Dear Colleagues,

In observance of Good Friday, Washington Update is publishing a day early this week. I hope you enjoy your Passover and Easter holidays if you observe them and find the time to mark the occasion with family, friends, and your campus community. Spring is a time of renewal and I hope it brings a newfound energy as you march to the end of your academic year and, here in Washington, as we stay focused on our advocacy mission.

Congress is out of session this week and next but we will be keeping our eye on the Administration and will report on any actions taken that could impact private, nonprofit higher education.

I’d like to thank Melanie Storey, director of policy implementation and oversight in the Office of Federal Student Aid at the Department of Education for joining me on Tuesday in a webinar (recording and presentation slides) discussing the changes to the FAFSA and federal need analysis formula and the impact the changes will have on campus. We answered over a dozen questions and I know many of you still have more. We will keep you apprised of any updates and new developments as this process continues to unfold.

The lede story in this week’s Washington Update is a reminder that the temporary expanded student SNAP eligibility is coming to an end in June. The Administration is concerned that there are potentially more students eligible for SNAP than are taking advantage of the program and is encouraging colleges to conduct outreach to potentially eligible students to make them aware of these benefits.

We also cover new data from the office of Federal Student Aid on the rise in student loan debt and the availability of two new grants for institutions that serve a large number of minority students.

I wish you a happy Passover and happy Easter.

Regards,

Barbara

Barbara K. Mistick, D.M.
President, NAICU