PENNSYLVANIA, USA — On Tuesday, the Pennsylvania Auditor General called on the U.S. Department of Education to clarify a White House promise to temporarily waive interest on federally-held student loans due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
“During this anxious time, borrowers deserve clear, prompt answers on how the federal government intends to handle this waiver,” Auditor General Eugene DePasquale said. “While the interest waiver will help temporarily, I believe the federal government should have gone a step further and suspended loan payments entirely.”
Additionally, DePasquale said his office has also reached out to the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education to determine whether it would be feasible for member universities to refund students for a portion of their room and board costs.
“With schools switching to online instruction, many students are asking whether they’ll be refunded for housing and meals that they will not receive,” DePasquale said.
