentvote.org/2012/09/26/students-ucsd-register-vote-online/) - CALPIRG, the California New Americans Vote Campaign, and the University of California Student Association are coming together this Fall to ask students across the San Diego area to register to vote online. These groups are appearing on San Diego campuses and neighborhoods with their newly developed online registration tool that is linked to the California Secretary of State’s database.
- [ASUCD and CALPIRG hold voter registration drive on campus](https://studentvote.org/2012/10/02/asucd-and-calpirg-hold-voter-registration-drive-campus/) - With the national presidential elections in November quickly approaching, ASUCD and California Public Interest Group (CALPIRG) have joined forces to promote and facilitate voter registration among UC Davis undergraduates with AggiesVote.
- [Pushing The Ballot](https://studentvote.org/2012/10/02/pushing-ballot/) - Representatives from UC Irvine administration, ASUCI and CALPIRG kicked off Welcome Week last Tuesday by announcing their cooperative campaign to have at least 7,000 students registered to vote by this fall’s elections.
- [NMSU students register to make their voice heard](https://studentvote.org/2012/10/05/nmsu-students-register-make-their-voice-heard/) - The New Mexico Public Interest Research Group is an organization that registers students to vote. News22’s Josie Ortegon was there this afternoon as they were signing people up.
- [ASSOU and OSPIRG spread the word about voting](https://studentvote.org/2012/10/07/assou-and-ospirg-spread-word-about-voting/) - As the 2012 presidential election approaches, so does the deadline for voter registration. With this in mind, the Associated Students of Southern Oregon University have come together with Oregon Student Public Interest Research Group for the “Vote OR Vote” campaign, encouraging students to seek out information about the elections and register to vote.
- [College students’ debit card fees under scrutiny](https://studentvote.org/2012/10/08/college-students-debit-card-fees-under-scrutiny/) - The neediest college students who qualify for federal financial aid and receive that money on a debit card are being charged fees some call predatory: 50 cents per debit card purchase using a personal identification number, $10 a month for an inactive account, $20 for a replacement card.
- [MASSPIRG new voters project](https://studentvote.org/2012/10/11/masspirg-new-voters-project/) - University of Massachusetts students looking to step up to the ballot box for the first time will have the help of MASSPIRG’s New Voters Project.
- [NJPIRG campaign works with church](https://studentvote.org/2012/10/12/njpirg-campaign-works-church/) - A woman with two children of her own and four foster children came into a church looking for food and clothing, because the foster system did not give her enough money to support her family.
- [Groups help students register before deadline](https://studentvote.org/2012/10/12/groups-help-students-register-deadline/) - Given Colorado’s unpredictable political turnout in past presidential elections, it has been classified as a swing state this year and one that has the potential to help decide the White House’s occupant for the next four years. Oct 9 marked the deadline for Colorado residents to register for this year’s election
- [CALPIRG Energy Service Corp encourages students to make energy pledges](https://studentvote.org/2012/10/16/calpirg-energy-service-corp-encourages-students-make-energy-pledges/) - As a joint collaboration between California Public Interest Research Group and AmeriCorps, the CALPIRG Energy Service Corp is focused on getting students engaged, involved and educated about energy conservation, preservation and efficient energy use.
- [New Voters Project Helps Register 5,000 Youth to Vote in Texas](https://studentvote.org/2012/10/16/new-voters-project-helps-register-5000-youth-vote-texas/) - Austin, TX – From Dallas to Houston, TexPIRG’s New Voters Project registered over 5,000 Texas youth to vote in time for the November 6th, 2012 election.
- [Pennsylvania’s new voter ID law could stump students](https://studentvote.org/2012/10/17/pennsylvanias-new-voter-id-law-could-stump-students/) - For the upcoming election, a new Pennsylvania law passed in early August requires that all voters, including students, must present some form of government-issued photo identification at the polls.
- [Students, locals predict issues will attract young voters](https://studentvote.org/2012/10/18/students-locals-predict-issues-will-attract-young-voters/) - With less than three weeks until Election Day, some students at the University of Colorado are hoping to increase excitement about the upcoming presidential election.
- [Phot Gallery: Early Voting Starts in Triangle](https://studentvote.org/2012/10/18/phot-gallery-early-voting-starts-triangle/) - Check out the photo gallery of the first day of early voting in North Carolina.
- [Video: Students encouraged to hit the polls as early voting gets underway](https://studentvote.org/2012/10/18/video-students-encouraged-hit-polls-early-voting-gets-underway/) - Early voting began today in North Carolina, and StudentVote.org is out on N.C. State's campus encouraging students to hit the polls.
- [Local students kick off early voting on campus with mustache events](https://studentvote.org/2012/10/18/local-students-kick-early-voting-campus-mustache-events/) - Raleigh, NC - With voter registration deadlines passed, today students across the state kicked off early voting with events to mobilize young voters to the polls before Election Day.
- [What college students -- and parents -- need to know about banking](https://studentvote.org/2012/10/18/what-college-students-and-parents-need-know-about-banking/) - Now that the fall semester's well under way, college students should take a moment to reconsider their banking options. According to a May 2012 report by the U.S. PIRG Education Fund, more than 900 colleges have made deals with banks to market prepaid debit cards to students. Some colleges offer students financial aid money preloaded on one of these cards, or even combine the campus ID with a stored-value card to make using these cards a more attractive option.
- [CU-Boulder students give Boulder mayor's home A+ for efficiency](https://studentvote.org/2012/10/28/cu-boulder-students-give-boulder-mayors-home-efficiency/) - The members of the University of Colorado's Energy Service Corps are used to educating Boulderites on sustainability. But Saturday, the group was schooled by Boulder Mayor Matt Applebaum during an assessment of his passive solar home.
- [Increasing voter turnout on November 6](https://studentvote.org/2012/10/31/increasing-voter-turnout-november-6/) - Colorado Public Interest Research Group’s New Voters Project has been running a campaign all semester to raise awareness about voting among students. This month the Auraria branch of CoPIRG hosted debate parties on campus so students could come to watch the presidential and vice presidential debates.
- [Oberlin students using early vote window](https://studentvote.org/2012/11/02/sp-21/) - Students are being encouraged to serve as “text out the vote” captains and send on-the-spot messages urging friends to vote, according to Sean Para, campaign co-coordinator for Ohio PIRG’s nonpartisan New Voters Project and a freshman at Oberlin College.
- [Student groups hold rally on Sproul to protest sidewalk measure](https://studentvote.org/2012/11/02/student-groups-hold-rally-sproul-protest-sidewalk-measure/) - A rally was held at the steps of Upper Sproul Plaza on Friday to protest and raise awareness of the controversial Measure S that will be voted on by Berkeley residents on Tuesday.
- [Over 13,000 people turn out for early voting at NC State polling site](https://studentvote.org/2012/11/03/over-13000-people-turn-out-early-voting-nc-state-polling-site/) - The Student PIRGs’ New Voters Project has launched early voting campaigns in several states in an effort to help young people turn out to vote this Election Season. Since local partner, NCPIRG launched their get-out-the-vote efforts on campuses across the state, large initial turnout has been reported at the on-campus early voting sites.
- [Early Voting Turnout at NCSU Precincts Exceed 2008 Numbers](https://studentvote.org/2012/11/03/early-voting-turnout-ncsu-precincts-exceed-2008-numbers/) - The Student PIRGs’ New Voters Project has launched early voting campaigns in several states in an effort to help young people turn out to vote this Election Season.
- [Campus groups plan to erect tents, help point student voters to polling stations](https://studentvote.org/2012/11/05/sp-20/) - Following a collaborative campaign to register and educate UC Berkeley students to vote in Tuesday’s election, campus organizations are now making a final effort to ensure that students know where to cast their votes.
- [Students Launch Final Campus Get out the Vote Push](https://studentvote.org/2012/11/05/sp-19/) - For Immediate Release With Election Day here, the Student PIRGs’ New Voters Project will organize local students on campuses across the country to make a last push to drive young voters to the polls using proven on the-ground and on-line strategies. In a push to harness mobile technology, leaders will ask students to become ‘text
- [Students seek voter pledges](https://studentvote.org/2012/11/05/students-seek-voter-pledges/) - Due to interest in student rights and advocacy on campus, Carnegie Mellon will found the first chapter of the Student Public Interest Research Groups (PIRGs) organization in the state of Pennsylvania.
- [Youth Vote Increases at Local Student Precinct in Texas](https://studentvote.org/2012/11/06/sp-18/) - Richardson, TX- According to preliminary results provided by local elections officials, turnout at a local student precinct at UT-Dallas increased by 46% percent between the 2008 and 2012.
- [Youth Vote Increases at Local Student Precinct](https://studentvote.org/2012/11/06/md/) - COLLEGE PARK, MD According to preliminary results provided by local elections officials, turnout numbers at a local student precinct at University of Maryland, College Park (UMDCP) increased by 49 percent between the 2008 and 2012 elections.
- [Youth Vote Increases at Local Student Precincts in Massachusetts](https://studentvote.org/2012/11/06/ma/) - [Amherst, MA] According to preliminary results provided by local elections officials, several University of Massachusetts Amherst campus precincts showed significant increases in turnout over the previous national election. Precinct 3, for instance showed a 29 percent increase, Precinct 4 showed a 21 percent increase and Precinct 5 showed a 27 percent increase over 2008.
- [Youth Share of Electorate Rises Campus Precincts Post Turnout Increase](https://studentvote.org/2012/11/06/sp-17/) - [Washington, DC] According to exit polls issued by national media outlets, the youth share of the electorate increased to 19 percent in 2012 over 18 percent in 2008.
- [Temple Launches Effort To Get Students To Vote](https://studentvote.org/2012/11/06/sp-16/) - PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — An effort was underway on Tuesday on Temple University’s campus to get students to the voting booth.
- [UMass students jam Amherst precincts, many voting for first time](https://studentvote.org/2012/11/06/sp-15/) - More than 1,100 UMass students had turned out to cast ballots by 3 p.m. in precincts 4 and 10, said Lucas Gutterman of MassPIRG.
- [Election Day youth voters heading to polls in steady stream at CU](https://studentvote.org/2012/11/06/sp-14/) - Volunteers said voters are heading to campus polling stations at a steady trickle today and that they expect larger waves of students to turn out in the afternoon and evening.
- [Local Youth Vote Campaign Launched Final Push To Get Out The Vote](https://studentvote.org/2012/11/06/sp-13/) - In an election cycle filled with talk of every single vote counting, students at MASSPIRG campus chapters around the state launched a final campaign push, employing proven tactics to mobilize young voters to the polls. Using on-the-ground and on-line strategies, campaign volunteers will reach their peers in classrooms, on computers and campus quads and urge them to cast a ballot.
- [Local Youth Vote Campaigns Launch Final Push To Get Out The Vote At Campuses Throughout Colorado](https://studentvote.org/2012/11/06/sp-12/) - CoPIRG student chapter volunteers helped register more than 13,000 students to vote. Now, using on-the-ground and on-line strategies, campaign volunteers are reaching out to their peers in classrooms, on computers and campus quads and urging them to cast a ballot. To date, the campaign has made 46,000 GOTV contacts.
- [Youth Vote Increases at Local Student Precinct in Florida](https://studentvote.org/2012/11/07/fl/) - Tallahassee, FL - According to preliminary results provided by local elections officials, several Florida State University campus precincts showed significant increases in turnout over the previous national election. Precinct 1507, for instance, showed a 28.6 percent increase, precinct 2503 showed a 8.2 percent increase and Precinct 2506 showed a 7.8 percent increase over 2008.
- [NJPIRG throws dodge ball game to raise funds for storm victims](https://studentvote.org/2012/11/12/sp-11/) - Instead of going out for drinks on Friday night, some students and their friends faced off in a dodge ball game to help raise funds for those affected by Hurricane Sandy.
- [N.C. student leaders help increase voter turnout](https://studentvote.org/2012/11/15/sp-10/) - “Despite the dire predictions of low youth turnout today, young people once again showed that when voter mobilization efforts pay attention to them, they show up on Election Day,” said Renford Lynch, North Carolina Public Interest Research Group (NCPIRG) New Voters Project Campaign Coordinator and a sophomore at NC State.
- [Trouble in Toyland](https://studentvote.org/2012/11/20/sp-9/) - The 2012 Trouble in Toyland report is the 27th annual U.S. Public Interest Research Group survey of toy safety. In this report, U.S. PIRG provides safety guidelines for consumers when purchasing toys for small children and provides examples of toys currently on store shelves that may pose potential safety hazards.
- [Government doing more to prevent corporations from deducting settlements](https://studentvote.org/2013/01/01/sp-8/) - Federal agencies are taking greater steps to prevent companies from claiming tax deductions on settlements reached with the government, though loopholes in the tax code persist, according to a new study by U.S. Public Interest Research Group.
- [Rallies Protest Big Money, Voter Restrictions](https://studentvote.org/2013/01/17/sp-7/) - A broad coalition of civil rights and progressive groups kicked off a “Money Out/Voters In” campaign Thursday that features nationwide rallies to coincide with the presidential inauguration, Martin Luther King Jr. Day and the third anniversary of the Supreme Court’s Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission ruling.
- [NJPIRG chapter to focus on global warming campaign](https://studentvote.org/2013/01/29/sp-6/) - The University’s chapter of the New Jersey Public Interest Research Group will promote three campaigns around campus this year that address political, social and environmental issues affecting people at a university, state and national level.
- [States lose $40b in revenue to offshore tax havens, MASSPIRG study says](https://studentvote.org/2013/02/05/sp-5/) - While the debate over offshore tax loopholes generally takes a national focus, a consumer advocacy group is reporting that states lose nearly $40 billion a year in tax revenues to companies and wealthy people who shelter money abroad.
- [The Hidden Cost of Offshore Tax Havens](https://studentvote.org/2013/02/05/sp-4/) - In 2011, states lost approximately $39.8 billion in tax revenues from corporations and wealthy individuals who sheltered money in foreign tax havens. Multinational corporations account for more than $26 billion of the lost tax revenue, and wealthy individuals account for the rest.
- [New Study: Offshore Tax Dodging Blows $40 Billion Hole in State Budgets](https://studentvote.org/2013/02/05/sp-3/) - With states across the country facing dire fiscal crunches and lawmakers in Washington gearing up for more budget showdowns, U.S. PIRG Education Fund released a new study revealing that state budgets were hit collectively with $40 billion in lost revenue from offshore tax dodging last year.
- [Report: Small businesses burdened by big corporations' tax dodges](https://studentvote.org/2013/02/07/sp-2/) - Off-shore tax havens cost New Jersey $2.8 billion in lost tax revenue last year, enough to pay the salaries of every New Jersey firefighter, police officer, EMT and 911 dispatcher, according to a report issued this week by a public interest group.
- [FSU students take aim at trash burning](https://studentvote.org/2013/03/01/fsu-students-take-aim-trash-burning/) - FITCHBURG -- Fitchburg State University students Thursday rallied for a change in state trash-burning policy.
- [CalPIRG petitions against Keystone pipeline](https://studentvote.org/2013/03/07/calpirg-petitions-against-keystone-pipeline/) - Ten members of the UC Berkeley chapter of CalPIRG rallied in front of Sather Gate Thursday against the construction of a controversial Keystone XL oil pipeline.
- [Representatives Bass and Courtney Speak on Legislative Solutions to Student Debt Crisis](https://studentvote.org/2013/04/25/representatives-bass-and-courtney-speak-legislative-solutions-student-debt-crisis/) - U.S. Representatives Joe Courtney (CT) and Karen Bass (CA) were joined today by student advocacy groups to highlight legislative solutions to rein in student loan debt. One year ago today, the United States' total amount of student debt crossed the $1 trillion mark.
- [GAO Report Finds Textbook Prices Continue To Skyrocket](https://studentvote.org/2013/06/06/gao-report-finds-textbook-prices-continue-skyrocket/) - College textbook prices increased three times the rate of inflation over the last decade according to a new report by the United States Government Accountability Office (GAO). Recent changes to federal law provide some relief to students, but more must be done to curb textbook costs permanently, it finds.
- [STUDENTS CALL FOR SENATE TO REJECT STUDENT LOAN DEAL](https://studentvote.org/2013/07/24/students-call-senate-reject-student-loan-deal/) - Today, college students spoke out to urge Senators to reject the pending student loan deal, which may come up for a vote in the Senate as early as this afternoon.
- [New Study Finds Technology Enabling Americans to Drive Less](https://studentvote.org/2013/10/01/new-study-finds-technology-enabling-americans-drive-less/) - In a first-of-its-kind study, U.S. PIRG compiled nation-wide evidence on transportation apps and vehicle sharing programs, and found that these advanced new tools have made it easier for Americans to drive less.
- [CFPB Report Confirms 2009 Credit CARD Act Works to Protect Consumers](https://studentvote.org/2013/10/02/cfpb-report-confirms-2009-credit-card-act-works-protect-consumers/) - Statement of U.S. PIRG Consumer Program Director Ed Mierzwinski (Excerpted from his invited testimony) at the CFPB Field Hearing on the Credit CARD Act Harold Washington Library, Chicago, Illinois
- [On Argument of McCutcheon v. FEC, Democracy Group Calls for Constitutional Amendment](https://studentvote.org/2013/10/02/argument-mccutcheon-v-fec-democracy-group-calls-constitutional-amendment/) - As the Supreme Court prepares to hear oral arguments in McCutcheon v. FEC, eight pro-democracy groups are speaking out on the urgent need for amending the Constitution to protect the integrity of our democracy.
- [Statewide Campaign Meant To Help Illinois Students Obtain Health Insurance Launches](https://studentvote.org/2013/10/03/statewide-campaign-meant-help-illinois-students-obtain-health-insurance-launches/) - In an effort to encourage more young people to obtain health insurance as part of the Affordable Care Act, the Illinois PIRG Education Fund kicked off a statewide campaign Thursday meant to inform students about the law as well as provide tips on finding the right coverage.
- [Recruiting 'young invincibles' key part of the Affordable Care Act](https://studentvote.org/2013/10/03/recruiting-young-invincibles-key-part-affordable-care-act/) - As thousands of people in Washington state start shopping on the health insurance exchange, recruiters are taking aim at a key group of people that are needed to make the system work.
- [OSPIRG Helps Oregon Students Navigate New Health Insurance Landscape](https://studentvote.org/2013/10/03/ospirg-helps-oregon-students-navigate-new-health-insurance-landscape/) - With the main parts of the Affordable Care Act now going into effect, OSPIRG has launched a statewide education campaign reaching out to students with facts about the changes, and tips to help them find the right coverage for themselves.
- [OSPIRG website to help students with Affordable Care Act](https://studentvote.org/2013/10/03/ospirg-website-help-students-affordable-care-act/) - Oregon State Public Interest Research Group, or OSPIRG, has launched a new Web resource and education campaign to help college students navigate the changes in the health insurance world.
- [Answering Questions About Health Insurance](https://studentvote.org/2013/10/03/answering-questions-about-health-insurance/) - A group at SOU says many college students are confused about the new health care laws. The Oregon Student Interest Research Group, or “OSPIRG” set up a booth at SOU this morning. The group was offering students information on how to sign up for health insurance, and showed some of their options under the Affordable Care Act.
- [WISPIRG launches health care guide targeting students](https://studentvote.org/2013/10/04/wispirg-launches-health-care-guide-targeting-students/) - The Wisconsin Public Interest Research Group released its student guide for understanding health insurance options under the Affordable Care Act at a press conference Thursday.
- [Progressive group navigates Oregon students through Obamacare](https://studentvote.org/2013/10/04/progressive-group-navigates-oregon-students-through-obamacare/) - The Oregon State Public Interest Research Group, a progressive nonprofit, says it wants to help college students navigate the new health insurance market.
- [WISPIRG Launches Health Care Information Campaign On UW Campuses](https://studentvote.org/2013/10/07/wispirg-launches-health-care-information-campaign-uw-campuses/) - Wisconsin college students can learn more about their health insurance options under the new Affordable Care Act, thanks to an education campaign.
- [OSPIRG Says Americans Are Driving Less](https://studentvote.org/2013/10/08/ospirg-says-americans-are-driving-less/) - In a first-of-its-kind study, OSPIRG compiled nation-wide evidence on transportation apps and vehicle sharing programs, such as TriMet Tickets and Getaround, and found that these advanced new tools have made it easier for Americans to drive less.
- [Technology Drives Youth to Go Green](https://studentvote.org/2013/10/08/technology-drives-youth-go-green/) - OSPIRG found technology is helping people find alternative transportation methods, through social networking sites and apps on smartphones.
- [College students get crash course on new options for health care insurance plans](https://studentvote.org/2013/10/09/college-students-get-crash-course-new-options-health-care-insurance-plans/) - Gone are the days when college students in New Jersey could meet a state mandate that they have insurance by buying bare-bones plans that offered little coverage but cost under $200.
- [New Report Identifies Most Troublesome Private Lenders to Students](https://studentvote.org/2013/10/24/new-report-identifies-most-troublesome-private-lenders-students/) - Thousands of American students are using the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s (CFPB) public Consumer Complaints Database to settle disputes about private student loans, according to a new report from the U.S. PIRG Education Fund.
- [Group brings awareness to Affordable Care Act](https://studentvote.org/2013/10/29/group-brings-awareness-affordable-care-act/) - Through the Illinois Public Interest Research Group, students at the University are spearheading efforts to make their peers aware of the changes happening in the health care system.
- [Students Endorse New Senate Plan for Affordable Textbooks](https://studentvote.org/2013/11/14/students-endorse-new-senate-plan-affordable-textbooks/) - Earlier today, Senator Richard Durbin (IL) and Senator Al Franken (MN) introduced the “Affordable College Textbook Act” that aims to make textbooks more affordable for today’s college students.
- [Congressman Rubén Hinojosa Introduces Legislation to Help Make College Textbooks More Affordable](https://studentvote.org/2013/11/20/congressman-ruben-hinojosa-introduces-legislation-to-help-make-college-textbooks-more-affordable/) - The cost of new textbooks has increased 82%, three times faster than inflation, over the last decade.
- [WashPIRG marks anniversary of Citizens United decision](https://studentvote.org/2014/01/21/washpirg-marks-anniversary-citizens-united-decision/) - Members of WashPIRG’s UW chapter stamped the cash of UW students Tuesday afternoon in acknowledgment of the fourth anniversary of the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision.
- [College textbook sticker shock causes students to leave books on the shelves](https://studentvote.org/2014/01/27/college-textbook-sticker-shock-causes-students-leave-books-shelves/) - Despite new technologies and a 2012 California law promising college students relief from soaring textbook costs, students' bookstore spending is higher than ever -- now about $1,200 for books and supplies.
- [College Textbooks Cost "Too Much", Students Seek Alternatives Survey Says](https://studentvote.org/2014/01/27/college-textbooks-cost-too-much-students-seek-alternatives-survey-says/) - With the cost of a college education increasing, students say textbooks are too much to handle.
- [SURVEY SHOWS STUDENTS OPTING OUT OF BUYING HIGH-COST TEXTBOOKS](https://studentvote.org/2014/01/27/survey-shows-students-opting-out-buying-high-cost-textbooks/) - Today, a survey released by the U.S. PIRG Education Fund shows that 65% of student consumers have opted out of buying a college textbook due to its high price, and of those students, 94% they suffer academically.
- [Fixing the Broken Textbook Market](https://studentvote.org/2014/01/27/fixing-broken-textbook-market/) - This study demonstrates that despite recent steps forward in the marketplace, high textbook costs will continue to be a problem for students unless the cost of high-priced, new editions of college textbooks comes down.
- [Maryland PIRG to deliver petitions for 5-cent bottle deposit](https://studentvote.org/2014/01/27/maryland-pirg-deliver-petitions-5-cent-bottle-deposit/) - Maryland PIRG is delivering petitions urging Gov. Martin O'Malley to support a measure to create a 5-cent redeemable bottle deposit.
- [Report: High Textbook Prices Have College Students Struggling](https://studentvote.org/2014/01/28/report-high-textbook-prices-have-college-students-struggling/) - The soaring cost of college textbooks is affecting students throughout the nation, to the point where some forgo purchasing books, despite the fact their grades could be in jeopardy.
- [STUDENTS APPLAUD CALL TO ACTION ON COLLEGE AFFORDABILITY](https://studentvote.org/2014/01/28/students-applaud-call-action-college-affordability/) - Statement of Student PIRGs Higher Education Associate Ethan Senack on President Obama’s State of the Union speech
- [Options Don't Stem Textbook Woes](https://studentvote.org/2014/01/28/options-dont-stem-textbook-woes/) - Despite some recent improvement in textbook market options and transparency, rising prices continue to hinder students who, in the worst scenarios, are turning down classes because the materials are too expensive.
- [Open Textbooks Could Help Students Financially and Academically](https://studentvote.org/2014/01/28/open-textbooks-could-help-students-financially-and-academically/) - As the price of college textbooks continues to increase, more students are opting to skip the books even if their grades suffer, a survey conducted by the U.S. Public Interest Research Group has found.
- [College textbook costs more outrageous than ever](https://studentvote.org/2014/01/28/college-textbook-costs-more-outrageous-ever/) - College textbooks cost too much — and something needs to be done about it, according to a report from the advocacy group U.S. PIRG.
- [Textbooks Are Too Expensive For College Students](https://studentvote.org/2014/01/28/textbooks-are-too-expensive-college-students/) - College textbooks are too expensive and many students can't afford them. The Oregon Student Public Interest Research Group released a national survey Monday on textbook costs and alternatives.
- [Majority Of Students Have Skipped Buying A College Textbook Because They're Too Expensive](https://studentvote.org/2014/01/28/majority-students-have-skipped-buying-college-textbook-because-theyre-too-expensive/) - The cost of college textbooks extends far beyond the bookstore, with students factoring in textbook expenses when they decide about everything from classwork to course loads, according to a report released Monday.
- [Textbooks pose yet another price hurdle for students: Report](https://studentvote.org/2014/01/28/textbooks-pose-yet-another-price-hurdle-students-report/) - As if rising tuition, fees and housing expenses weren’t enough, a report out Monday shows textbooks pose another cost hurdle for college students.
- [WashPIRG starts affordable textbook campaign](https://studentvote.org/2014/01/29/washpirg-starts-affordable-textbook-campaign/) - WashPIRG kicked off its affordable textbooks campaign Monday morning with a press conference releasing the WashPIRG Foundation’s national survey results on textbook affordability.
- [Textbooks and access codes financially burden students, university should adopt open textbooks](https://studentvote.org/2014/01/31/textbooks-and-access-codes-financially-burden-students-university-should-adopt-open/) - College textbooks notoriously break the bank of our nation’s youth and SRU students are no exception to that rule.
- [Cost of college textbooks out of control, group says](https://studentvote.org/2014/02/02/cost-college-textbooks-out-control-group-says/) - College textbooks cost too much — and something needs to be done about it, according to a report from the advocacy group U.S. PIRG. The College Board estimates that the average student in this country spends around $1,200 a year on books and supplies. A single book can cost as much as $200. Between 2002
- [EPA now accepting public comments about proposed coal regulations](https://studentvote.org/2014/02/05/epa-now-accepting-public-comments-about-proposed-coal-regulations/) - The Environmental Protection Agency is now accepting written comments concerning their proposed carbon pollution standards for new power plants until March 10. The new standards would end construction of any new coal-fired power plants in the U.S.
- [Five Ways Colleges Are Coaxing Students Out of Their Cars](https://studentvote.org/2014/02/05/five-ways-colleges-are-coaxing-students-out-their-cars/) - 104 colleges and universities around the United States provide free or reduced-price transit service to students.
- [A New Course](https://studentvote.org/2014/02/05/new-course/) - Across America, colleges and universities are showing that efforts aimed at reducing driving deliver powerful benefits for students, staff and surrounding communities. Policymakers at all levels of government should be looking to the innovative examples of these campuses. Universities and college towns also provide useful models for expanding the range of transportation options available to Americans while addressing the transportation challenges facing our communities.
- [Millenials reduced their annual driving miles by 23% according to new NJPIRG report](https://studentvote.org/2014/02/06/millenials-reduced-their-annual-driving-miles-23-according-new-njpirg-report/) - New Jersey Public Interest Research Group of Rutgers – New Brunswick held a press conference Thursday, February 06, 2014 to announce the release of a new report, titled, “A New Course: How Innovative University Programs Are Reducing Driving on Campus and Creating New Models for Transportation Policy” by U.S. PIRG Education Fund.
- [Road Worrier: NC universities want to help students get around without their cars](https://studentvote.org/2014/02/18/road-worrier-nc-universities-want-help-students-get-around-without-their-cars/) - With American teens and young adults cutting back on their driving, a recent report focuses on efforts by universities in the Triangle and across the country to boost transit use and help students get around without their cars.
- [Inflation in textbook prices deflates student interest](https://studentvote.org/2014/02/19/inflation-textbook-prices-deflates-student-interest/) - The high cost of textbooks caused Point Park students like Anna Dobbins, Akilah Brooks and Alexandria Bright to turn to the age-old practice of sharing.
- [INPIRG mock wedding protests Citizens United](https://studentvote.org/2014/02/20/inpirg-mock-wedding-protests-citizens-united/) - After months of planning and preparation for the big day, McDonald’s and Monsanto were married yesterday during a small ceremony in the Indiana Memorial Union.
- [MASSPIRG remains busy on campus](https://studentvote.org/2014/02/28/masspirg-remains-busy-campus/) - Many students have heard about the organization known as MASSPIRG. With so many other clubs on campus, though, trying to keep track of which one is doing what can become confusing.
- [Students speak up for Bottle Bill](https://studentvote.org/2014/03/06/students-speak-bottle-bill/) - MCLA students may have been slightly bewildered on their way to lunch Monday, Feb. 24 when they were greeted in the Marketplace by a large, anthropomorphic plastic water bottle.
- [Q&A with Congressman Peter DeFazio on GMOs, veteran’s health care and college costs](https://studentvote.org/2014/03/08/qa-with-congressman-peter-defazio-on-gmos-veterans-health-care-and-college-costs/) - On Friday, March 7, 2014, Congressman Peter DeFazio came to a press event put on by Oregon Students Interest Research Group to speak out about the labeling of Genetically Modified Organisms and OSPIRG’s campaign to ask markets and grocery store chains to label foods that contain GMOs.
- [Students press profs to open minds to cheaper textbooks](https://studentvote.org/2014/03/10/students-press-profs-open-minds-cheaper-textbooks/) - Washington college students are trying to get more professors to adopt open textbooks, which are often free and widely available online.
- [Affordable Textbooks: A Policy Guide](https://studentvote.org/2014/03/17/affordable-textbooks-policy-guide/) - A guide to policy on textbook affordability through the development of open-source textbooks.
- [Rutgers students campaign for GMO labeling](https://studentvote.org/2014/03/24/rutgers-students-campaign-gmo-labeling/) - A group of Rutgers students with the New Jersey Public Interest Research Group (NJPIRG) Student Chapters called on Stop & Shop to label its store-brand products for ingredients derived from genetically modified organisms (GMOs) Friday at a rally outside of the Highland Park Stop & Shop.
- [Push on to expand state's bottle bill](https://studentvote.org/2014/03/27/push-expand-states-bottle-bill/) - Fitchburg State University students and faculty are hoping to clean up the city and the state and encourage recycling by advocating for the proposed expansion of the state bottle bill to include non-carbonated beverages.
- [Opinion: Millennials may lead the way to high-speed rail](https://studentvote.org/2014/03/31/opinion-millennials-may-lead-way-high-speed-rail/) - TWO QUESTIONS: Why doesn’t our nation have more passenger trains? And does the younger generation’s declining interest in driving imply an opening for the expansion of public high-speed rail?
- [TODAY SUPREME COURT RULED FOR ANOTHER FLOOD OF BIG MONEY](https://studentvote.org/2014/04/02/today-supreme-court-ruled-another-flood-big-money/) - Today the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in McCutcheon v. FEC to strike down overall, or aggregate, contribution limits to candidates and political committees. U.S. PIRG research found that this ruling could bring $1 billion in additional campaign contributions from fewer than 2,800 elite donors through the 2020 election cycle.
- [McCutcheon Money](https://studentvote.org/2014/04/02/mccutcheon-money/) - McCutcheon v. FEC Could Significantly Increase the Giving of a Small Handful of Donors
- [New Federal Bills Would Protect Students From High-Cost Campus Bank Accounts](https://studentvote.org/2014/05/23/new-federal-bills-would-protect-students-high-cost-campus-bank-accounts/) - Today, lawmakers from both the U.S. House and U.S. Senate introduced bills that would protect college students from being needlessly steered into campus bank accounts — accounts with debit cards that often drive up students’ costs and deplete their financial aid.
- [[UConn] USG votes to form open-source textbook committee](https://studentvote.org/2014/10/14/uconn-usg-votes-form-open-source-textbook-committee/) - University of Connecticut Undergraduate Student Government voted unanimously to form a committee to explore the use of open source textbooks in classes.
- [How students are engaging textbook companies in a duel against high prices, and winning](https://studentvote.org/2014/10/16/how-students-are-engaging-textbook-companies-duel-against-high-prices-and-winning/) - Before entering the classroom of an intro-level economics course, students get a real-life experience with the subject — the required textbook costs $290 on Amazon.
- [#TBT: Research, Lobbying Group Endorsed By Princeton Students](https://studentvote.org/2015/01/15/tbt-research-lobbying-group-endorsed-princeton-students/) - NOV 21, 1980 - Princeton University students yesterday overwhelmingly voted to form an undergraduate-funded chapter of a national student environmental and consumer advocacy group, the first of its kind in the Ivy League.
- [President’s budget promising for students](https://studentvote.org/2015/02/02/presidents-budget-promising-for-students/) - A Joint Statement on the President’s Budget from the Student Public Interest Research Groups (PIRGs) and the United States Student Association (USSA).
- [REPORT: Open Textbooks: The Billion-Dollar Solution](https://studentvote.org/2015/02/24/report-open-textbooks-billion-dollar-solution/) - A report released today by the Student PIRGs shows that an alternative textbook model called open textbooks could save undergraduate students more than a billion dollar a year.
- [Open Textbooks: The Billion Dollar Solution](https://studentvote.org/2015/02/24/open-textbooks-billion-dollar-solution/) - New report shows alternative textbook model could save students a billion dollars.
- [Putting a Dent in College Costs With Open-Source Textbooks](https://studentvote.org/2015/02/26/putting-dent-college-costs-open-source-textbooks/) - College students could save an average of $128 a course if traditional textbooks were replaced with free or low-cost “open-source” electronic versions, a new report finds.
- [Student Groups Pressure Colleges Over the Insane Cost of Textbooks](https://studentvote.org/2015/02/27/student-groups-pressure-colleges-over-insane-cost-textbooks/) - Students can spend $1,300 per year on textbooks, but online textbooks could ease that burden, a new analysis finds
- [The Death of Textbooks?](https://studentvote.org/2015/03/09/death-textbooks/) - Artificially intelligent software is reshaping traditional teaching materials—but it's unclear what the new technology will take away from the learning experience.
- [Senator Warren gets real about student loans on the Daily Show](https://studentvote.org/2015/04/10/senator-warren-gets-real-about-student-loans-daily-show/) - Senator Warren was on the Daily Show last night, talking student loans: [STEWART]: "The big banks have been at the fed discount window for years and years now, borrowing at zero percent. Why is that ok?... Why are students not being penalized for not being businesses but businesses are basically being handed money?" [WARREN]: "Because
- [Open Textbooks: The Current State of Play](https://studentvote.org/2015/05/04/open-textbooks-current-state-play/) - Use of open textbooks, one form of OER, is gaining traction across different types of colleges and universities, and the catalog of OER textbooks continues to expand.
- [Textbook Publisher’s Twitter Contest Backfires](https://studentvote.org/2015/06/03/textbook-publishers-twitter-contest-backfires/) - Late Tuesday afternoon, students around the country seized on McGraw-Hill’s twitter contest #usedtextbookproblems and instead used it as an opportunity to criticize the companies excessive prices.
- [Why McGraw-Hill Is Offering $100 for Your #usedtextbookproblems](https://studentvote.org/2015/06/09/why-mcgraw-hill-offering-100-your-usedtextbookproblems/) - McGraw-Hill launched transparent attempt to put down and undermine the used textbook market, and we can't let it go unanswered.
- [U.S. PIRG Joins 91 Organizations In Calling on White House to Open Access to Federally Funded Educational Resources](https://studentvote.org/2015/08/04/us-pirg-joins-91-organizations-calling-white-house-open-access-federally-funded-educational/) - Today, U.S. PIRG, along with a broad coalition of 91 education organizations, institutions of higher education, technology companies, and foundations called on the White House to ensure federally funded educational materials are made freely available to the public as the administration develops an Open Government Partnership plan this fall.
- [U.S. Department of Education Announces First-Ever Open Education Adviser Position](https://studentvote.org/2015/09/15/us-department-education-announces-first-ever-open-education-adviser-position/) - The U.S. Department of Education announced today the hiring of the first ever open education adviser to lead a national effort to expand schools’ access to high-quality, openly-licensed learning resources.
- [DURBIN, FRANKEN, KING INTRODUCE LEGISLATION TO HELP MAKE COLLEGE TEXTBOOKS MORE AFFORDABLE](https://studentvote.org/2015/10/07/durbin-franken-king-introduce-legislation-help-make-college-textbooks-more-affordable/) - For Immediate Release [WASHINGTON, DC] – U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Al Franken (D-MN) and Angus King (I-ME) today introduced legislation designed to help students manage costs by making high quality textbooks easily accessible to students, professors and the public for free. This bill, known as the Affordable College Textbook Act, would create a competitive grant
- [Students win against banks in U.S. Department of Education Rule](https://studentvote.org/2015/10/27/students-win-against-banks-us-department-education-rule/) - For Immediate Release [Washington, DC] -- Today the U.S Department of Education significantly lowered costs for college students by banning some of the worst fees from bank accounts on campus. The agency’s new rule will impact over 9 million college students that are exposed to campus-sponsored bank accounts. These debit accounts, often used by students
- [COVERING THE COST](https://studentvote.org/2016/02/03/covering-cost/) - A new report investigating the real impact of high textbook prices on today’s college students.
- [Student Group Releases New Report on Textbook Prices](https://studentvote.org/2016/02/03/student-group-releases-new-report-textbook-prices/) - Earlier today, the Student PIRGs released a new report investigating the real impact of high textbook prices on today’s students
- [Student PIRGs seeking Higher Education Associate](https://studentvote.org/2016/06/02/student-pirgs-seeking-higher-education-associate/) - Click for job description and application instructions...
- [Keep Pell Funding for Pell Grants](https://studentvote.org/2016/06/09/keep-pell-funding-pell-grants/) - A statement from Student PIRGs Higher Education Advocate, Ethan Senack, following the Labor-HHS Appropriations Bill markup and passage in the Senate Appropriations Committee earlier today.
- [ConnPIRG plans for largest and most aggressive voter registration drive UConn has ever seen](https://studentvote.org/2016/09/15/connpirg-plans-largest-and-most-aggressive-voter-registration-drive-uconn-has-ever-seen/) - From the UConn Daily Campus: ConnPIRG is planning to have the largest and most aggressive voter registration drive the University of Connecticut has seen, as announced in their first meeting. ConnPIRG is a nonpartisan, nonprofit statewide organization that works to inform and put issues in front of legislators in Hartford. One of their goals for the next three months is to register 4,000 students and mobilize 12,000 to the polls to vote on Election Day. Read the full story at http://dailycampus.com/stories/2016/9/15/connpirg-plans-for-largest-and-most-aggressive-voter-registration-drive-uconn-has-ever-seen.
- [Rutgers-Camden Student Group Encourages Professors To Provide Free Textbooks](https://studentvote.org/2016/09/21/rutgers-camden-student-group-encourages-professors-provide-free-textbooks/) - A student organization on the Rutgers-Camden campus is encouraging professors to buy-in to the concept of free books for their students.
- [Report: New Trend in College Textbook Market Presents Danger For Students](https://studentvote.org/2016/09/21/report-new-trend-college-textbook-market-presents-danger-students/) - WASHINGTON, DC – Today, the Student PIRGs released a new report titled Access Denied that investigates the concerning growth of online access codes in college classrooms
- [ACCESS DENIED:](https://studentvote.org/2016/09/21/access-denied/) - The growth of cost-saving alternatives like used textbooks and free, openly-licensed educational resources have forced publishers to reassess their business and shift toward a new model: access codes.
- [A New Cost at College: Digital Access Codes](https://studentvote.org/2016/09/23/new-cost-college-digital-access-codes/) - DIGITAL books and study tools don’t weigh down backpacks as heavy textbooks do. But fees for the codes to get them may be a financial burden for some college students, a new report found.
- [ConnPIRG releases report on 'the new face of textbook monopoly'](https://studentvote.org/2016/09/23/connpirg-releases-report-new-face-textbook-monopoly/) - University of Connecticut student advocacy organization, ConnPIRG, released a report on Wednesday, which analyzed the adverse affect that online access codes issued by textbook companies have on the affordability of college.
- [Rutgers PIRG registers 800 voters for 2016 election](https://studentvote.org/2016/09/29/rutgers-pirg-registers-800-voters-2016-election/) - The Rutgers Daily Targum published this story about the NJPIRG voter registration drive at Rutgers University. NJPIRG helped register more than 800 students to vote in the first four days of their drive. [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_original","fid":"12701","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image","typeof":"foaf:Image"}}]] Read the full story here: http://www.dailytargum.com/article/2016/09/rutgers-pirg-registers-voters-for-2016-election.
- [Hunger on Campus](https://studentvote.org/2016/10/04/hunger-campus/) - Food insecurity – the lack of reliable access to sufficient quantities of affordable, nutritious food – is common at colleges and universities across the country, potentially undermining the educational success of untold thousands of students.
- [New Study: Hunger May Threaten Nearly Half of All College Students](https://studentvote.org/2016/10/05/new-study-hunger-may-threaten-nearly-half-all-college-students/) - Earlier today, a group of campus-based organizations released results from the nation’s most comprehensive survey to date on food insecurity on college campuses.
- [FSU Students Push Their Peers to Register to Vote](https://studentvote.org/2016/10/06/fsu-students-push-their-peers-register-vote/) - Florida PIRG's voter registration project at Florida State University was featured on the local ABC news. [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_original","fid":"12686","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image","typeof":"foaf:Image"}}]] See the video clip here: http://www.wtxl.com/news/fsu-students-push-their-peers-to-register-to-vote/article_3874a814-8c22-11e6-98e1-8f4780385da8.html.
- [MaryPIRG is helping hundreds of UMD students vote](https://studentvote.org/2016/10/17/marypirg-helping-hundreds-umd-students-vote/) - As part of their New Voters Project this semester, MaryPIRG has helped register more than 1,200 students to vote.
- [CALPIRG Pushes for Yes on Prop 67](https://studentvote.org/2016/10/20/calpirg-pushes-yes-prop-67/) - UCSB’s CALPIRG chapter is working to convince students to vote yes on Prop 67, which will effectively ban plastic bags in the state of California. Read more: http://dailynexus.com/2016-10-20/calpirg-pushes-for-yes-on-prop-37/
- [Student Volunteers Launch Last-Minute Youth Voting Push](https://studentvote.org/2016/11/08/student-volunteers-launch-last-minute-youth-voting-push/) - As Election Day continues, volunteers and staff with the Student PIRG’s New Voters Project are going full tilt with creative ideas and proven tactics to drive youth turnout at the polls.
- [Student Group Announces Big Numbers Heading into Election Day](https://studentvote.org/2016/11/08/student-group-announces-big-numbers-heading-election-day/) - After months of major field organizing efforts in over 14 states, volunteers and staff for the Student PIRGs have helped to register more than 40,000 young people to vote and made over 200,000 Get-Out-The-Vote contacts to college students around the country.
- [Souza: OSPIRG campaigns for local change](https://studentvote.org/2017/01/20/souza-ospirg-campaigns-local-change/) - “Together we can make change happen,” reads OSPIRG’s slogan. No truer words could be said about this inspirational and hardworking organization.
- [UConnPIRG’s “lead” campaign strives to create renewable energy future for CT](https://studentvote.org/2017/01/23/uconnpirgs-lead-campaign-strives-to-create-renewable-energy-future-for-ct/) - Student activist group UConnPIRG will strive to keep further gas pipelines from being built in Connecticut and to move the state toward an 100 percent renewable energy future with its new “lead” campaign.
- [MassPIRG launches campaign for spring semester](https://studentvote.org/2017/02/09/masspirg-launches-campaign-spring-semester-0/) - MassPIRG officially launched four of its campaigns for the spring semester during an event Tuesday evening in the Cape Cod Lounge.
- [Campaign launched to repower colleges and universities with 100 percent renewable energy](https://studentvote.org/2017/02/14/campaign-launched-repower-colleges-and-universities-100-percent-renewable-energy/) - Washington, D.C. - Today, Environment America and the Student Public Interest Research Groups (PIRGs) launched a campaign to secure commitments from American colleges and universities to shift to 100 percent renewable energy.
- [MARYPIRG KICKS OFF NEW SEMESTER TACKLING SIX BIG ISSUES](https://studentvote.org/2017/02/15/marypirg-kicks-new-semester-tackling-six-big-issues/) - The Maryland Public Research Group, MaryPIRG, discussed six big issues to fix in society throughout this semester during its spring kickoff meeting in Stamp on Feb. 13
- [UConn Students Look to Ban Disposable Water Bottles](https://studentvote.org/2017/02/20/uconn-students-look-ban-disposable-water-bottles/)
- [Rutgers, NJPIRG helping to reduce textbook costs](https://studentvote.org/2017/02/27/rutgers-njpirg-helping-reduce-textbook-costs/) - Rutgers University and the New Jersey Public Interest Research Group (NJPIRG) Students have been working in conjunction to help lower the financial burden of college students. Over the two years the program has been running, $1.6 million has been saved by students."
- [Renewable Energy 100](https://studentvote.org/2017/03/08/renewable-energy-100/) - America’s institutions of higher education can play a crucial role in the fight to prevent the worst impacts of global warming. Colleges and universities across the country should aggressively deploy clean energy on campus, setting a goal of getting 100 percent of their energy from clean renewable sources. Hundreds of universities have already pledged to
- [576 Higher Education Advocates Urge Congress to Protect Student Aid](https://studentvote.org/2017/04/06/576-higher-education-advocates-urge-congress-protect-student-aid/) - Yesterday, 576 higher education advocates representing students, institutions, educators, and consumers sent a letter to Congress urging them to protect critical federal student aid programs.
- [KFC To Eliminate Use of Medically Important Antibiotics from Chicken Supply Announcement is a Major Victory for Consumers and Public Health](https://studentvote.org/2017/04/07/kfc-eliminate-use-medically-important-antibiotics-chicken-supply-announcement-major-victory/) - Today, KFC U.S. announced that by the end of 2018, all chicken purchased by the company will be raised without antibiotics important to human medicine. A coalition of consumer and public health groups, including the Student Public Interest Research Groups (Student PIRGs) had urged the company to act on the issue.
- [New bill could save students millions in textbook costs](https://studentvote.org/2017/09/26/new-bill-could-save-students-millions-textbook-costs/) - For Immediate Release WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators acted today to address the rising costs of textbooks, proposing a new bill to create a grant program to promote free textbooks at colleges across the country. The program has the potential to save nearly a billion dollars for American students if enacted. U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL),
- [Durbin reintroduces a bill to cut costs on books for college students](https://studentvote.org/2017/10/03/durbin-reintroduces-bill-cut-costs-books-college-students/) - Joined by Senators Al Franken (D-MN) and Angus King (I-ME), Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin reintroduced a bill titled “Affordable College Textbook Act” to “expand the use of open college textbooks" with PIRG Higher Education Advocate Kaitlyn Vitez.
- [U.S. PIRG Regulatory Reform Statement on Campus Debit Cards and Open Licensing](https://studentvote.org/2017/10/04/us-pirg-regulatory-reform-statement-campus-debit-cards-and-open-licensing/) - Secretary Betsy DeVos U.S. Department of Education c/o Wendy Macias 400 Maryland Ave. SW, Room 6C111, Washington, DC 20202 October 4, 2017 RE: Docket ID# ED-2017-OS-0074, Docket# 2017-13157 Dear Secretary DeVos: The U.S. Public Interest Research Group is a consumer advocacy organization with chapters on 50 college campuses across the country; on behalf of these
- [Renewable Energy 101: Ten Tools for Moving Your Campus to 100% Clean Energy](https://studentvote.org/2017/10/05/renewable-energy-101-ten-tools-moving-your-campus-100-clean-energy/) - America’s institutions of higher education can play a leadership role in the fight to prevent the worst impacts of global warming. Colleges and universities across the country should aggressively deploy clean energy on campus, setting a goal to meet all their energy needs with clean renewable resources.
- [Boston University Commits to 100% Renewable Electricity](https://studentvote.org/2017/12/08/boston-university-commits-100-renewable-electricity/) - Boston, MA - Massachusetts’ largest university took a big step towards leading the country on climate action by committing to purchase 100 percent of its electricity from renewable sources like solar and wind by end of 2018.
- [In fight for more affordable education, look to core classes](https://studentvote.org/2018/01/25/open-101/) - WASHINGTON, DC- Earlier today, the Student PIRGs released a new report investigating high textbook prices for common courses at schools across the country. Entitled Open 101: an Action Plan for Affordable Textbooks, the report contains recommendations that, if enacted, could save students billions of dollars.
- [Student Advocacy Group Applauds Dunkin’ Donuts’ Move Away From Foam Cups](https://studentvote.org/2018/02/15/student-advocacy-group-applauds-dunkin-donuts-move-away-from-foam-cups/) - Student PIRGs applauds Dunkin’ Donuts’ decision last week to phase out expanded polystyrene foam (commonly known as “styrofoam”) cups from its stores by 2020.The change will remove around a billion polystyrene cups, which pollute the ocean and can take centuries to biodegrade, from the waste stream.
- [Student Government Leaders Unite in Call for Federal Open Textbook Grant Program](https://studentvote.org/2018/03/07/student-government-leaders-unite-call-federal-open-textbook-grant-program/) - Student government leaders of the undersigned colleges and universities write to Congress on the urgent need to address the skyrocketing price of textbooks, and a request to create a national open textbook pilot grants program in the FY18 appropriations bill.
- [FY18 Open Textbooks Program Appropriation an Important Step for College Students](https://studentvote.org/2018/03/21/fy18-open-textbooks-program-appropriation-important-step-college-students/) - Today, Congress introduced its budget omnibus bill for the 2018 fiscal year, in which appropriators set aside $5 million for a program to lower textbook costs for students.
- [University of California commits to use only 100% renewable electricity sources by 2025](https://studentvote.org/2018/09/04/university-california-commits-use-only-100-renewable-electricity-sources-2025/) - California’s flagship public university system, with 270,000 students across 10 campuses, will use electricity from clean and renewable energy exclusively by 2025, the University of California Office of the President announced today.
- [Renewable Energy 101: Tools to move campuses toward renewable energy](https://studentvote.org/2018/11/12/renewable-energy-101-tools-move-campuses-toward-renewable-energy-2/) - Last week, the Student PIRGs released a new Environment America Research & Policy Center report report detailing 11 strategies and tools that universities can use to move towards meeting 100 percent of their energy needs with renewable sources.
- [Student PIRGs Launches the Fall 2018 New Voters Project](https://studentvote.org/2018/08/20/student-pirgs-launches-fall-2018-new-voters-project/) - This week the Student PIRGs launch the Fall 2018 New Voters Project!
- [New Voters Project Helps Register 5,000+ Students in First Two Weeks!](https://studentvote.org/2018/09/03/new-voters-project-helps-register-5000-students-first-two-weeks/) - In the first two weeks of the campaign, the Student PIRGs New Voters Project has helped over 5,000 students register to vote for the upcoming midterm elections!
- [FY18 Open Textbooks Program Appropriation: the next step toward textbook affordability](https://studentvote.org/2018/03/21/fy18-open-textbooks-program-appropriation-next-step-toward-textbook-affordability/) - In today’s long-overdue budget bill, Congress set aside $5 million for open textbook initiatives nationwide, which would replace high-cost publisher materials with free materials that can be accessed online or downloaded.
- [576 Higher Education Groups Urge Congress to Support Student Aid](https://studentvote.org/2017/04/05/576-higher-education-groups-urge-congress-support-student-aid/) - Today, 576 organizations and institutions of higher education sent a letter to Congress asking them to protect federal student aid as they finish up FY17 appropriations and start working on FY18. U.S PIRG worked in a large coalition representing students, institutions, educators, advocates, and employers to draft and circulate the letter of support. The letter comes after calls by President Trump to cut the Pell grant reserve by a combined $5.2 billion in FY17 and FY18 and multiple proposals in Congress to cut a portion of the Pell grant reserve.
- [We banned fracking in Maryland!](https://studentvote.org/2017/03/30/we-banned-fracking-maryland/) - Check out this blog post by MaryPIRG Students campaign coordinator Devorah Stavisky on how they helped ban fracking in Maryland!
- [We helped save the CA Bag Ban!](https://studentvote.org/2016/09/12/we-helped-save-ca-bag-ban/) - Last Fall’s Election was a whirlwind. One thing we should all be excited about is that in California, we continue to push the envelope in protecting the environment. We’re so happy that California’s citizens voted to uphold the ban on single-use grocery bags!In 2014 CALPIRG worked with other local groups to make California the first state
- [Wrapping Up the 2016 Elections](https://studentvote.org/2016/11/10/wrapping-2016-elections/) - With the 2016 Elections coming to a close, so too is our 2016 New Voters Project. Regardless of your views on the outcome of the Election, the importance of our participation is clearer now than ever. Our New Voters Project campaign reached 80 campuses in 14 states, helping over 40,000 students register to vote, and
- [It's Time for a Debt-Free Guarantee](https://studentvote.org/2016/10/25/its-time-debt-free-guarantee/) - We're joining a nationwide push for Debt-Free education. Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ethan-senack/its-time-for-a-debt-free_b_12643348.html
- [Rutgers Students Create New Voting Mascot](https://studentvote.org/2016/09/19/rutgers-students-create-new-voting-mascot/) - Check out this fun new piece of cat-themed campaign artwork from the NJPIRG students at Rutgers University. [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_original","fid":"12696","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image","typeof":"foaf:Image"}}]]
- [Vote UCLA is Halfway to Their Voter Registration Goal](https://studentvote.org/2016/10/10/vote-ucla-halfway-their-voter-registration-goal/) - The Vote UCLA coalition, which includes CALPIRG, the Undergraduate Students Association, and other campus groups, is nearly halfway to their fall goal to help register 15,000 UCLA students to vote. [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_original","fid":"12691","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image","typeof":"foaf:Image"}}]]
- [California Leaders Support Expanded Voter Registration at Cal State System](https://studentvote.org/2016/09/21/california-leaders-support-expanded-voter-registration-cal-state-system/) - California Lt. Governor Gavin Newsom and Secretary of State Alex Padilla attended the California State University trustee meeting this week. They spoke out in favor of plans on the Cal State campuses to integrate voter registration into class registration. They posed here for pictures with Cal State leaders, along with CALPIRG director Emily Rusch (right).
- [The Latest in Election Day Fashion](https://studentvote.org/2016/09/20/latest-election-day-fashion/) - PIRG students are suiting up for the election in a variety of New Voters Project t-shirts. Check them out! [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_original","fid":"12671","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image","typeof":"foaf:Image"}}]] [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_original","fid":"12676","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image","typeof":"foaf:Image"}}]]
- [Students Turn Out for Debate Watching Parties](https://studentvote.org/2016/09/28/students-turn-out-debate-watching-parties/) - PIRG chapters across the country organized debate watching parties so that students could watch and discuss the debates together. The local news interviewed Maryland PIRG student leaders about their debate watching party at the University of Maryland. [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_original","fid":"12661","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image","typeof":"foaf:Image"}}]] The local paper covered MASSPIRG's debate watching party at Salem State University. [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_original","fid":"12666","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image","typeof":"foaf:Image"}}]]
- [Santa Cruz Chapter Tops National Voter Registration Day](https://studentvote.org/2016/10/13/santa-cruz-chapter-tops-national-voter-registration-day/) - Congratulations to the CALPIRG chapter at the University of California, Santa Cruz! Their voter registration efforts made them one of the top performers on National Voter Registration Day! [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_original","fid":"12656","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image","typeof":"foaf:Image"}}]]
- [Op/Ed: The power of young people](https://studentvote.org/2014/10/14/oped-power-young-people/) - Why youth voting matters in this midterm election. Originally published in the Durham Herald-Sun.
- [Take action today to stop the mining industry's misleading radio ads](https://studentvote.org/2014/06/12/take-action-today-stop-mining-industrys-misleading-radio-ads/) - After the EPA made their historic announcement for the first-ever federal limits on carbon pollution, the National Mining Association started airing deceptive radio ads about our electricity bills nearly doubling. Here's how you can take action today to stand up for stopping global warming.
- [Protect yourself from Heartbleed](https://studentvote.org/2014/04/13/protect-yourself-heartbleed/) - Freaking out about the Heartbleed virus? Check out our quick tips on how to deal before changing all of your passwords .
- [Keystone XL Tar Sands Pipeline Should Flunk the Climate Test](https://studentvote.org/2014/01/31/keystone-xl-tar-sands-pipeline-should-flunk-climate-test/) - Today, the State Department released an environmental impact statement on the proposed Keystone XL pipeline, which would transport tar sands from Canada to the Gulf Coast. Just this week, President Obama reiterated his commitment to tackling global warming. Secretary of State John Kerry has been a leader in the movement to stop global warming. We
- [Stamp Money Out of Politics](https://studentvote.org/2014/01/21/stamp-money-out-politics/) - On the fourth anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court Citizens United ruling, we're rallying across the country to support meaningful reforms to reclaim our democracy and get big money out of politics.
- [Campus Textbook Survey](https://studentvote.org/2013/10/29/campus-textbook-survey/) - We're conducting a survey to get a better sense of the impacts of textbook costs on students. We'll publish a report on our findings later this year.
- [CFPB Report Shows Credit Card Act Works](https://studentvote.org/2013/10/11/cfpb-report-shows-credit-card-act-works/) - Last week, the CFPB released a report showing that the landmark PIRG-backed Credit CARD Act of 2009 is saving consumers billions of dollars by helping them avoid penalty fees and unfair interest rate increases.
- [HR 4078 A BILL THAT WILL SHUTDOWN ALL PUBLIC HEALTH AND CONSUMER SAFEGUARDS](https://studentvote.org/2012/07/27/hr-4078-bill-will-shutdown-all-public-health-and-consumer-safeguards/) - HR 4078 yesterday passed a floor vote in the House, this bill if passed by Congress will shutdown the U.S. regulatory system as we know it. Two other equally hazardous bills are rolled into it, H.R. 4607 and H.R. 3862. Combined, these bills will halt or delay virtually ALL rule making and public health protections and do absolutely nothing to stimulate the economy or new job opportunities. They would shut down safeguards that Americans take for granted. This bill will now pass to the Senate and if Congress makes this bill law we will see the following consequences.
- [NEW FINANCIAL AID SHOPPING SHEET HELPS STUDENTS KNOW BEFORE THEY OWE](https://studentvote.org/2012/07/24/new-financial-aid-shopping-sheet-helps-students-know-they-owe/) - Students now have a tool to help them avoid student loan debt: the new financial aid shopping sheet, a simple form explaining the costs, financing options, and loan options for prospective students.
- [FOR ITS OWN FIRST BIRTHDAY, CFPB SENDS GIFTS TO CONSUMERS](https://studentvote.org/2012/07/20/its-own-first-birthday-cfpb-sends-gifts-consumers/) - Tomorrow, Saturday, July 21, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau turns one year old. The CFPB already has achieved a record of significant accomplishments in its first year to protect veterans, students, seniors, military families and all consumers.
- [CFPB ISSUES RULE REGULATING BIG CREDIT BUREAUS](https://studentvote.org/2012/07/16/cfpb-issues-rule-regulating-big-credit-bureaus/) - Today, at a field hearing in Detroit, as expected, the CFPB announced its first "larger participants" rule, giving itself the authority to supervise, or look inside the mysterious "black box" operations, of the biggest credit bureaus.
- [BIG WIN FOR UPDATED BOTTLE BILL IN SENATE](https://studentvote.org/2012/07/19/big-win-updated-bottle-bill-senate/) - In the spirit of the upcoming Olympics, the Massachusetts Senate earned a gold medal tonight when they passed the Updated Bottle Bill.
- [Making health care work in Arizona](https://studentvote.org/2012/05/13/making-health-care-work-arizona/) - I am concerned about the rising cost of health insurance, especially when I have no clue why my rates are increasing.
- [Senator Brown: Do the math](https://studentvote.org/2012/05/23/senator-brown-do-math/) - As you know, unless Congress takes immediate action, thousands of us will see our student loan interest rates double from 3.4% to 6.5% just weeks from now, on July 1, 2012.
- [Youth Vote Posts Strong Showing in 2012 Elections](https://studentvote.org/2012/11/07/sp/) - New expert estimates indicate that turnout of young voters between the ages of 18 and 29 will likely exceed 50 percent in yesterday’s national election. This strong showing places 2012 on par with record 2008 turnout rates and bucks predictions of a precipitous drop-off in young voter participation.
- [ELECTION DAY UPDATES FROM ACROSS NORTH CAROLINA](https://studentvote.org/2012/11/06/sp/) - Across North Carolina students are voting in big numbers and having fun at the polls.
- [4 PM ELECTION DAY DISPATCHES FROM THE GROUND](https://studentvote.org/2012/11/06/sp/) - Young voter enthusiasm and lines to vote grew on college campuses over the course of the day. .
- [11 AM ELECTION DAY DISPATCHES FROM THE GROUND](https://studentvote.org/2012/11/06/sp/) - Check out early morning updates from CO, MA, NJ, and PA!
- [100,000!](https://studentvote.org/2012/10/29/100000/) - I'm excited to report that the Student PIRGs’ New Voters Project has helped more than 100,000 students register to vote.
- [60,000 and counting!](https://studentvote.org/2012/10/16/60000-and-counting/) - Voter registration deadlines have come and gone in most states and the rest are approaching fast. With 20 days until Election Day I'm incredibily proud of what we've accomplished so far.
- [It's the 30th anniversary of Connecticut's New Car Lemon Law](https://studentvote.org/2012/10/01/its-30th-anniversary-connecticuts-new-car-lemon-law/) - Thirty years ago today, the nation's first new car lemon law took effect in Connecticut, providing consumers with a real remedy, or a refund, when their new car was a lemon. California's law, championed by Rosemary Shahan of CARS, followed very closely, but Connecticut was first. Every state (list at Center for Auto Safety) now has a new car lemon law and consumers are better off for it. Estimates are that the Connecticut law has saved consumers $60 million.
- [Students Win In Florida](https://studentvote.org/2012/08/30/students-win-florida/) - Yesterday, Federal Judge Robert L. Hinkle issued an order to permanently remove some of the most restrictive parts of Florida’s new voter registration laws. The laws would have made it harder for student governments and groups like us to help young people register to vote.
- [White House Office Hours with Secretary of Education Arne Duncan](https://studentvote.org/2012/06/26/white-house-office-hours-secretary-education-arne-duncan/) - Secretary of Education Arne Duncan is doing a live Q&A on Twitter on Wednesday, June 27th at 2:00 p.m. EDT. Secretary Duncan will answer your questions about college affordability and the administration’s education policies and priorities.
- [Volunteer: Register Voters at Concerts this Summer](https://studentvote.org/2012/05/23/volunteer-register-voters-concerts-summer/) - This summer we're running voter registration drives at concerts and music festivals across the country, and we'd love your help.
- [Winning. Victory in Florida](https://studentvote.org/2012/06/01/winning-victory-florida/) - Yesterday, in a huge victory for students and Floridians, a judge overturned a new state law that would have made it harder for student governments and groups like us to to register young people to vote.
- [The Campus Debit Card Trap](https://studentvote.org/2012/05/30/campus-debit-card-trap/) - We just released a report, The Campus Debit Card Trap: Are Bank Partnerships Fair To Students, that shows banks skim millions in fees from student aid using debit-card-linked student IDs.
- [There is no 'A' for effort](https://studentvote.org/2012/05/24/there-no-effort/) - Here's my statement on the failure to move debate forward on a bill to prevent student loan interest rates from doubling this July.
- [Victory: It's in the bag](https://studentvote.org/2012/05/23/victory-its-bag/) - Just moments ago the LA City Council voted to ban single use plastic bags - listening to the voices of students and community members who support protecting the ocean and reducing plastic pollution.
- [Stop student loan interest rates from doubling.](https://studentvote.org/2012/03/07/stop-student-loan-interest-rates-doubling/) - This July, students will see their federal student loan interest rates DOUBLE unless Congress acts. If rates double some of us would pay almost $5,000 more to repay our loans.
- [Senate votes today](https://studentvote.org/2012/05/08/senate-votes-today/) - The Senate vote is today on whether to stop student loan interest rates from doubling. We have President Obama, Republican presidential candidate Romney, and students on our side. We can win this, but only if we show the Senate we aren't backing down.
- [Romney Endorses Plan to Prevent Doubling of Student Interest Rates](https://studentvote.org/2012/04/23/romney-endorses-plan-prevent-doubling-student-interest-rates/) - Today presidential candidate and Republican Mitt Romney endorsed Obama's plan to prevent interest rates on subsidized Stafford student loans from doubling this summer on July 1 for nearly 7.5 million students. Without Congressional action, interest rates will increase from 3.4 percent to 6.8 percent.
- [Why Young People Are Driving Less ](https://studentvote.org/2012/04/06/why-young-people-are-driving-less/) - [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_large","fid":"2501","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image","height":"152","typeof":"foaf:Image","width":"235"}}]] Yesterday we released a new report, Transportation and the New Generation: Why Young People are Driving Less and What it Means for Transportation Policy, that shows that young people in particular are decreasing the amount they drive and increasing their use of transportation alternatives.
- [Obama Announces Initiatives to Ease Student Loan Debt](https://studentvote.org/2011/10/25/obama-announces-initiatives-ease-student-loan-debt/) - Tomorrow, President Obama will announce a series of initiatives that will reduce the burden of student loan debt that millions experience after graduation.
- [Pell Grants Protected in Budget Cuts](https://studentvote.org/2011/09/12/pell-grants-protected-budget-cuts/) - As budget cuts continue to dominate politics in Washington, DC, there was only one thing both sides of the aisle could come together and agree on in the latest round of budget cuts: protect the Pell Grant program.
- [Proposed Education Cuts Would Hinder Economic Growth](https://studentvote.org/2011/02/11/proposed-education-cuts-would-hinder-economic-growth/) - Here' my response to the release of details contained in the House continuing resolution.
- [Victory: Protecting the Pell Grant](https://studentvote.org/2010/12/30/victory-protecting-pell-grant/) - Earlier this month Congress acted to stop a huge cut to the Pell Grant program for next year. The Pell Grant program is the cornerstone federal financial aid program, assisting close to 9 million students in paying for college.
- [Affordable Textbooks Day of Action ](https://studentvote.org/2010/10/21/affordable-textbooks-day-action/) - Fueled by frustration with skyrocketing costs, students from more than 40 colleges nationwide are uniting for a Day of Action to spread the word about textbook affordability solutions
- [A Cover to Cover Solution](https://studentvote.org/2010/10/01/cover-cover-solution/) - We just released a new report on textbook affordability. The new report evaluates cost-reducing options from the traditional textbook market - rentals, e-books and e-readers - and open textbooks as potential measures to reduce the high cost of textbooks.
- [In Pursuit of Cheaper Textbooks](https://studentvote.org/2011/01/14/pursuit-cheaper-textbooks/) - Here we are again, starting off a new term on campus, headed to the internet and to bookstores to get our textbooks. Textbooks are expensive. Too expensive. We work with students and faculty across the country and where we can, lawmakers to make textbooks more affordable by stopping unfair business practices by publishers that drive up the costs of higher education.
- [Don't Gut Student Aid](https://studentvote.org/2011/01/25/dont-gut-student-aid/) - Here's my statement in response to the passage of House Resolution 38, a bill instructing the House Budget Chair to reduce non-security discretionary spending to fiscal year 2008 level, or less, by a vote of 256-165.
- [Bringing the Message to Congress](https://studentvote.org/2007/01/03/bringing-message-congress/) - Previous to the huge and historic passage of the College Cost Reduction and Access Act of 2007 in September 2007, students were hard at work to make college afffordable.
- [Passing the College Cost Reduction Act of 2007](https://studentvote.org/2007/01/03/passing-college-cost-reduction-act-2007/) - After Senators and members of Congress returned from August recess, students and student advocates were hopeful that both chambers had hammered out a new and final policy to help solve the problem of deep student loan debt. The process unfolded quickly - within two days, the House and Senate Education committees pulled together a joint press event with the Student PIRGs and coalition partners to announce final passage of the College Cost Reduction and Access Act of 2007.
- [Pressing For Change at the US Dept of Ed](https://studentvote.org/2007/01/01/pressing-change-us-dept-ed/) - In the spring of 2005, Congress cut the student loan program by $12 billion dollars, forcing interest rates on loans to go higher and making college dangerously expensive. Students at UConn and at hundreds of campuses across the country fought the cuts, but we lost narrowly
- [We have their attention](https://studentvote.org/2012/03/27/we-have-their-attention/) - Last week we delivered 130,000 letters asking Congress to stop student loan interest rates from doubling in July. Check out some of the stories from the event:
- [Protecting Internet Freedom](https://studentvote.org/2011/11/16/protecting-internet-freedom/) - We've joined two other leading consumer groups-- the Consumer Federation of America and Consumers Union (the advocacy arm of Consumer Reports magazine) -- in a letter to Congress in opposition to the so-called Stop Online Privacy Act, HR 3261 (SOPA).
- [Protecting Students' Right to Vote](https://studentvote.org/2011/12/28/protecting-students-right-vote/) - On December 15, the Florida PIRG Education Fund, along with the League of Women Voters of Florida and Rock the Vote, filed a lawsuit in federal court in Tallahassee challenging Florida’s onerous new restrictions on community-based voter registration drives on the basis that they violate both the U.S. Constitution and the National Voter Registration Act.
- [Jobs with U.S. PIRG](https://studentvote.org/2012/03/21/jobs-us-pirg/) - I just accepted a job with U.S. PIRG. I’m excited to graduate, and I can't wait to get to work.
- [Big Day for Open Education!](https://studentvote.org/2012/03/05/big-day-open-education/) - Today kicked off two major initiatives for open education: the first annual Open Education Week and the Why Open Education Matters video competition.
- [I choo-choo-choose public transit.](https://studentvote.org/2012/02/09/i-choo-choo-choose-public-transit/) - Congress may vote as soon as Friday on a plan to cut all federal money for public transit and spend it on more highways instead. Send a message to your representative today: Invest in our country's public transportation, not our dependence on oil.
- [Low Loan Interest Rates, More Work-Study Pushed by Obama](https://studentvote.org/2012/01/25/low-loan-interest-rates-more-work-study-pushed-obama/) - In the annual State of the Union Address, President Obama proposed measures to bring relief to almost 8 million students who will see their student loan interest rates double on new loans starting July 1st, 2012.
- [Math: Collaborative Statistics](https://studentvote.org/2007/01/24/math-collaborative-statistics/) - Collaborative Statistics [about the book] [straight to the book] Dr. Barbara Illowsky, De Anza College Susan Dean, De Anza College Publisher: Connexions
- [Cheers to 2011!](https://studentvote.org/2011/12/31/cheers-2011/) - Thanks to the work of thousands of students across the country, 2011 has been quite a success.
- [2012 Starts with a Win!](https://studentvote.org/2012/01/04/2012-starts-win/) - 2012 has already brought a tremendous victory for students and families. Today the President appointed Richard Cordray as the director of the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). The CFPB will rein in the bad business practices of banks, lenders, and credit card companies.
- [Great Pacific Cleanup](https://studentvote.org/2011/12/30/great-pacific-cleanup/) - California students from San Diego to Davis have been working hard to address the problem of plastic pollution in the Pacific.
- [Congress Approves Wall Street Reform!](https://studentvote.org/2010/07/16/congress-approves-wall-street-reform/) - The bill reins in Wall Street and protects consumers, investors, and taxpayers from further financial meltdowns. The centerpiece of the reform legislation is the establishment of the new, independent the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to protect consumers of financial products, including private student loans.
- [Stand up to Polluters](https://studentvote.org/2010/10/12/stand-polluters/) - Right now, polluting companies are trying to change the rules so they don't have to clean up their act.
- [6 months after the spill](https://studentvote.org/2010/10/20/6-months-after-spill/) - It’s been six months since the Deepwater Horizon oil drilling rig exploded in the Gulf of Mexico, killed 11 men and led to the worst oil spill in U.S. history.
- [Just say No to overdraft "protection"](https://studentvote.org/2010/08/01/just-say-no-overdraft-protection/) - As of today, August 1, banks will need a new customer's opt-in (must affirmatively agree or say yes) before imposing so-called overdraft protection on debit and ATM card transactions.
- [Intern with the Student PIRGs](https://studentvote.org/2011/08/31/intern-student-pirgs/) - We're taking action together to build a better world. You can help make it happen.
- [A message from the president](https://studentvote.org/2010/10/20/message-president/) - President Obama just sent us this letter to introduce our Young Person's Guide to Health Insurance
- [New Study: High-Speed Rail Can Boost Economy, Reduce Traffic](https://studentvote.org/2010/11/12/new-study-high-speed-rail-can-boost-economy-reduce-traffic/) - Drawing lessons from other countries, our new study shows that high-speed rail can boost our economy, save energy, curb pollution and provide a popular alternative to congested roads and airports. Read the report. (a TRACK RECORD FOR SUCCESS)
- [Vote Again 2010](https://studentvote.org/2010/09/30/vote-again-2010/) - Something big is happening in our democracy—Youth voter turnout increased for the 2008 elections—continuing a trend of increased youth voter participation.
- [Prepaid debit cards--Fees and confusion galore](https://studentvote.org/2010/10/04/prepaid-debit-cards-fees-and-confusion-galore/) - Candice Choi of the Associated Press tried living without a bank account and relying on prepaid cards and check-cashing stores for a while for her story "Living without a bank: Fees and confusion galore."
- [Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week](https://studentvote.org/2010/11/16/hunger-and-homelessness-awareness-week/) - This week is Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week - a week to raise awareness, foster discussion, and promote action and service to address hunger and homelessness in our communities.
- [Go vote today!](https://studentvote.org/2010/11/02/go-vote-today/) - It's time to vote! We need to make sure politicians pay attention to us and the issues we care about. Join the millions of students who are voting this Election Day! Find your polling place
- [Winning! Facebook settles with FTC](https://studentvote.org/2011/11/29/winning-facebook-settles-ftc/) - Big News. Today Facebook settled a privacy complaint with the Federal Trade Commission. The FTC says Facebook "deceived consumers by telling them they could keep their information on Facebook private, and then repeatedly allowing it to be shared and made public." Read the FTC's full statement here.
- [Standing up to Polluters](https://studentvote.org/2010/09/01/standing-polluters/) - We all know that global warming is the environmental crisis of our generation. Unfortunately, massive pressure from the industries causing the problem—from Big Oil to power plants—means that getting the U.S. Senate to take action is appearing increasingly unlikely in the short term.
- [Accomplishments 2010](https://studentvote.org/2010/12/20/accomplishments-2010/) - 2010's been an amazing year. Thank you for being part of the Student PIRGs - here's a quick look at some of the work we accomplished together.
- [Lame duck weekend includes several consumer victories--Pell grants, food safety, community radio, Internet scam relief; One big loser-- no money for Wall Street reform](https://studentvote.org/2010/12/21/lame-duck-weekend-includes-several-consumer-victories-pell-grants-food-safety/) - Reposted from U.S. PIRG's Consumer Blog While the 111th Congress already had resulted in enacting several major, historic victories, from health care to Wall Street reform, the lame duck post-election session -- against usual form -- is eking out a few more important victories for consumers.
- [The Antisocial Network](https://studentvote.org/2011/01/26/antisocial-network/) - Earlier this month Facebook gave external websites and applications access to cell phone numbers and addresses. Fortunately, after pushback from users and privacy experts, they suspended the feature.1
- [President’s Budget Proposal Maintains Strong Pell Program, Proposes Tough Choices](https://studentvote.org/2011/02/14/presidents-budget-proposal-maintains-strong-pell-program-proposes-tough-choices/) - My respone to the release of President Obama’s FY12 budget.
- [Going Zero Waste at the University of Connecticut](https://studentvote.org/2011/02/18/going-zero-waste-university-connecticut/) - What we do with our stuff when we’re done with it is a huge problem. Here in Connecticut, almost 75% of our waste is buried or burned, a process that pollutes our environment and damages our health. But the great thing is that we know how to fix this problem! Go Zero Waste.
- [FunnyOrDie - Mad Men on Trains](https://studentvote.org/2011/03/10/funnyordie-mad-men-trains/) - On Wednesday, the comedy website FunnyOrDie.com released a new video - Mad Men on Trains!
- [Tragedy in Japan a Terrifying Reminder of the Risks of Nuclear Power ](https://studentvote.org/2011/03/16/tragedy-japan-terrifying-reminder-risks-nuclear-power/) - WASHINGTON, Mar. 16 – Statement of Gary Kalman, Federal Legislative Director of U.S. PIRG, in response to the nuclear crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station.
- [Japan - how you can help ](https://studentvote.org/2011/03/17/japan-how-you-can-help/) - Over 500,000 people have been displaced from their homes and over 10,000 are still missing. Many lack shelter, heat, electricity, and water. We'll be holding fundraisers in the coming weeks to help provide people with these necessities.
- [Highlights from Youth Health Care Day ](https://studentvote.org/2011/03/28/highlights-youth-health-care-day/) - On March 25th, we used the one-year anniversary of the Affordable Care Act to educate students about the new consumer benefits and cost savings they can expect under the new law. On campuses across the country we teamed up with campus administrators, elected officials, student governments, and public health officials to reach as many students as possible.
- [Big Banks, Bigger Fees ](https://studentvote.org/2011/04/12/big-banks-bigger-fees/) - Today, we’re releasing a new report, Big Banks, Bigger Fees: A National Survey of Bank Fees. Our staff visited over 350 bank branches around the country to see if they would provide a list of all bank fees as required by the Truth in Savings Act – a law that’s been on the books for 20 years. The law says, if a consumer asks for a list, or schedule, of all fees, the bank has to give it to them. It isn’t that complicated.
- ["It's Earth Day, Earth Day, Gotta be green on Earth Day!" ](https://studentvote.org/2011/04/22/its-earth-day-earth-day-gotta-be-green-earth-day/) - There are lots of ways to help the environment today (and every day).
- [The Textbook Rebellion](https://studentvote.org/2011/06/02/textbook-rebellion/) - There's something wrong when the average student spends $900 per year on textbooks. For years textbook companies have used unfair business practices to artificially inflate textbook prices - it's outrageous. Join the Textbook Rebellion to support affordable textbooks. Click here to sign on.
- [Famine spreads in Africa](https://studentvote.org/2011/08/04/famine-spreads-africa/) - In the last 90 days 29,000 Somali children under the age of 5 have died –and if we don’t do something now, the death toll will grow by tens of thousands more.
- [Ripoff 101: Tips for Saving on Textbooks](https://studentvote.org/2011/08/26/ripoff-101-tips-saving-textbooks/) - It's been 8 years since we launched a campaign to make textbooks more affordable. I’m impressed by the progress we’ve made, but there’s still much work to be done.

## Pages

- [Home](https://studentvote.org/) - Register to Vote By providing my contact information, I am consenting to have the Student PIRGs, and their affiliates contact me with information about this and future campaigns. Voting Resources Need to check your registration status? Want to learn about voter ID and other requirements? Find all the information you need to vote in your
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- [Voting Resources](https://studentvote.org/voting-resources-4/) - Want more information and resources about voting in your state? Select your state on the map below! For frequently asked questions on registering to vote, visit our partner Rock the Vote's page here:
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- [Pledge to Vote and Get Involved!](https://studentvote.org/get-involved-2/) - Our generation is the largest and most diverse group of potential voters in the country, with our own values, ideas and issues that we care about. We can let other people make decisions that impact our future, or we can vote this election and get a future that works for us. Take our pledge to
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- [Pledge to Vote and Get Involved!](https://studentvote.org/pledge-2/) - Our generation is the largest and most diverse group of potential voters in the country, with our own values, ideas and issues that we care about. We can let other people make decisions that impact our future, or we can vote this election and get a future that works for us. Take our pledge to
- [Pledge to Vote and Get Involved!](https://studentvote.org/pledge/) - Our generation is the largest and most diverse group of potential voters in the country, with our own values, ideas and issues that we care about. We can let other people make decisions that impact our future, or we can vote this election and get a future that works for us. Take our pledge to
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- [About Us](https://studentvote.org/about-us/) - StudentVote.org is a project of the Student PIRGs’ New Voters Project, which is America’s oldest and largest field-based nonpartisan youth voter mobilization program. The Student PIRGs’ New Voters Project, a 501(c)(3) organization with 4945(f) status, has run peer-to-peer young voter mobilization drives to turn out the youth vote on college campuses for more than 25
- [About Us](https://studentvote.org/about-us-4/) - StudentVote.org is a project of the Student PIRGs’ New Voters Project, which is America’s oldest and largest field-based nonpartisan youth voter mobilization program. The Student PIRGs’ New Voters Project, a 501(c)(3) organization with 4945(f) status, has run peer-to-peer young voter mobilization drives to turn out the youth vote on college campuses for more than 25
- [Tools For Campuses](https://studentvote.org/tools-for-campuses-4/) - New Voters Project - Project Packet Everything you need to run a successful nonpartisan voter engagement campaign on a college campus - building a vote coalition, promoting StudentVote.org, recruiting volunteers, working with the media, doing voter registration, getting out the vote on Election Day, and more! View the Project Packet Digital Civic Engagement Toolkit Whether
- [Tools For Campuses](https://studentvote.org/tools-for-campuses/) - New Voters Project - Project Packet Everything you need to run a successful nonpartisan voter engagement campaign on a college campus - building a vote coalition, promoting StudentVote.org, recruiting volunteers, working with the media, doing voter registration, getting out the vote on Election Day, and more! View the Project Packet Digital Civic Engagement Toolkit Whether
- [Digital Civic Engagement Toolkit](https://studentvote.org/digital-civic-engagement-toolkit/) - Whether our program is remote or in person, we work to make sure every student has the opportunity to have their voice heard in our elections. We’re working with campuses to be ready to run their civic engagement programs both virtually and in person this fall. Learn best practices to integrate digital strategies into your
- [Pledge to Vote](https://studentvote.org/pledgetovote/)
- [Adding StudentVote.org to your website](https://studentvote.org/adding-studentvote-org-to-your-website/) - Learn how to add a StudentVote.org registration tool on your campus or organization website for free. Partner with us to create a custom StudentVote.org tool you can use to post on your website, promote through social media, and email to students. Download the How-To Guide
- [](https://studentvote.org/georgia/) - Register to Vote Make a Plan to Vote Voting Resources Need to check your registration status? Want to learn about voter ID and other requirements? Find all the information you need to vote in your state here. Get Involved Interested in interning, volunteering, or getting other students to turn out to vote? Find out
- [WIStudentVote.org](https://studentvote.org/wisconsin/) - Register to Vote Voting Resources Need to check your registration status? Want to learn about voter ID and other requirements? Find all the information you need to vote in Wisconsin. EXPLORE VOTING RESOURCES Get Involved Interested in interning, volunteering, or getting other students to turn out to vote? Find out ways to get involved here.
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- [Take Action and Get Involved - Test](https://studentvote.org/take-action-and-get-involved-test/) - There are many ways to make a difference this election and it starts with you. Fill out this Pledge to Vote to receive text messages and email reminders with important information before election day. If you are interested in helping register and turn out students on your own campus, check off the box so we
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- [Get Involved](https://studentvote.org/get-involved-3/) - There are many ways to make a difference this election and it starts with you. Fill out this Pledge to Vote to receive text messages and email reminders with important information before election day. If you are interested in helping register and turn out students on your own campus, check off the box so we
- [AZ Homepage](https://studentvote.org/az-register-temp-4/) - Register to Vote By providing my contact information, I am consenting to have the Student PIRGs, and their affiliates contact me with information about this and future campaigns. Voting Resources The Office of the Arizona Secretary of State developed a one-stop online election shop to help Arizona voters navigate elections in an unbiased manner. Arizona
- [CA Homepage](https://studentvote.org/ca-register/) - Register to Vote By providing my contact information, I am consenting to have the Student PIRGs, and their affiliates contact me with information about this and future campaigns. Voting Resources Need to check your registration status? Want to learn about voter ID and other requirements? Find all the information you need to vote in California
- [CA Homepage](https://studentvote.org/ca-register-2/) - Register to Vote By providing my contact information, I am consenting to have the Student PIRGs, and their affiliates contact me with information about this and future campaigns. Voting Resources Need to check your registration status? Want to learn about voter ID and other requirements? Find all the information you need to vote in California
- [CA Homepage](https://studentvote.org/ca-register-3/) - Register to Vote By providing my contact information, I am consenting to have the Student PIRGs, and their affiliates contact me with information about this and future campaigns. Voting Resources Need to check your registration status? Want to learn about voter ID and other requirements? Find all the information you need to vote in California
- [CA Homepage](https://studentvote.org/ca-register-4/) - Register to Vote By providing my contact information, I am consenting to have the Student PIRGs, and their affiliates contact me with information about this and future campaigns. Voting Resources Need to check your registration status? Want to learn about voter ID and other requirements? Find all the information you need to vote in California
- [AZ Homepage](https://studentvote.org/az-register-temp-3/) - Register to Vote By providing my contact information, I am consenting to have the Student PIRGs, and their affiliates contact me with information about this and future campaigns. Voting Resources The Office of the Arizona Secretary of State developed a one-stop online election shop to help Arizona voters navigate elections in an unbiased manner. Arizona
- [AZ Homepage](https://studentvote.org/az-register-temp/) - Register to Vote By providing my contact information, I am consenting to have the Student PIRGs, and their affiliates contact me with information about this and future campaigns. Voting Resources The Office of the Arizona Secretary of State developed a one-stop online election shop to help Arizona voters navigate elections in an unbiased manner. Arizona
- [AZ Homepage](https://studentvote.org/az-register-temp-2/) - Register to Vote By providing my contact information, I am consenting to have the Student PIRGs, and their affiliates contact me with information about this and future campaigns. Voting Resources The Office of the Arizona Secretary of State developed a one-stop online election shop to help Arizona voters navigate elections in an unbiased manner. Arizona
- [Arizona Voting Information](https://studentvote.org/arizona-voting-information/) - The Office of the Arizona Secretary of State developed www.Arizona.Vote – a one-stop online election shop – to help Arizona voters navigate elections in an unbiased manner. At www.Arizona.Vote you can find information ranging from key election dates to historical data and trends by political party and county. While we encourage you to check out www.Arizona.Vote as new innovations and updates
- [About Us](https://studentvote.org/about-us-2/) - The Student PIRGs’ New Voters Project is America’s oldest and largest nonpartisan youth voter mobilization program. The Student PIRGs’ New Voters Project, a 501(c)(3) organization with 4945(f) status, has run peer-to-peer young voter mobilization drives to turn out the youth vote on college campuses for more than 25 years. The New Voter’s Project does not
- [About Us](https://studentvote.org/about-us-3/) - The Student PIRGs’ New Voters Project is America’s oldest and largest nonpartisan youth voter mobilization program. The Student PIRGs’ New Voters Project, a 501(c)(3) organization with 4945(f) status, has run peer-to-peer young voter mobilization drives to turn out the youth vote on college campuses for more than 25 years. The New Voter’s Project does not
- [About California Student Vote](https://studentvote.org/about-california-student-vote/) - The Student PIRGs’ New Voters Project is America’s oldest and largest nonpartisan youth voter mobilization program. The Student PIRGs’ New Voters Project, a 501(c)(3) organization with 4945(f) status, has run peer-to-peer young voter mobilization drives to turn out the youth vote on college campuses for more than 25 years. The New Voter’s Project does not
- [About North Carolina Student Vote](https://studentvote.org/about-north-carolina-student-vote/) - The Student PIRGs’ New Voters Project is America’s oldest and largest nonpartisan youth voter mobilization program. The Student PIRGs’ New Voters Project, a 501(c)(3) organization with 4945(f) status, has run peer-to-peer young voter mobilization drives to turn out the youth vote on college campuses for more than 25 years. The New Voter’s Project does not
- [About Arizona Student Vote](https://studentvote.org/about-us-az/) - The Student PIRGs’ New Voters Project is America’s oldest and largest nonpartisan youth voter mobilization program. The Student PIRGs’ New Voters Project, a 501(c)(3) organization with 4945(f) status, has run peer-to-peer young voter mobilization drives to turn out the youth vote on college campuses for more than 25 years. The New Voter’s Project does not
- [NC Homepage](https://studentvote.org/nc-register-4/) - Register to Vote By providing my contact information, I am consenting to have the Student PIRGs, and their affiliates contact me with information about this and future campaigns. Voting Resources Need to check your registration status? Want to learn about voter ID and other requirements? Find all the information you need to vote in your
- [NC Homepage](https://studentvote.org/nc-register-3/) - Register to Vote By providing my contact information, I am consenting to have the Student PIRGs, and their affiliates contact me with information about this and future campaigns. Voting Resources Need to check your registration status? Want to learn about voter ID and other requirements? Find all the information you need to vote in your
- [NC Homepage](https://studentvote.org/nc-register-2/) - Register to Vote By providing my contact information, I am consenting to have the Student PIRGs, and their affiliates contact me with information about this and future campaigns. Voting Resources Need to check your registration status? Want to learn about voter ID and other requirements? Find all the information you need to vote in your
- [NC Homepage](https://studentvote.org/nc-register/) - Register to Vote By providing my contact information, I am consenting to have the Student PIRGs, and their affiliates contact me with information about this and future campaigns. Voting Resources Need to check your registration status? Want to learn about voter ID and other requirements? Find all the information you need to vote in your
- [Tools For Campuses](https://studentvote.org/tools-for-campuses-3/) - Digital Civic Engagement Toolkit Whether our program is remote or in person, we work to make sure every student has the opportunity to have their voice heard in our elections. We’re working with campuses to be ready to run a virtual civic engagement program in the fall. Learn best practices to transition your campus civic
- [Tools For Campuses](https://studentvote.org/tools-for-campuses-2/) - Digital Civic Engagement Toolkit Whether our program is remote or in person, we work to make sure every student has the opportunity to have their voice heard in our elections. We’re working with campuses to be ready to run a virtual civic engagement program in the fall. Learn best practices to transition your campus civic
- [Voting Resources](https://studentvote.org/voting-resources-2/) - Need to check your registration status? Want to learn more about voting by mail? Want to learn about voter ID and other requirements? Find all the information you need to vote by clicking on your state. For frequently asked questions on registering to vote, visit our partner Rock the Vote's page here:
- [Voting Resources](https://studentvote.org/voting-resources-3/) - Need to check your registration status? Want to learn more about voting by mail? Want to learn about voter ID and other requirements? Find all the information you need to vote by clicking on your state. For frequently asked questions on registering to vote, visit our partner Rock the Vote's page here:
- [Wisconsin Student Vote](https://studentvote.org/wisconsin-student-vote-3/)
- [Wisconsin Student Vote](https://studentvote.org/wisconsin-student-vote-2/)
- [Start a PIRG Chapter](https://studentvote.org/start-a-pirg-chapter-2/) - Interested in starting a PIRG chapter on your campus? The first step is to build support for the idea of a chapter from students and staff on your campus. Once you’ve found some students who want to help found a chapter and have support from a faculty or staff person on campus, fill out the
- [Start a PIRG Chapter](https://studentvote.org/start-a-pirg-chapter/) - Interested in starting a PIRG chapter on your campus? The first step is to build support for the idea of a chapter from students and staff on your campus. Once you’ve found some students who want to help found a chapter and have support from a faculty or staff person on campus, fill out the
- [Start a PIRG Chapter](https://studentvote.org/start-a-pirg-chapter-4/) - Interested in starting a PIRG chapter on your campus? The first step is to build support for the idea of a chapter from students and staff on your campus. Once you’ve found some students who want to help found a chapter and have support from a faculty or staff person on campus, fill out the
- [Start a PIRG Chapter](https://studentvote.org/start-a-pirg-chapter-3/) - Interested in starting a PIRG chapter on your campus? The first step is to build support for the idea of a chapter from students and staff on your campus. Once you’ve found some students who want to help found a chapter and have support from a faculty or staff person on campus, fill out the

## Timeline Stories

- [NJPIRG and AmeriCorps launch NJ Water Watch, which has conducted more than 300 river cleanups, removed nearly 800 tons of trash, and educated more than 80,000 students](https://studentvote.org/cool_timeline/njpirg-and-americorps-launch-nj-water-watch-which-has-conducted-more-than-300-river-cleanups-removed-nearly-800-tons-of-trash-and-educated-more-than-80000-students/)
- [In the 2017 budget proposal, the U.S. House proposed cutting $3.3 billion from the Pell Grant program. MASSPIRG Students and Student PIRG volunteers came together to generate more than three thousand calls and petitions to their Senators urging them to stop this enormous cut to financial aid, ensuring that it did not become law.](https://studentvote.org/cool_timeline/in-the-2017-budget-proposal-the-u-s-house-proposed-cutting-3-3-billion-from-the-pell-grant-program-masspirg-students-and-student-pirg-volunteers-came-together-to-generate-more-than-three-thousand/)
- [The Student PIRGs launched the Open Textbook Alliance, which works with student governments nationwide to pass policies supporting the adoption of free open textbooks. It seeks to replicate successful programs like the ones at UMass Amherst and UConn Storrs that have saved students millions of dollars.](https://studentvote.org/cool_timeline/the-student-pirgs-launched-the-open-textbook-alliance-which-works-with-student-governments-nationwide-to-pass-policies-supporting-the-adoption-of-free-open-textbooks-it-seeks-to-replicate-successful/)
- [Chris Lindstrom, USPIRG's Higher Education Program Director, worked in a Department of Education negotiated rulemaking session to craft the "borrower defense" program. It investigates complaints from students who have been taken advantage of by predatory lenders and for-profit schools, like Corinthian College and ITT Tech, and allows them to get some or all of their loans forgiven.](https://studentvote.org/cool_timeline/chris-lindstrom-uspirgs-higher-education-program-director-worked-in-a-department-of-education-negotiated-rulemaking-session-to-craft-the-borrower-defense-program-it-investigates-complaints-fr/)
- [In California, we collected thousands of petitions, held nearly a dozen press conferences, and helped pass Prop 67 which finalized California's plastic grocery bag ban - the first statewide ban of its kind in the country.](https://studentvote.org/cool_timeline/in-california-we-collected-thousands-of-petitions-held-nearly-a-dozen-press-conferences-and-helped-pass-prop-67-which-finalized-californias-plastic-grocery-bag-ban-the-first-statewide-ban-of-it/)
- [In Massachusetts, we passed city council resolutions in Salem and Dartmouth to move towards 100% renewable energy, and successfully lobbied our State Representatives to raise the cap on solar which will provide enough new clean energy to power over 100,000 homes in across the state.](https://studentvote.org/cool_timeline/in-massachusetts-we-passed-city-council-resolutions-in-salem-and-dartmouth-to-move-towards-100-renewable-energy-and-successfully-lobbied-our-state-representatives-to-raise-the-cap-on-solar-which-wil/)
- [In Oregon, we helped pass the Coal to Clean bill which will double Oregon's clean energy usage and get the entire state off all coal by 2030.](https://studentvote.org/cool_timeline/in-oregon-we-helped-pass-the-coal-to-clean-bill-which-will-double-oregons-clean-energy-usage-and-get-the-entire-state-off-all-coal-by-2030/)
- [In California, we blocked utility efforts to gut the state's strong solar energy incentives.](https://studentvote.org/cool_timeline/in-california-we-blocked-utility-efforts-to-gut-the-states-strong-solar-energy-incentives/)
- [WashPIRG Students helped gather signatures to qualify the Honest Elections Initiative for the ballot, then helped canvass and phonebank to pass the initiative in November.](https://studentvote.org/cool_timeline/washpirg-students-helped-gather-signatures-to-qualify-the-honest-elections-initiative-for-the-ballot-then-helped-canvass-and-phonebank-to-pass-the-initiative-in-november/)
- [Convinced McDonald's and Subway to stop serving meat raised on the routine use of antibiotics](https://studentvote.org/cool_timeline/convinced-mcdonalds-and-subway-to-stop-serving-meat-raised-on-the-routine-use-of-antibiotics/)
- [CALPIRG helped ban plastic grocery bags in Los Angeles, the Bay Area, Santa Cruz, Davis and Santa Barbara and helped pass the first statewide ban.](https://studentvote.org/cool_timeline/calpirg-helped-ban-plastic-grocery-bags-in-los-angeles-the-bay-area-santa-cruz-davis-and-santa-barbara-and-helped-pass-the-first-statewide-ban/)
- [Students working with Arizona PIRG, CALPIRG, ConnPIRG, INPIRG, Maryland PIRG, MASSPIRG, MoPIRG, MontPIRG, NJPIRG, Ohio PIRG, PennPIRG, WashPIRG, and WISPIRG help pass new law to lower health care costs for families including young adults by allowing them to stay on their parents’ coverage until age 26](https://studentvote.org/cool_timeline/students-working-with-arizona-pirg-calpirg-connpirg-inpirg-maryland-pirg-masspirg-mopirg-montpirg-njpirg-ohio-pirg-pennpirg-washpirg-and-wispirg-help-pass-new-law-to-lower-health-care-cost/)
- [Volunteers from Arizona PIRG, CALPIRG, ConnPIRG, INPIRG, Maryland PIRG, MASSPIRG, MoPIRG, MontPIRG, NJPIRG, Ohio PIRG, PennPIRG, WashPIRG, and WISPIRG generated thousands of calls and petitions to their Senators to stop H.R. 1, a federal budget that included a $5.7 billion cut to the Pell Grant program.](https://studentvote.org/cool_timeline/volunteers-from-arizona-pirg-calpirg-connpirg-inpirg-maryland-pirg-masspirg-mopirg-montpirg-njpirg-ohio-pirg-pennpirg-washpirg-and-wispirg-generated-thousands-of-calls-and-petitions-to-the/)
- [Students working with Arizona PIRG, CALPIRG, ConnPIRG, INPIRG, Maryland PIRG, MASSPIRG, MoPIRG, MontPIRG, NJPIRG, Ohio PIRG, PennPIRG, WashPIRG, and WISPIRG help to pass the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act, which among other things, adds $36 billion into the Pell grant program](https://studentvote.org/cool_timeline/students-working-with-arizona-pirg-calpirg-connpirg-inpirg-maryland-pirg-masspirg-mopirg-montpirg-njpirg-ohio-pirg-pennpirg-washpirg-and-wispirg-help-to-pass-the-student-aid-and-fiscal-res/)
- [Arizona PIRG, CALPIRG, ConnPIRG, INPIRG, Maryland PIRG, MASSPIRG, MoPIRG, MontPIRG, NJPIRG, Ohio PIRG, PennPIRG, WashPIRG, and WISPIRG help pass strong legislation that will end some of the worst abuses of the credit card industry, including some which are often targeted at college students](https://studentvote.org/cool_timeline/arizona-pirg-calpirg-connpirg-inpirg-maryland-pirg-masspirg-mopirg-montpirg-njpirg-ohio-pirg-pennpirg-washpirg-and-wispirg-help-pass-strong-legislation-that-will-end-some-of-the-worst-abus/)
- [Students working with Arizona PIRG, CALPIRG, ConnPIRG, INPIRG, Maryland PIRG, MASSPIRG, MoPIRG, MontPIRG, NJPIRG, Ohio PIRG, PennPIRG, WashPIRG, and WISPIRG help pass provisions to lower the cost of textbooks for millions of students](https://studentvote.org/cool_timeline/students-working-with-arizona-pirg-calpirg-connpirg-inpirg-maryland-pirg-masspirg-mopirg-montpirg-njpirg-ohio-pirg-pennpirg-washpirg-and-wispirg-help-pass-provisions-to-lower-the-cost-of-t/)
- [MASSPIRG helps pass the Global Warming Solutions Act, which requires reduction of greenhouse gases emissions from the Commonwealth by 20 percent below 1990 levels by 2020 and 80 percent by 2050](https://studentvote.org/cool_timeline/masspirg-helps-pass-the-global-warming-solutions-act-which-requires-reduction-of-greenhouse-gases-emissions-from-the-commonwealth-by-20-percent-below-1990-levels-by-2020-and-80-percent-by-2050/)
- [CALPIRG helps pass Prop 1A, an initiative to build a high-speed rail line connecting California's major cities](https://studentvote.org/cool_timeline/calpirg-helps-pass-prop-1a-an-initiative-to-build-a-high-speed-rail-line-connecting-californias-major-cities/)
- [Student PIRGs' New Voters Project helps register 118,000 young voters and contacts 440,000 voters to turn them out to the polls](https://studentvote.org/cool_timeline/student-pirgs-new-voters-project-helps-register-118000-young-voters-and-contacts-440000-voters-to-turn-them-out-to-the-polls/)
- [Student PIRGs' What’s Your Plan? Campaign talks to the presidential candidates over 100 times on the campaign trail, to ask them about their plans for global warming and higher education](https://studentvote.org/cool_timeline/student-pirgs-whats-your-plan-campaign-talks-to-the-presidential-candidates-over-100-times-on-the-campaign-trail-to-ask-them-about-their-plans-for-global-warming-and-higher-education/)
- [Student working with Arizona PIRG, CALPIRG, ConnPIRG, INPIRG, Maryland PIRG, MASSPIRG, MoPIRG, MontPIRG, NJPIRG, Ohio PIRG, PennPIRG, WashPIRG, and WISPIRG  help pass the College Cost Reduction and Access Act through Congress, the largest higher education bill in decades](https://studentvote.org/cool_timeline/student-working-with-arizona-pirg-calpirg-connpirg-inpirg-maryland-pirg-masspirg-mopirg-montpirg-njpirg-ohio-pirg-pennpirg-washpirg-and-wispirg-help-pass-the-college-cost-reduction-and-ac/)
- [WashPIRG helps pass the College Textbook Transparency Act, requiring publishers to disclose book prices when marketing textbooks to professors](https://studentvote.org/cool_timeline/washpirg-helps-pass-the-college-textbook-transparency-act-requiring-publishers-to-disclose-book-prices-when-marketing-textbooks-to-professors/)
- [Student PIRGs' New Voters Project helps register 75,000 young voters and makes 94,000 get-out-the-vote contacts to get youth out to the polls](https://studentvote.org/cool_timeline/student-pirgs-new-voters-project-helps-register-75000-young-voters-and-makes-94000-get-out-the-vote-contacts-to-get-youth-out-to-the-polls/)
- [CALPIRG helps pass the Million Solar Roofs bill and Global Warming Solutions Act, making California a leader in the fight against global warming](https://studentvote.org/cool_timeline/calpirg-helps-pass-the-million-solar-roofs-bill-and-global-warming-solutions-act-making-california-a-leader-in-the-fight-against-global-warming/)
- [WISPIRG helps pass new law requiring that 10% of Wisconsin's energy come from renewable sources by 2015](https://studentvote.org/cool_timeline/wispirg-helps-pass-new-law-requiring-that-10-of-wisconsins-energy-come-from-renewable-sources-by-2015/)
- [ConnPIRG helps win new law requiring that publishers disclose textbook prices to faculty](https://studentvote.org/cool_timeline/connpirg-helps-win-new-law-requiring-that-publishers-disclose-textbook-prices-to-faculty/)
- [In response to Hurricane Katrina, PIRG students across the country raise hundreds of thousands of dollars and send hundreds of volunteers to the Gulf Coast to help with rebuilding efforts](https://studentvote.org/cool_timeline/in-response-to-hurricane-katrina-pirg-students-across-the-country-raise-hundreds-of-thousands-of-dollars-and-send-hundreds-of-volunteers-to-the-gulf-coast-to-help-with-rebuilding-efforts/)
- [WashPIRG helps pass new rules requiring cleaner cars to be sold in Washington](https://studentvote.org/cool_timeline/washpirg-helps-pass-new-rules-requiring-cleaner-cars-to-be-sold-in-washington/)
- [MASSPIRG passes new energy efficiency standards for common appliances](https://studentvote.org/cool_timeline/masspirg-passes-new-energy-efficiency-standards-for-common-appliances/)
- [The New Voters Project contributes to dramatic increases in youth voter turnout in New Jersey and Virginia's off-year gubernatorial elections](https://studentvote.org/cool_timeline/the-new-voters-project-contributes-to-dramatic-increases-in-youth-voter-turnout-in-new-jersey-and-virginias-off-year-gubernatorial-elections/)
- [WashPIRG helps pass I-297, which prevents more nuclear waste from being dumped at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation](https://studentvote.org/cool_timeline/washpirg-helps-pass-i-297-which-prevents-more-nuclear-waste-from-being-dumped-at-the-hanford-nuclear-reservation/)
- [The Student PIRGs' New Voters Project helps register 524,000 young voters and works to turn them out to the polls](https://studentvote.org/cool_timeline/the-student-pirgs-new-voters-project-helps-register-524000-young-voters-and-works-to-turn-them-out-to-the-polls/)
- [ConnPIRG helps win new law to require cleaner cars be sold in Connecticut](https://studentvote.org/cool_timeline/connpirg-helps-win-new-law-to-require-cleaner-cars-be-sold-in-connecticut/)
- [MaryPIRG passes new energy efficiency rules and a law to require that more of the state's energy come from clean, renewable sources](https://studentvote.org/cool_timeline/marypirg-passes-new-energy-efficiency-rules-and-a-law-to-require-that-more-of-the-states-energy-come-from-clean-renewable-sources/)
- [U.S. PIRG helps win critical Senate vote blocking drilling in Arctic National Wildlife Refuge](https://studentvote.org/cool_timeline/u-s-pirg-helps-win-critical-senate-vote-blocking-drilling-in-arctic-national-wildlife-refuge/)
- [U.S. PIRG efforts are instrumental in defeat of dirty energy bill](https://studentvote.org/cool_timeline/u-s-pirg-efforts-are-instrumental-in-defeat-of-dirty-energy-bill/)
- [Ohio PIRG student activists help win $15 million to move schools off toxic waste dump](https://studentvote.org/cool_timeline/ohio-pirg-student-activists-help-win-15-million-to-move-schools-off-toxic-waste-dump/)
- [NJPIRG Student Chapters win city inspections of rental housing in New Brunswick](https://studentvote.org/cool_timeline/njpirg-student-chapters-win-city-inspections-of-rental-housing-in-new-brunswick/)
- [Statewide coalition including ConnPIRG wins cleanup of state's dirtiest power plants](https://studentvote.org/cool_timeline/statewide-coalition-including-connpirg-wins-cleanup-of-states-dirtiest-power-plants/)
- [CALPIRG and coalition win law to ensure 20 percent renewable energy by 2017 in California](https://studentvote.org/cool_timeline/calpirg-and-coalition-win-law-to-ensure-20-percent-renewable-energy-by-2017-in-california/)
- [Ohio PIRG and PIRGIM help win federal two-year moratorium on Great Lakes drilling](https://studentvote.org/cool_timeline/ohio-pirg-and-pirgim-help-win-federal-two-year-moratorium-on-great-lakes-drilling/)
- [Coalition including NJPIRG wins campaign requiring GE to clean up Hudson River PCBs](https://studentvote.org/cool_timeline/coalition-including-njpirg-wins-campaign-requiring-ge-to-clean-up-hudson-river-pcbs/)
- [MASSPIRG wins nation's strongest power plant emissions regulations](https://studentvote.org/cool_timeline/masspirg-wins-nations-strongest-power-plant-emissions-regulations/)
- [MASSPIRG helps win rules to reduce pollution from diesel trucks and buses by 90 percent](https://studentvote.org/cool_timeline/masspirg-helps-win-rules-to-reduce-pollution-from-diesel-trucks-and-buses-by-90-percent/)
- [MaryPIRG helps win law to clean up brownfields](https://studentvote.org/cool_timeline/marypirg-helps-win-law-to-clean-up-brownfields/)
- [CALPIRG-backed law helps victims of identity theft to correct financial records](https://studentvote.org/cool_timeline/calpirg-backed-law-helps-victims-of-identity-theft-to-correct-financial-records/)
- [CALPIRG helps win law providing $850 million for energy conservation and renewable energy](https://studentvote.org/cool_timeline/calpirg-helps-win-law-providing-850-million-for-energy-conservation-and-renewable-energy/)
- [WISPIRG helps win nation's strongest law to control polluted runoff](https://studentvote.org/cool_timeline/wispirg-helps-win-nations-strongest-law-to-control-polluted-runoff/)
- [President Clinton announces PIRG-sponsored plan to protect 60 million acres of national forests](https://studentvote.org/cool_timeline/president-clinton-announces-pirg-sponsored-plan-to-protect-60-million-acres-of-national-forests/)
- [WashPIRG helps block Cross-Cascades pipeline](https://studentvote.org/cool_timeline/washpirg-helps-block-cross-cascades-pipeline/)
- [CALPIRG leads efforts to win California Clean Water Enforcement and Pollution Prevention Act](https://studentvote.org/cool_timeline/calpirg-leads-efforts-to-win-california-clean-water-enforcement-and-pollution-prevention-act/)
- [Student working with Arizona PIRG, CALPIRG, ConnPIRG, INPIRG, Maryland PIRG, MASSPIRG, MoPIRG, MontPIRG, NJPIRG, Ohio PIRG, PennPIRG, WashPIRG, and WISPIRG win law requiring colleges to distribute voter registration forms to students](https://studentvote.org/cool_timeline/student-working-with-arizona-pirg-calpirg-connpirg-inpirg-maryland-pirg-masspirg-mopirg-montpirg-njpirg-ohio-pirg-pennpirg-washpirg-and-wispirg-win-law-requiring-colleges-to-distribute-vot/)
- [MASSPIRG and AmeriCorps launch Massachusetts Community Water Watch, which organized more than 180 river cleanups](https://studentvote.org/cool_timeline/masspirg-and-americorps-launch-massachusetts-community-water-watch-which-organized-more-than-180-river-cleanups/)
- [CoPIRG helps win inclusion of light rail in Denver's 20-year transportation plan](https://studentvote.org/cool_timeline/copirg-helps-win-inclusion-of-light-rail-in-denvers-20-year-transportation-plan/)
- [MaryPIRG helps win law to promote redevelopment of urban brownfields](https://studentvote.org/cool_timeline/marypirg-helps-win-law-to-promote-redevelopment-of-urban-brownfields/)
- [CoPIRG backs governor's winning proposal for 700-square-mile urban growth boundary around Denver](https://studentvote.org/cool_timeline/copirg-backs-governors-winning-proposal-for-700-square-mile-urban-growth-boundary-around-denver/)
- [MASSPIRG wins passage of law to give consumers profiles of their doctors](https://studentvote.org/cool_timeline/masspirg-wins-passage-of-law-to-give-consumers-profiles-of-their-doctors/)
- [MASSPIRG helps win River Protection Act](https://studentvote.org/cool_timeline/masspirg-helps-win-river-protection-act/)
- [MASSPIRG helps recycle 500,000 pounds of newspapers on Boston-area subway platforms](https://studentvote.org/cool_timeline/masspirg-helps-recycle-500000-pounds-of-newspapers-on-boston-area-subway-platforms/)
- [MaryPIRG helps double acreage of state's protected wildlands](https://studentvote.org/cool_timeline/marypirg-helps-double-acreage-of-states-protected-wildlands/)
- [WashPIRG advocacy strengthens Seattle’s "Buy Recycled" policy](https://studentvote.org/cool_timeline/washpirg-advocacy-strengthens-seattles-buy-recycled-policy/)
- [Arizona PIRG, CALPIRG, ConnPIRG, INPIRG, Maryland PIRG, MASSPIRG, MoPIRG, MontPIRG, NJPIRG, Ohio PIRG, PennPIRG, WashPIRG, and WISPIRG  deliver 1.2 million petition signatures to Congress, helping stop rollback of environmental laws](https://studentvote.org/cool_timeline/arizona-pirg-calpirg-connpirg-inpirg-maryland-pirg-masspirg-mopirg-montpirg-njpirg-ohio-pirg-pennpirg-washpirg-and-wispirg-deliver-1-2-million-petition-signatures-to-congress-helping-sto/)
- [CoPIRG sprawl study helps convince state to fund purchase of open spaces](https://studentvote.org/cool_timeline/copirg-sprawl-study-helps-convince-state-to-fund-purchase-of-open-spaces/)
- [MoPIRG and OSPIRG win ballot initiatives setting low campaign contribution limits](https://studentvote.org/cool_timeline/mopirg-and-ospirg-win-ballot-initiatives-setting-low-campaign-contribution-limits/)
- [CALPIRG helps win law blocking new offshore drilling](https://studentvote.org/cool_timeline/calpirg-helps-win-law-blocking-new-offshore-drilling/)
- [MoPIRG wins energy-efficiency plan for Missouri buildings](https://studentvote.org/cool_timeline/mopirg-wins-energy-efficiency-plan-for-missouri-buildings/)
- [CoPIRG convinces newspaper publishers to double use of recycled newsprint](https://studentvote.org/cool_timeline/copirg-convinces-newspaper-publishers-to-double-use-of-recycled-newsprint/)
- [CoPIRG helps win Colorado Clean Air Act](https://studentvote.org/cool_timeline/copirg-helps-win-colorado-clean-air-act/)
- [CALPIRG helps win law to limit childhood lead exposure](https://studentvote.org/cool_timeline/calpirg-helps-win-law-to-limit-childhood-lead-exposure/)
- [NJPIRG leads coalition effort winning nation's toughest Clean Water Enforcement Act](https://studentvote.org/cool_timeline/njpirg-leads-coalition-effort-winning-nations-toughest-clean-water-enforcement-act/)
- [ConnPIRG helps win law creating funding to clean up Long Island Sound](https://studentvote.org/cool_timeline/connpirg-helps-win-law-creating-funding-to-clean-up-long-island-sound/)
- [MoPIRG helps win Missouri Safe Drinking Water Act](https://studentvote.org/cool_timeline/mopirg-helps-win-missouri-safe-drinking-water-act/)
- [MASSPIRG opens Consumer Action Center, saving consumers an average of $140,000 each subsequent year](https://studentvote.org/cool_timeline/masspirg-opens-consumer-action-center-saving-consumers-an-average-of-140000-each-subsequent-year/)
- [MASSPIRG authors and wins passage of Toxics Use Reduction Act](https://studentvote.org/cool_timeline/masspirg-authors-and-wins-passage-of-toxics-use-reduction-act/)
- [WashPIRG helps win referendum creating one of nation's strongest toxic waste cleanup laws](https://studentvote.org/cool_timeline/washpirg-helps-win-referendum-creating-one-of-nations-strongest-toxic-waste-cleanup-laws/)
- [CoPIRG leads successful campaign to pass Colorado Safe Drinking Water Act](https://studentvote.org/cool_timeline/copirg-leads-successful-campaign-to-pass-colorado-safe-drinking-water-act/)
- [MASSPIRG helps win credit card industry Truth In Advertising Law](https://studentvote.org/cool_timeline/masspirg-helps-win-credit-card-industry-truth-in-advertising-law/)
- [Student PIRGs and USA for Africa launch National Student Campaign Against Hunger and Homelessness](https://studentvote.org/cool_timeline/student-pirgs-and-usa-for-africa-launch-national-student-campaign-against-hunger-and-homelessness/)
- [MoPIRG's Community Energy Program helps tenants in Missouri weatherize their apartments](https://studentvote.org/cool_timeline/mopirgs-community-energy-program-helps-tenants-in-missouri-weatherize-their-apartments/)
- [CALPIRG wins law to help ensure car manufacturers must install airbags](https://studentvote.org/cool_timeline/calpirg-wins-law-to-help-ensure-car-manufacturers-must-install-airbags/)
- [The PIRGs' newly launched National Student Campaign for Voter Registration helps register 750,000 student voters in its first year](https://studentvote.org/cool_timeline/the-pirgs-newly-launched-national-student-campaign-for-voter-registration-helps-register-750000-student-voters-in-its-first-year/)
- [CoPIRG leads successful campaign for "Motor Voter Initiative"](https://studentvote.org/cool_timeline/copirg-leads-successful-campaign-for-motor-voter-initiative/)
- [MASSPIRG and MoPIRG pass state Superfund laws](https://studentvote.org/cool_timeline/masspirg-and-mopirg-pass-state-superfund-laws/)
- [ConnPIRG helps win Connecticut Bottle Bill](https://studentvote.org/cool_timeline/connpirg-helps-win-connecticut-bottle-bill/)
- [MoPIRG helps establish Missouri’s Small Claims Court System](https://studentvote.org/cool_timeline/mopirg-helps-establish-missouris-small-claims-court-system/)
- [CALPIRG wins improved access to hospital care for the poor](https://studentvote.org/cool_timeline/calpirg-wins-improved-access-to-hospital-care-for-the-poor/)
- [CALPIRG creates Consumer Education Program with City of San Diego](https://studentvote.org/cool_timeline/calpirg-creates-consumer-education-program-with-city-of-san-diego/)
- [INPIRG helps win landlord-tenant law in Bloomington, Indiana](https://studentvote.org/cool_timeline/inpirg-helps-win-landlord-tenant-law-in-bloomington-indiana/)
- [CoPIRG helps win law protecting consumers from rental agency rip-offs](https://studentvote.org/cool_timeline/copirg-helps-win-law-protecting-consumers-from-rental-agency-rip-offs/)
- [OSPIRG work helps shape goals for Oregon's seminal land use planning program](https://studentvote.org/cool_timeline/ospirg-work-helps-shape-goals-for-oregons-seminal-land-use-planning-program/)
- [OSPIRG wins ban on credit discrimination against women in Oregon](https://studentvote.org/cool_timeline/ospirg-wins-ban-on-credit-discrimination-against-women-in-oregon/)

## Categories

- [Consumer Protection](https://studentvote.org/category/consumer-protection/)
- [Energy](https://studentvote.org/category/energy/)
- [Sustainability](https://studentvote.org/category/sustainability/)
- [Waste](https://studentvote.org/category/waste/)
- [Transit](https://studentvote.org/category/transit/)
- [Democracy](https://studentvote.org/category/democracy/)
- [Higher Ed](https://studentvote.org/category/higher-ed/)
- [Hunger](https://studentvote.org/category/hunger/)
- [Textbooks](https://studentvote.org/category/textbooks/)
- [Oceans](https://studentvote.org/category/oceans/)
- [Corporate](https://studentvote.org/category/corporate/)
- [Health Care](https://studentvote.org/category/health-care/)
- [Student Debt](https://studentvote.org/category/student-debt/)
- [New Voters Project](https://studentvote.org/category/new-voters-project/)
- [News](https://studentvote.org/category/news/)

## Article Types

- [Press Release](https://studentvote.org/article-type/press-release/)
- [Publication](https://studentvote.org/article-type/publication/)
- [Media Hit](https://studentvote.org/article-type/media-hit/)
- [Report](https://studentvote.org/article-type/report/)