Our 2012 Higher Ed Seminar looked at the problem of student debt from multiple angles. If you weren’t able to join us in Indianapolis, catch up on full conference sessions below.

Background reading and other resources from the conference

Video: 10 Stories You Should Be Covering This Year

Scott Jaschik of Inside Higher Ed shares great story ideas for 2013.

Dealing with Student Loan Debt: The Problems

Student loans have become a focal point in the national debate over college affordability. This session examines the impact that loan debt has on students, both while they are pursuing their degrees and after they have graduated.

• Stephen Burd, New America Foundation (moderator)
• Vic Borden, Indiana University School of Education
• Chris LoCascio, Fix UC
• Vasti Torres, Indiana University Center for Postsecondary Research  

Dealing with Student Loan Debt: The Solutions

Are there alternatives that can either prevent students from accumulating loan debt while they are in school or assist them in repaying their debt after they have earned a degree? In this session, we examine the pros and cons of options such as income-based repayment and student loan bankruptcy reform.

• Kim Clark, Money (moderator)
• Lauren Asher, The Institute for College Access and Success
• Rohit Chopra, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
• Nicholas Hillman, University of Utah
• Lynn O’Shaughnessy, The College Solution

Who’s Subsidizing Whom and Other Secrets of Tuition Pricing

When students pay different amounts to take the same courses, does one student’s tuition go toward another’s education? We take close look at this debate as part of a discussion of the factors that college and university administrators consider when they determine tuition prices.

• Jon Marcus, Hechinger Report (moderator)
• Steve Hurlburt, Delta Cost Project
• Paul Lingenfelter, State Higher Education Executive Officers
• Richard Vedder, Ohio University/Center for College Affordability and Productivity

Different Ways to a Degree

In recent years, various options have emerged to trim the costs of earning a degree. In this session, we will examine whether options such as three-year degree programs and online education can make higher education more affordable.

• Scott Jaschik, Inside Higher Ed (moderator)
• Kris Clerkin, Southern New Hampshire University
• David Daniels, Pearson
• Tom Harnisch, American Association of State Colleges & Universities
• Burck Smith, StraighterLine
• Tom Snyder, Ivy Tech Community College

Turning the Page on Textbooks: More Affordable Options

Plummeting prices for e-readers and tablet computers mean big changes for the textbook industry, as more students and professors clamor for digital versions of traditional paper editions. What does this shift in the publishing world mean for college costs, and how are universities getting e-textbooks into the hands of students?

• Jeff Young, The Chronicle of Higher Education (moderator)
• Nicole Allen, U.S. PIRG
• Bruce Hildebrand, Association of American Publishers
• Mickey Levitan, Courseload