"I'd like to reassure students and families that the type of institution they attend should not keep them from getting the federal support for which they qualify," Under Secretary of Education Sara Martinez Tucker writes in The New York Times. "To help students concentrate on their studies instead of worrying about loans, we at the Department of Education are acting to help keep the lending market viable. We are offering short-term relief for lenders in this difficult environment, and we will continue working with stakeholders to help protect students against shifting market forces. Times of economic uncertainty mean more Americans look to higher education as a gateway to opportunity. We're making sure that gate remains open."