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In this week's Forward50 blog post, President of Monroe Community College Anne Kress discusses current efforts to streamline the financial aid process and provide more data to students and families—the impact of which she says is questionable. The data available on college costs is often about as "clear as mud to those who need it most and is too often delivered too early or too late to be of any use anyway," she writes. The Forward50, she explains, is working to provide recommendations that will help cut through the jargon and make information about college costs more transparent.

A new pair of reports from the Education Trust (Ed Trust), a nonprofit organization that advocates for education equity, details how failure to address nationwide racial gaps in college completion could undermine states’ goals to boost degree attainment.

The official 2019 NASFAA Conference App is now available! Visit startmp.com/nasfaa19 from a mobile device or web browser to get started. The app includes a Registration Fast Pass to check in easily at self-service stations (if your registration fee is paid in full); agenda; session handouts and evaluations; exhibitor list and locations, and more. Mark items as favorites or export them to your device's calendar to create your customized schedule and share your experiences with in-app connections. You can also use the app to earn points to win great prizes. In fact, you'll get points just for downloading it. Download the app for iOS or Android; a web version is also available. You will be required to log in using your myNASFAA account and must be a registered attendee.

In the Federal Register, the Department announced it will allow additional time, until July 1, 2019, for institutions to comply with the requirements of the Gainful Employment (GE) regulations in 34 CFR 668.412 (d) and (e) and invites comment on this action.

The Department of Education has posted the updated 2018-2019 Common Origination and Disbursement (COD) Technical Reference.

In late June 2018, the Department will begin a peak processing period for the 2018–19 Award Year. To assist schools with planning and processing, the Department reminds you of the following.

On June 7, 2018, the Department of Education published a notice inviting applications for the fiscal year 2018 Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs State Grant Competition (GEAR UP State NIA). This notice revises information provided in Section II of the GEAR UP State NIA under Award Information.

The Department of Education is issuing a notice inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year 2018 for the Child Care Access Means Parents in School (CCAMPIS) Program.

"One of the internal documents released Friday by a group suing Harvard University over its admissions policies warned about the impact of having some details of those policies become public," Inside Higher Ed reports.

"... Some high schoolers think of applying to colleges as almost a full-time job. There are essays and tests, loads of financial documents to assemble and calculations to make - and then a big decision. For high-achieving students who come from low-income families, the challenge is particularly difficult. Research shows that 1 in 4 juggle all of that - the writing, the studying, the researching and applying - completely on their own. One approach to make this whole process easier - pair students up with someone who can help, a mentor or adviser, virtually," NPR reports.

"School leaders from across the area gathered at the University of Kansas Edwards Campus on Tuesday to formalize an agreement for the new 'Degree in 3' program. It offers an accelerated path to a bachelor's degree," according to KMBZ.

"New Jersey legislators who have been focused on trying to reduce student-loan burdens are now tackling another high cost of college: textbooks," NJ Spotlight reports.

"America's system of higher education as we know it may soon get an overhaul. Or at least that's what House Republicans are aiming for. The so-called PROSPER Act is expected to be voted on as early as next week, but it does more harm than good to needy students and our higher education system," Douglas Webber, an associate professor in the Department of Economics at Temple University, writes for The Hill.

"Millions of American college students will walk across the graduation stage this spring cheered on by family and friends. They will laugh, cry, celebrate and plan for the future — one profoundly bolstered by the lasting value of a college education," Janet Napolitano, president of the University of California system, writes for The Orange County Register. "But seemingly oblivious to the joy and promise of graduation season, members of Congress are pushing a bill that would undermine college access and affordability and increase college costs for students and their families."

"May was National Foster Care Month, and CEO Gregg Scoresby, an active member of the foster care community here in Arizona, sat down with me to talk about the unique challenges former foster kids face throughout their higher-education journey. We also talked about ideas for better supporting this at-risk population—fewer than three percent of kids in foster care graduate from a four-year college by age 26," Amy Glynn writes for CampusLogic.

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