Governor Ned Lamont announced the establishment of the Connecticut Office of the Student Loan Ombudsperson, a new entity statutorily assigned to serve as the state’s chief authority and specialist on all issues related to student loans.
Created by legislation approved by the General Assembly and signed into law by Governor Lamont, the office is administratively held within the Connecticut Department of Banking and it is led by a student loan ombudsperson who is appointed by the agency’s commissioner. After an exhaustive search, Banking Commissioner Jorge Perez has appointed Michelle Jarvis-Lettman of Windsor to serve as the inaugural student loan ombudsperson.
“With more than 500,000 student borrowers here in Connecticut, there is a great need to expand the resources on student loans that are available to our residents,” Governor Lamont said. “This new state office will be particularly helpful in the coming years as nationwide uncertainty on this issue continues to grow. Michelle Jarvis-Lettman and the Connecticut Office of the Student Loan Ombudsperson will be able to provide valuable guidance to those who need it.”
“Michelle brings with her an expertise with student loans that complements the work the Connecticut Department of Banking has already done in this field,” Commissioner Perez said. “The additional capacity will not only allow us to reach more borrowers and assist them as they navigate this often-complex landscape, the office will help ensure student loan servicers are treating Connecticut borrowers fairly.”
Jarvis-Lettman has more than 15 years of experience in higher education as a student financial aid professional with extensive expertise in the field of student loans and repayment and forgiveness programs. Previously, she worked as the financial aid consultant for Worcester State University in Worcester, Massachusetts, and as the financial aid director at Our Lady of Elms in Chicopee, Massachusetts. She has also served as the bursar for the University of Hartford in West Hartford, Connecticut, and as associate financial aid director for Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut.
She earned a master’s degree in higher education administration from Bay Path University in Longmeadow, Massachusetts, and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Worcester State University. She has been a key presenter on topics concerning financial literacy to broad audiences, including the Massachusetts Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators.
“I am excited to be appointed Connecticut’s first student loan ombudsperson,” Jarvis-Lettman said. “Throughout my career in higher education, I have worked in all types of colleges and universities, from four-year universities to community colleges, and I am thrilled to be taking on this role. My passion is helping student loan borrowers fully understand their rights and responsibilities when it comes to paying back their loans, and I look forward to assisting as many people as possible.”
The Office of the Student Loan Ombudsperson is statutorily charged with several duties related to student loans, including:
- Assisting in the resolution of complaints from student loan borrowers received by the Connecticut Department of Banking;
- Analyzing data on student loan borrower complaints;
- Assisting student loan borrowers to understand their rights and responsibilities under the terms of student education loans;
- Providing information to the public, state agencies, legislators, and others regarding the problems and concerns of student loan borrowers and making recommendations for resolving those problems and concerns;
- Disseminating information concerning the availability of the Office of the Student Loan Ombudsman to assist student loan borrowers and potential student loan borrowers; and
- Coordinating with other state agencies on student loan initiatives to ensure a statewide comprehensive approach for borrowers.
“I am thrilled to see the Office of the Student Loan Ombudsperson position finally come to fruition,” State Representative Jason Doucette (D-Glastonbury, Manchester), co-chair of the legislature’s Banking Committee, said. “The legislation to create this office was a multi-year effort and included the hard work of many advocates, especially those from the Student Loan Fund, who never stopped pushing for this. With the complicated and ever-changing landscape of issues in student loan servicing, including the numerous repayment, forbearance, and forgiveness programs, the launch of this office comes at a critical time for Connecticut’s student loan borrowers. I look forward to working with this new office and being able to offer this invaluable help to my constituents.”
“Not everyone goes to college or takes on student debt, but everyone who does should be treated fairly by student loan servicing companies,” State Senator Matt Lesser (D-Middletown), who helped draft Connecticut’s first-in-the-nation Student Loan Bill of Rights, said. “The need for robust state protections and oversight for borrowers has grown due to the end of the payment pause, the presidential transition, and the actions of federal courts. We really need to get the word out – Connecticut borrowers should know that we have their back. The Connecticut Department of Banking supervises private and publicly funded student loan products in our state and the Office of the Student Loan Ombudsperson can provide assistance. I am happy to support the Connecticut Department of Banking and the legislature’s Banking Committee in strengthening protections for borrowers in our state.”
“Ms. Lettman’s appointment comes at a critical time for Connecticut’s student loan borrowers,” Cristher Estrada Perez, executive director of the nonprofit advocacy group Student Loan Fund, Inc., said. “We know from our work that borrowers are distressed by confusing national regulations and processes, private lenders are taking advantage of borrower confusion, and debt loads are mounting. Student Loan Fund is excited to work closely with Ms. Lettman to get borrowers the support they need.”
According to the Education Data Initiative, more than 507,200 student borrowers live in Connecticut, which is roughly 14% of the state’s population. These borrowers have a total of $18.6 billion in student loan debt, averaging $36,672 per person. Approximately 54.1% of these borrowers are under the age of 35. Among the state’s indebted student borrowers, 12.2% owe less than $5,000; 23.4% owe $20,000 to $40,000; and 2.29% owe more than $200,000.
The Connecticut Office of the Student Loan Ombudsperson can be contacted by email at dob.studentloanombuds@ct.gov or by telephone at 860-240-8122. Additional information on the office can be found online at portal.ct.gov/dob/student-loan-ombudsperson/student-loan-ombudsperson-office.
