The Framework - Creating Innovative Solutions to Consumer Debt
At the intersection of education and expertise stands the Take Charge America Institute for Consumer Financial Research (TCAI). As part of the university's well-regarded School of Family and Consumer Sciences, the TCAI expands on existing outreach programs and research projects to bring its considerable resources and expertise to bear on one of the nation's most troubling economic problems.
Funded through an endowment from credit counseling agency Take Charge America, the institute's vision is both focused and far reaching.
The Academic Advantage - Creating New Knowledge Through Research
As part of a Research One university, TCAI is grounded in a solid academic tradition. The institute works with scholars from other universities and academic disciplines-finance, economics, business, retailing, family studies-to add scope and dimension to its research. By attracting top-notch talent, the Institute has the expertise to study the issues: attitudes that contribute to consumer debt, buying behaviors and spending patterns, trends in purchasing through the Internet, and characteristics of good financial management. Through better understanding of the complex dynamics which drive personal financial behavior, the institute can influence consumers of all ages to spend and save wisely.