Category Archives: Advocacy

Access, Advocacy, Financial Aid

Reminder: Beware Potential FAFSA Scams

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The Department of Education has always advised caution when working with third-parties on FAFSA completion, and is urging additional vigilance going forward given the unavailability of the IRS Data Retrieval Tool (DRT).

Representatives from the IRS and the Office of Federal Student Aid suspended the service in March out of concern that it could be misused by identity thieves. The tool, which many students use when applying for federal aid, is not expected to be restored until fall 2017.

There are reports that some students and families have been scammed by individuals seeking to take advantage of this situation by charging families for help filing the FAFSA and/or stealing the families’ personal information for illicit use.

Continue reading Reminder: Beware Potential FAFSA Scams →

Advocacy, College Completion

IHEP Launches #CollegeNotPrison Campaign

ihepvideoA new public awareness campaign seeks to bring attention to the financial aid barriers justice-involved youth face when pursuing higher education.

#CollegeNotPrison — a initiative of The Institute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP) — made a splash on social media this week with a short video sharing the story of Alton Pitre.

As a teen, Pitre was arrested for a crime he didn’t commit. He spent nearly two years behind bars before the charges were dropped and the case was dismissed.

Pitre, now a senior at Morehouse College (GA), is an advocate for criminal justice reform. He also speaks out about the need to make college affordable for more young people. In the video, Pitre, 25, notes that while a college education offers great long-term rewards, cost keeps many young people from completing a degree.

Continue reading IHEP Launches #CollegeNotPrison Campaign →

Access, Advocacy, College Admission, Financial Aid

Breaking Down Barriers: New White Paper Examines Racial Equity in Higher Ed

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Coalition building and collaboration at the federal level may help lead the charge for equity-centered admission and higher education policies.

That assessment was shared last month by panelists and attendees at a Washington, DC, event marking the release of a new white paper examining racial equity and barriers to postsecondary education for minority students.

The paper was released by the Young Invincibles, a bipartisan nonprofit focused on the needs of young people ages 18-34. Through policy research and analysis, the organization advocates for a broad range of policy priorities, including access to postsecondary education — a crucial element for this age group.

Continue reading Breaking Down Barriers: New White Paper Examines Racial Equity in Higher Ed →

Advocacy, NACAC News

NACAC Members Meet with Congressional Leaders

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Southern ACAC and International ACAC leaders, from left: Amanda Lopez, Poinciana High School (FL); Myra Simpson, Oak Hall School (FL); Johanna Fishbein, United World College of South East Asia — Dover (Singapore); and Juan-Camilo Tamayo, JCT4Education (FL).

More than 130 NACAC members traveled to Capitol Hill on Monday to meet with members of Congress.

Their goal? To discuss issues important to students, families, and admission professionals across the country.

The visits with Congressional leaders are part of NACAC’s annual advocacy meeting, which brings together members from both sides of the desk to advocate on behalf of students.

Continue reading NACAC Members Meet with Congressional Leaders →

Access, Advocacy, NACAC News

ICYMI: NACAC Advocates for Transgender Students

NACAC CEO Joyce Smith expressed strong opposition last week to the Trump administration’s decision to roll back federal protections that allow students to use the school bathroom that reflects their gender identity.

The move directly conflicts with NACAC’s Statement of Principles of Good Practice, which states that member organizations and individuals must “strive to eliminate bias within the education system based on ethnicity, creed, gender, sexual orientation, age, political affiliation, national origin, and disability.”

Continue reading ICYMI: NACAC Advocates for Transgender Students →

Access, Advocacy, Cost of College, Financial Aid, Paying for College, Value of College

Students and Counselors Make the Case for a Streamlined FAFSA

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Educators, advocates, Hill staffers, and students gathered in Washington, DC, earlier this month to learn more about efforts by the National College Access Network (NCAN) to simplify the Federal Application for Free Student Aid (FAFSA).

The overarching goal of this new streamlined FAFSA is simple — stop making low-income students repeatedly prove that they are low-income. The NCAN report, Half the FASFA: Cutting the Red Tape to Postsecondary Aid, includes three potential pathways to shorten the FAFSA.

For example, on one track, once a student has confirmed that their family earns a means-tested benefit such as SNAP (food assistance) or TANF (cash assistance), they are automatically sent to the signature portion of the form.

Continue reading Students and Counselors Make the Case for a Streamlined FAFSA →

Access, Advocacy, International Education, NACAC News

News Roundup: Colleges and Communities Respond to Immigration Order

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The effects of President Donald Trump’s most recent executive order are already being felt at high schools and colleges across the country.

The action temporarily bans individuals from seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the US or obtaining visas, including F-1 and J-1 student visas.

The Chronicle of Higher Education, Inside Higher Ed, and other media are closely monitoring this developing story. The coverage below explores  the order’s effect on students, scholars, and communities.

Continue reading News Roundup: Colleges and Communities Respond to Immigration Order →

Access, Advocacy, International Education, NACAC News

ICYMI: NACAC Responds to Immigration Order

NACAC President Nancy Beane sent the following message to members today:

Dear Colleagues,

This past Friday’s executive order restricting immigration has shaken the admission profession and the institutions we serve. The policy is fundamentally opposed to NACAC’s values, and we have begun strategizing with colleagues in the higher education community and others to discover ways to help ease the anxiety students, families, and professionals are experiencing.
Continue reading ICYMI: NACAC Responds to Immigration Order →

Advocacy, NACAC News

Register for NACAC’s Advocacy Meeting

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Registration is now open for NACAC’s annual Advocacy Meeting, scheduled March 5-6 in Washington, DC.

With a new president and dozens of new senators and representatives, your voice is especially important this year.

Visits with members of Congress will serve as the focal point of the two-day event. Attendees will also have the opportunity to engage with NACAC leadership, members, and staff.

Continue reading Register for NACAC’s Advocacy Meeting →

Access, Advocacy, College Admission, College Completion

New Report Highlights Access and Inclusion Strategies

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Low-income and minority students continue to face barriers to higher education and the resulting gaps have contributed to diminished social mobility in the US, data show.

A new report — Advancing Diversity and Inclusion in Higher Education — highlights strategies institutions can use to help reverse that trend. The 89-page publication uses federal statistics to demonstrate the scale of the problem and highlights strategies colleges and universities can use to help more underrepresented students get to (and through) college.

Continue reading New Report Highlights Access and Inclusion Strategies →