NASFAA Mention: DeVos Doubles Down on Policy Shutting Vulnerable College Students Out of Emergency Grants
"After a series of confusing and often conflicting guidance, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos issued a regulation Thursday that officially bars millions of college students from pandemic relief grants," The Washington Post reports.
"...The Education Department also claims its restrictions will prevent fraud because otherwise “unscrupulous institutions” could use the emergency grants to lure people to enroll or encourage students owing tuition to re-enroll to bolster revenue.
Justin Draeger, president of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, said the department already made it clear that pandemic relief grants could not be used toward outstanding balances, so there was little chance a school would just keep the money for themselves.
'I find the department's reasoning unconvincing and flimsy at best,' Draeger said. 'If [the Education Department] was so concerned about fraud, waste and abuse, why did it give money to schools and then urge them to get that money out quickly, before issuing any guidance or regulation on student eligibility?'"
NASFAA's "Notable Headlines" section highlights media coverage of financial aid to help members stay up to date with the latest news. Articles included under the notable headlines section are not written by NASFAA, but rather by external sources. Inclusion in Today's News does not imply endorsement of the material or guarantee the accuracy of information presented.
Publication Date: 6/12/2020
