New law eases way for adjunct professors to erase student loan debt

A new law signed Thursday by Gov. Kathy Hochul makes it easier for certain workers — in the public or nonprofit sectors — to wipe out federal student loan debt.

Among other changes, the law, S.8389-C/A.9523-B, sets a threshold for full-time employment at a minimum of 30 hours per week and lets adjunct faculty and teachers at colleges include preparation time outside the classroom in that calculation.

That means the adjuncts who previously wouldn’t qualify can participate in the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program after a borrower has made 120 payments.

“Some jobs have different hours, they have different descriptions, but they should not be denied the opportunity to be liberated from this debt,” Hochul said at a signing ceremony at Borough of Manhattan Community College. She said she wants to ameliorate “the mistakes, the headaches — let’s just wipe that all out. Let’s just make it easier.”

About 10,000 New Yorkers have had their debt canceled through the program, according to a news release from Hochul’s office, citing one of the bill’s sponsors. The average worker gets $61,402 in debt relief, the release said.

About 2.7 million people in New York work in the public or nonprofit sectors, according to the release. One of the sponsors is Sen. Kevin Thomas (D-Levittown).

Borrowers have until Oct. 31 to qualify for a temporary, nationwide program that grants credit for past payments even if they weren't made on time, the full amount wasn't paid or they weren't on the right payment plan.

Late last month, President Joe Biden announced a debt jubilee of sorts — a student loan forgiveness program to erase $10,000 in student loan debt for those with incomes lower than $125,000, or households with incomes below $250,000.

Mark James, an associate professor of English at Molloy University in Rockville Centre, wasn't familiar with the bill Hochul signed, but based on a reporter's summary, called the new law extending debt forgiveness "a great thing."

Adjuncts need debt forgiveness "even more than full-time, tenured faculty," said James, who is tenured and on the faculty and specializes in African American literature and literature in the 20th and 21st centuries.

"Adjuncts are the most exploited educators in our system, and if anybody needs that kind of relief, it's adjuncts, for sure," said James, president of Molloy's chapter of the American Association of University Professors. "Many of them are cobbling together salaries of very low amounts of money with very little security in terms of benefits."

As for James, he emerged from higher education with six figures of debt.

"In fact. I'm waiting for my debt to be canceled as we speak," he said. "I passed the 120-payment point."

By Matthew Chayes

matthew.chayes@newsday.comchayesmatthew

Matthew Chayes, a Newsday reporter since 2007, covers New York City.