Things have changed since Rep. Bill Foster (D-Ill.) was in college.

Foster, a U.S. Congressman for the 14th District, updated students on new changes in federal student loan limits and other issues involved in paying for higher education during a financial aid forum last night in the Sky Room located in the Holmes Student Center.

Foster supported the Higher Education Bill that was recently signed into law. The bill is responsible for many of the new financial aid changes that will help students get better loans and cheaper textbooks.

Foster called the new changes the single largest increase in student aid without raising taxes.

Congress made up for the funds by not allowing financial institutions to profit tremendously.

Foster has been a supporter in subsidizing education.

Since attending college, Foster said he sensed a huge difference in tuition cost. At the University of Wisconsin, tuition costs were $1,000-$2,000 a semester, he said.

“[Student loans] can be unwieldy and troublesome if not handled correctly,” Foster said.

Despite the challenging economy and difficulty in paying for tuition, Foster said getting a student loan is the greatest investment anyone can make.

Several changes were made for private loan companies. Some include providing clear information about the loans and not penalizing the borrower for paying the loan early.

The average annual cost for textbooks is $900, Foster said. To lower some costs, it is now required that if there is a new edition, the publisher has to include the changes from the previous edition in a list, which the professor will consider when requiring a new edition.

Students will also be able to see what texts will be required before even enrolling in a class. It is now required by law for textbook information to be available as students register for classes, so if students cannot afford a textbook they can take an alternative course.

Many books that students buy include both a CD-ROM and the text itself. Now, students will be able to make the choice between buying either the book or the CD-ROM, rather than having to buy them both, which is often more expensive.

Although not part of the bill, open-source textbooks is also supported by Foster. Open-source makes textbooks available online to download for free.

Foster also supported the new revised G.I. Bill that gives current military and veterans more money for school, housing and their family.

The question is often whether the bill will pay for itself, Foster said. The original G.I. Bill allowed people to get a higher income through education resulting in paying higher taxes. This brought the government seven times more money than spent, Foster said.

Kathleen Brunson, director of Financial Aid, spoke briefly about direct lending, a program which NIU is participating in for the first time.

Brunson said that NIU President John Peters wanted to know what they could do about the loan industry. Peters received several complaints from students about the loans they currently use, she said.

Direct lending is a student loan program that operates out of the Department of Education. NIU had to qualify and get permission in order to participate. The interest rates on the loans are very good and they continue to drop, Brunson said.

Foster also said the direct loans save students a significant amount of money over the lifetime of the loan.

When it comes to paying back student loans, students will never have to pay the loan companies more than 15 percent of their discretionary income.

“This means you’re not going to be trapped for the rest of your life by student loans,” Foster said.

Also in the Bill, when college graduates enter public services, student loans are completely forgiven after 10 years of service.

If graduates choose to work in the government, some portion of their loan will also be paid.

While the government can’t match what private companies pay, it “allows people to work for the government,” Foster said.