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A Study of Student Loans and
been sufficiently exacting and have often taken an apologetic form. Some
institutions have looked upon a rigid System of collection of outstanding
funds as below their dignity and strangely enough have seemed to prefer
seeking funds from outside sources to collecting debts that are rightfully
due to them. So lacking in sound principles is this that under our present
economic and commercial Organization it can persist only to the detriment
of higher education. It is mockery for an institution to teach principles
which it does not practice, for while on the one hand it attempts to instill
ideals into youths at the same time it undermines these teachings by its
business dealings with the Student body.
An effective System must be exacting, precise, and prompt. It must
be sympathetic only when the circumstances warrant sympathy. The
borrower must be approached at the right moment, which is just before
the loan falls due. The longer the payment lapses the more hardened
he becomes to his obligations and the more difficult it is to collect. The
borrower should be sent a notice that his payment is soon to fall due.
This notice should be sent sufficiently in advance so that he may have time
to make provision to pay the installment. If he fails to pay and offers
no explanation, a second notice should be sent him. Both notices can be
printed or in mimeographed form. If these two reminders fail to bring
in a payment or an explanation, he can be notified in a personal way which
will be suitecl to his peculiar case. This third notice would cliffer in each
case, depending on whether delinquency has been characteristic of all
previous installments or whether it has occurred after several payments
have been promptly made. In any case, the delinquent should be followed
up closely in a tactful but firm manner. If the borrower is made to meet
his first payments on time, he will find it easier to meet the other pay
ments in the same manner.
Organization to Administer Loans
Having discussed the administration of loans and the principles
which should guide such administration, it is important that something
be said as to what Organization can best undertake it. There are four
types of organizations that could take up this task and see it to a
successful end. Higher educational officials are at variance as to
what Organization can best administer Student loans. Some are of the
opinion that all loans can and should be administered best by the institu
tion while others believe that an outside Organization can perform the
task more effectively. Still others believe that the Organization which
constitutes the source of the funds should either take care of them
itself or make provisions for their administration. These are poor