today’s news for Wednesday, January 29, 2014

NEWS FROM NASFAA

Obama Emphasizes Increasing College Opportunity and Graduation in State of the Union Address

In his fifth State of the Union address, President Obama last night zeroed in on value and affordability of higher education, reinforcing his proposed college ratings plan which would tie funding for certain student aid programs to schools' outcomes. "We're shaking up our system of higher education to give parents more information, and colleges more incentives to offer better value, so that no middle-class kid is priced out of a college education," Obama said.

NASFAA's Megan McClean Weighs In On The Administration's Proposed Ratings Plan

In a free webinar yesterday, NASFAA's Managing Director of Policy and Federal Relations Megan McClean joined panelists from two other higher education associations in discussing the ratings system being developed by the Obama administration. The administration has said that they intend to begin the ratings system—in which colleges would be evaluated based on measures of access, affordability, and outcomes—by 2015 and has called for Congress to tie federal student aid to college performance by 2018. Yesterday's discussion focused on the plan's potential successes and addressed areas of concern to watch moving forward.

Schools Discuss How To Best Serve Low-Income And First Generation Students At House Hearing

Early financial aid intervention, financial literacy, and engaged parents help low-income and first-generation students to consider and complete college, witnesses told members of the U.S. House of Representatives Tuesday.

Space Is Limited For NASFAA's 2014 Leadership And Legislative Conference. Register Today!

The 2014 Leadership and Legislative Conference will be held March 9-11 in Washington, D.C., and will provide intensive preparation for NASFAA members in association leadership positions, those about to assume such positions, or any member interested in future association leadership roles. The capstone activity is a scheduled visit to Capitol Hill, where conference participants advocate directly with their congressional delegation on behalf of students. Registration is $295 and is available now using NASFAA's online registration form. Full payment must be received by Feb. 28 or your registration may be cancelled to allow others to register and attend. Space is limited, so sign up today.

NASFAA Welcomes Hedrick Smith As Monday’s Opening Session Speaker At The 2014 National Conference

NASFAA is privileged to have Hedrick Smith, Pulitzer Prize winner, former New York Times reporter and editor, and Emmy award-winning producer and correspondent as the session speaker on June 30 at the National Conference in Nashville, TN. Smith will share his insights from his book, Who Stole the American Dream, with us. He is an inspiring and dedicated journalist, documentarian, and author. Two of his books will be available for sale and signing at the conference. Join your colleagues for this exciting session at the NASFAA Conference. Register now! 

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

1-28: Availability of Report Readers for Pell Grant Reconciliation File, Pell Grant Year to Date (YTD) File, and School Account Statement (SAS) Disbursement Detail on Demand File

The Department announces the posting of three report readers for the following reports: Pell Grant Reconciliation File; Pell Grant YTD File; and SAS Disbursement Detail on Demand File.

Best Value Colleges Generous With Financial Aid

"Some of the lowest tuition and best financial aid for prospective college students are offered by some of the most academically demanding institutions, The Princeton Review says in annual rankings released today," USA Today reports.

State News

Minnesota: Identity Of University Alum Used To Apply For $20,000 Loan

"Michaela Menigo, a former University of Minnesota student, was informed via email that her $20,000 loan application was approved. There was only one problem, she never requested the loan; someone else did using her identity," CR80 News reports.

Mississippi: Lawmakers Asked To Decide Tuition Plan's Fate

"The board that runs Mississippi's prepaid college tuition program said Monday that it wants the Legislature to decide whether the state should reopen the plan to new enrollments or close it," The Associated Press reports.

Opinions

Opinion: Will Congress Turn Its Back On Students?

"Early reports suggest that President Obama may take a moderate approach to this State of the Union. But for people like Becky, much rides on how forcefully he demands reforms to a broken, exploitative, student loan system," Ronan Farrow writes in an MSNBC opinion piece.

Blogs and Think Tanks

State Funding For Need-Based Aid Averages Less Than $500 Per Student

"In 2011-12, the 50 states and the District of Columbia spent a total of $6.8-billion on need-based grant aid for college students, according to the most recent report from the National Association of State Student Grant and Aid Programs. That might sound like a lot, but it averages out to $482 per enrolled undergraduate student," The Chronicle of Higher Education's Data Points blog reports.

Report Proposes Another Way To Raise State Spending On Higher Education

"With state spending on public colleges recovering slowly and tuition rates still rising, a policy-advocacy group has proposed creating a competitive federal grant program to give states incentives to increase spending on and reduce the cost of higher education," The Chronicle of Higher Education's Bottom Line blog reports.

A Few Surprises At The President's Higher Ed Summit

"Higher education leaders are generally responding positively to President Obama's recent 'College Opportunity Summit,' as the president and first lady reinforced their ongoing commitment to improving potential college students' access and success. ... While the summit was another example of the president's clear commitment to improving higher education in America, a few surprises emerged from the gathering," Carlos Campo, president of the Hispanic Education Alliance, writes in The Huffington Post's The Blog.

INDUSTRY NEWS

• ECMC Group Appoints David Hawn As Chief Executive Officer  
• ECMC Group Board Elects John DePodesta As New Chairman  
• Craig Anderson Joins USA Funds  
• KHEAA Website Now Available In Spanish  
• Imperial Valley College Chooses Financial Aid TV  

NASFAA CAREER CENTER

• Director of Financial Aid, Bethel College, Mishawaka, Indiana  
• Senior Associate Financial Aid Director, UC San Diego, La Jolla, California  
• Associate Director of Operations, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia