Committee Description
The Federal Issues Committee holds the responsibility of conducting thorough reviews on materials related to federal issues, including NPRMs, Reauthorization documents, pending Congressional bills, and NASFAA comments. As an integral part of CASFAA, the committee's primary objective is to assess the potential impact of these federal matters on our membership. Keeping CASFAA members well-informed is paramount, and, as a result, the committee actively disseminates updates on key federal issues across various platforms, such as the CASFAA Newsletter, electronic media, and special mailings when deemed necessary.
In addition to information sharing, the Federal Issues Committee plays a role in formulating CASFAA's positions on federal matters. Upon gaining approval from the Executive Council, these positions are effectively communicated to pertinent federal authorities, including the U.S. Department of Education and Congressional representatives. This process ensures that CASFAA's stance on federal issues is clearly conveyed, advocating for the interests and concerns of our members at the highest levels of government.
The Federal Issues Committee contributes significantly to CASFAA's advocacy efforts, making a tangible impact on federal policies that directly affect our members. Our commitment to staying informed and engaged is essential to the committee's success, reinforcing its important role in representing CASFAA effectively and influencing federal discussions on matters of importance to our membership.
Committee Goals
- Legislation and Regulations Comprehension
- Strategic Advocacy and Bill Passage
- Insights from Legislative Reports and Budget Reconciliation
- Congressional Leadership and Focused Advocacy
- Strategic Introduction of Bills
- Detailed Analysis and Advocacy Planning
- Priority Advocacy
- Strategic Advocacy Approach
Committee Members (2024):
- David Levy - Lifetime member
- Paris Charles- University of San Francisco
- Marisol Ramirez- Los Angeles Pierce College
- Laura McElroy- UC San Diego
- David Hull- Pasadena City College
- Gabriela De La Cruz- Cypress College
- Ciel Senechal- College Ave Student Loans
- Nicole LaGrandeur- UC Berkeley
- Marvin Smith- UCLA
Committee Achievements
The Federal Issues Committee has been actively engaged in compiling and disseminating crucial updates to the CASFAA Community. Our recent announcements covered essential topics such as the 2024-2025 FAFSA Updates, Information, and Best Practices, the 2024-2025 FAFSA Release Date, and the FSA Soft-Launch Period. These communications were crafted to equip financial aid administrators with the necessary information to prepare student and parent communications while providing valuable resources to support operational strategies.
Our committee is comprised of nine dedicated members, representing diverse segments within the field. However, we are actively seeking representation from the CSU, Proprietary, and Graduate/Professional Segments to ensure a comprehensive perspective in our discussions.
Notably, as part of our duty of advocating, a significant delegation of three members participated in the 2024 NASFAA Leadership & Legislative Conference and Expo, with an additional five members planning to attend the NASFAA Conference. We emphasize the importance of federal advocacy regarding 2024-2025 FAFSA topics and other pertinent issues. Furthermore, one of our committee members will attend the Day in the Capitol event in Sacramento on February 27, 2024.
Committee Updates:
1/30/24: U.S. Department of Education Postpones FAFSA Data Submission to Correct Methodology
The U.S. Department of Education has announced a delay in the submission of Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) data. The delay comes shortly after the Department announced to correct the federal methodology for Income Protection Allowance (IPA) calculation and update tables that affect the Student Aid Index (SAI). The correction process will push back the submission of FAFSA data from late January to mid-March.
In light of the new timeline and existing open issues with FAFSA submission, we urge schools to be flexible with their institutional deadlines.
The Department's decision to postpone the FAFSA data submission is driven by its commitment to prioritize students and ensure they receive the full aid they are entitled to. In order to comply with mandated inflationary adjustments, the Department has updated the supporting tables used in the SAI calculation. The revised tables will determine the allowances against income and assets reported on the FAFSA form, directly impacting eligibility for need-based federal student aid. These updated tables are included in the final SAI and Pell Grant Eligibility Guide. The Department will incorporate them into the Federal Processing System (FPS) in the upcoming weeks.
The processing timeline for the 2024-25 FAFSA will be modified as a result of these changes. Institutions, state higher education agencies, and designated scholarship organizations can expect to start receiving batches of FAFSA information (ISIRs) in the first half of March, which will include the updated SAI tables. Ongoing testing of vendor-built systems will continue, with regular progress updates provided to schools and stakeholders.
Once the 2024-25 Maximum Federal Pell Grant award amount is determined through the Congressional appropriations process, ISIRs will be reprocessed to reflect the update.
As a result of ongoing delays with FAFSA data submission, institutions are facing numerous challenges with providing timely and accurate financial aid offers to students. CASFAA remains committed to student access and choice; therefore, we call on the Department of Education to better leverage existing federal data to provide verification relief to Financial Aid Administrators.
Sincerely,
Federal Issues Committee
Recorded Event
Federal Student Aid Legislation: Process, Players, & Priorities
Join the CASFAA Federal Issues Committee to learn more about the federal legislative process. In this session, the presenters will cover the federal legislative process, who the key Congressional players will be, as well as likely near-term legislative priorities. We look forward to sharing information and insights and to hearing your thoughts and questions.
Wednesday, March 31, 2021 @ 2:00 p.m.
Webinar Summary and Resource document
Resource Links
Department of Education
U.S. Congress
Below are the talking points that CASFAA members took with them to the 2016 NASFAA Leadership Conference and used when speaking with members of the house and senate.
Talking Points
Combine and Align Chart |
