SALISBURY, N.C. — Livingstone College in Salisbury announced Friday that it is eliminating $2.8 million worth of student debt.
School officials said the decision was made so students can register this fall without owing any money on their accounts.
"We are eliminating a barrier to student persistence. We are wiping out the balances for our students who are coming to campus, who have been to campus last semester," Livingstone Senior Vice President Dr. Anthony J. Davis said. "We're infusing $2.8 million to wipe out all student debt so students can register this fall with a zero balance. We recognize that access to college and affordability must work in tandem."
Earlier this summer, a group of North Carolina lawmakers, led by Mecklenburg County Rep. Rachel Hunt, proposed a student loan "bill of rights" to crack down on deceptive or abusive practices by the companies that service loans.
In total, 1.3 million North Carolinians owe a total of $48 billion in student loan debt. Hunt said the average debt amount in North Carolina is $36,200.
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