Robert Shireman, Deputy Undersecretary at the U.S. Department of Education kicked off the 2009 National Conference with a keynote address that outlined the Administration's plan to transform student aid. Shireman also fielded many questions from NASFAA members attending the conference.

During the speech, Shireman noted that financial aid administrators are often seen as "paper pushers," but that couldn't be further from the truth. He noted that FAAs transform the trajectory of students lives and reassured members that their role was not an abstraction to the White House because student aid had made such a difference in the lives of President Obama and his wife.

He noted that Obama had set an ambitious reform agenda but that these goals were achievable. Noting the growing achievement gap between low-income students and others, Shireman said it was time to secure the Pell Grant by making it a mandatory program that increases with inflation. He also stressed the importance of expanding and redistributing the Perkins Loan program to help students avoid private student loans.

Shireman also stressed the importance of moving to the Direct Loan program to permanently solve the instability in the student loan market caused by the freezing credit markets.

Posted 08/12/09 to www.NASFAA.org. Redistribution to non-NASFAA institutions is prohibited. Please submit Web site questions or comments to Web@NASFAA.org.