November 13, 2017 — The National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA) has been awarded a grant to convene a group of forward-thinking campus leaders tasked with developing policy solutions that will help surmount obstacles preventing students from enrolling, paying for, and graduating from college.
NASFAA will use the grant funding, provided by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, to form the Higher Education Committee of 50, a group comprised of college presidents, enrollment managers, admissions staff, financial aid and bursar leaders, members of governing boards, students, and other leaders from all sectors of postsecondary institutions. The Higher Education Committee of 50 will produce four white papers on specific, pre-identified policy areas related to access, affordability, accountability and transparency. These papers will include practical solutions and recommendations for members of Congress, and will be available to the broader policy community for review and comment prior to finalization.
“Our goal is to include forward-thinking individuals representing various levels of an institution to tackle some of the most complex and pressing issues that face higher education," said NASFAA President Justin Draeger. "Everyone on campus has an interest in student success and affordability and we're confident that this group will put forward the types of logical and transformative ideas that are needed to tackle these issues."
The duration of the grant is 18 months, but the work and recommendations of the Higher Education Committee of 50 are intended to last far beyond the time the committee is at work. NASFAA will continue to elevate the principles and positions put forward by the Higher Education Committee of 50 through press releases, events, conference presentations, and educational materials.
For more information, or to request an interview with a NASFAA spokesperson about the scope of work of the Higher Education Committee of 50, email NASFAA Director of Communications Erin Powers at [email protected].
The National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA) is a nonprofit membership organization that represents more than 20,000 financial aid professionals at nearly 3,000 colleges, universities, and career schools across the country. NASFAA member institutions serve nine out of every ten undergraduates in the United States. Based in Washington, D.C., NASFAA is the only national association with a primary focus on student aid legislation, regulatory analysis, and training for financial aid administrators.