July 28, 2025
Mr. Durbin (for himself, Ms. Hirono, Mr. Padilla, Mr. Wyden, and Mr. Booker) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
To amend section 455(m) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 in order to allow adjunct faculty members to qualify for public service loan forgiveness.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Adjunct Faculty Loan Fairness Act of 2025
.
Sec. 2. Loan forgiveness for adjunct faculty
Section 455(m)(3)(B)(ii) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087e(m)(3)(B)(ii)) is amended—
(1)
by striking teaching as
and inserting the following:
teaching—
(I)
as;
(2)
by striking , foreign language faculty, and part-time faculty at community colleges), as determined by the Secretary.
and inserting and foreign language faculty), as determined by the Secretary; or
; and
(3)
by adding at the end the following:
(II)
at an institution of higher education (as defined in section 101(a)), a postsecondary vocational institution (as defined in section 102(c)), or a Tribal College or University (as defined in section 316(b)), in non-tenured track employment as an adjunct or contingent faculty, teacher, or lecturer who—
(aa)
teaches—
(AA)
not less than 9 credit hours per semester, 6 credit hours per trimester, or 18 credit hours per calendar year; or
(BB)
not less than a total of 30 hours per week, as determined by multiplying each credit or contact hour taught per week by 3.35 (or a larger number, if determined appropriate by the Secretary); and
(bb)
is not employed on a full-time basis by any other employer.