Background:

Credit card debt among college students is increasing at a phenomenal rate.  Nation-wide survey of college students by a consumer advocate group shows that 67 percent of college students have credit cards and nearly 70 percent of the card holding students carrying an unpaid balance of over $1,200.  An overwhelming majority of students is only making a minimum payment on their balances.

In the fall of 1996, a student enrolled in my class withdraw from the university to take up a minimum wage job to make payments for the credit debt (nearly $4,000) he has accumulated.  This was a revelation for me that prompted me to investigate the problem among our students.  Based on the findings of my research, I am sufficiently convinced that the problem exists on our campus and we must take adequate measure to combat the problem.

In the fall of 1998, I have started a campaign/program entitled "Students without Credit Card Debt" initiated with the assistance of a banker in Lock Haven.  The major objectives of the campaign/program is:

1. To initiate research to understand consumer behavior and credit card debt among LHU students; 
2. To educate our students about the inner workings of credit card, and also the use and abuse of credit card; and
3. To promote policies at the university level as well as at the state level to protect the interest of students and parents as consumers.

1.  The consumerism and credit card debt research has begun its third year at LHU.  In collaboration with my students, I am undertaking the research again this year to understand the impact of the campaign/program in curtailing debt among students.
2. Since the beginning of the program, I held 20 workshops for students, which was attended by nearly 300 students.   I have also offered the hour-long workshop to the freshman orientation to create awareness about credit card debt.
3. I have been working with the SCC to implement policies to exercise greater control over credit card representatives to involve in fair business practices.
4. I am also working with State Rep. Curtis Thomas (D-Philadelphia) who has introduced H.B. 2908--College campus Credit Card Solicitation Act--to protect students and parents from the trapping of credit card providers.
5. I have made presentations to area civic clubs/groups to launch a letter writing campaign to the legislators in Harrisburg in support of the bill.

Referred to House Education Committee on October 27, 1998

Please address your concerns to:

• Rep. Jess Stairs (R) 
  Majority Chair, House Education Committee 
  Pennsylvania House of Representative 
  House Box 202020 
  Harrisburg, Pa 17120-2020 
  
• Rep. Nicholas Calafella (D) 
  Minority Chair, House Education Committee 
  Pennsylvania House of Representative 
  House Box 202020 
  Harrisburg, Pa 17120-2020

Rep. Mike Hanna
29 Bellefonte Av
Lock Haven, Pa 17745