HUNTINGTON BEACH : College Added to Direct Loan Program

Golden West College is among 87 higher-education institutions in the nation that the federal government recently added to its direct student loan program.

Under the new national program, the government provides loans directly to students, through their colleges, rather than through private lenders.

Golden West’s selection for the new loan program was announced by U.S. Secretary of Education Richard W. Riley.

“These schools (picked for the program) will have an opportunity to demonstrate that direct lending can indeed simplify the administrative tasks of educational institutions, lower costs to taxpayers, and most importantly, provide better services to students,” Riley said.

Federal officials have said that direct loans reduce administrative burdens and are more efficient. About 1,000 higher-education institutions in the nation had previously been certified for the new direct-loan program prior to the addition of Golden West and the other colleges.

Golden West President Philip Westin said the community college “is proud to be part of a new program that will put money in the hands of students who are serious about purchasing a quality education at an affordable price.”

Westin said that student loan programs help provide for a community’s future.

“Education is all about creating the future,” Westin said. “When a student can’t afford a college education, the future of that student, as well as the future of the community, is in jeopardy.”