WLWT: Students excited about debt relief announcement
UC economist says debt will shift to taxpayers
Students at the University of Cincinnati are among the people who were excited about President Joe Biden’s announcement of student debt relief, WLWT reported.
Michael Jones, PhD, associate professor of economics at the University of Cincinnati Carl H. Lindner College of Business.
Biden announced Wednesday plans to erase $10,000 in federal student loan debt for people with incomes below $125,000 a year or households that earn less than $250,000. People who received federal Pell Grants will be eligible for $20,000 in debt relief.
Michael Jones, the Kautz-Uible Professor of Economics in UC’s Carl H. Lindner College of Business, told WLWT the student debt relief will come through the shifting of the debt.
"It's important to use the right language in this conversation," Jones said. "So we talk about canceling student debt. But when we use that word, we can typically take the product or service back and get a refund. In this case, we're not canceling any debt. The service has already been provided. Students already have their education. They have their degree. So the question is not whether to cancel — but who is actually going to be paying for that service?
“It's going to be the taxpayer, because that individual (the borrower) is not going to be paying that amount back."
Featured image at top: The Carl H. Lindner College of Business at night. Andrew Higley/UC Marketing + Brand
Next Lives Here
The University of Cincinnati is classified as a Research 1 institution by the Carnegie Commission and is ranked in the National Science Foundation's Top-35 public research universities. UC's medical, graduate and undergraduate students and faculty investigate problems and innovate solutions with real-world impact. Next Lives Here.
Related Stories
6 ways starting a GLP-1 medication could affect your emotions
May 20, 2026
When patients first start taking a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) medication, they probably expect to feel full. But they might not anticipate how it can influence their emotions. The medications act on the stomach and the brain, said Malti Vij, MD, a University of Cincinnati adjunct associate professor in the College of Medicine's Department of Internal Medicine and a diplomate of the American Board of Obesity Medicine.
Inaugural AI Symposium in Finance & Accounting explores the investment landscape
May 19, 2026
The Johnson Investment Institute hosted the first-ever AI Symposium in Finance & Accounting on May 8 at Lindner Hall, welcoming industry leaders from national firms, academics from leading universities, and emerging finance and accounting talent.
Pocket-sized population threat
May 18, 2026
The Financial Times took a deep dive into why populations around the world continue to be on the decline. The publication cited new University of Cincinnati research as part of the investigation that looks at the fall of fertility in the digital era.