Financial Aid Professionals Advocate for Pell Grant Increases and Highlight FAFSA Complications on Capitol Hill
By NASFAA Policy & Federal Relations Staff
As a part of May’s Advocacy Pipeline, NASFAA hosted two members – Scott Skaro from United Tribes Technical College and Danielle Hayden from Carleton College – for meetings with congressional staffers from North Dakota and Minnesota.
The day entailed visits to the congressional offices of Reps. Kelly Armstrong (R-N.D.) and Angie Craig (D-Minn.), and Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), and John Hoeven (R-N.D.). NASFAA members discussed the importance of doubling the maximum Pell Grant award, restoring the automatic inflation adjustment for the Pell Grant, and shifting the Pell Grant to full mandatory funding. Additionally, they highlighted how the 2024-25 FAFSA has adversely impacted various student populations.
We asked the Advocacy Pipeline participants to share their thoughts and key takeaways from their time advocating with congressional staffers. Read on to learn about their experiences, and fill out this interest form if you would like to participate in an Advocacy Pipeline event.
Scott Skaro – Financial Aid Director, United Tribes Technical College:
I want to first express my gratitude to NASFAA for having me participate in the Advocacy Pipeline initiative. I had an amazing experience being on Capitol Hill while it was in session and took in all the sights and sounds. Meeting with the staff of elected representatives is important because it puts a face to some of the people that education policy impacts. During my visit it was useful to bring in copies of my school’s fact sheet because it gave the congressional staffers an idea of the kind of students we serve.It also helps to highlight how students can make an impact on a member’s district or state once they graduate.
You never know what you are going to find in these meetings but that is part of the adventure. I was amazed to see the artwork of a beloved local artist I know decorating a Senator’s office. I was also able to hear about the educational journeys of the NASFAA staff members that were with us and how they overcame barriers to become successful professionals. This advocacy work is important for financial aid administrators, as they can connect with their members of Congress and continue to advocate for their students.
Danielle Hayden – Senior Associate Dean & Director of Financial Aid, Carleton College:
The Advocacy Pipeline was my first interaction with congressional staff on Capitol Hill, so I was anxious about the overall experience. Thoughts of whether they would be receptive, if they asked a question I could not answer, and what topics I wanted to prioritize all raced through my mind. Thankfully, my nerves were quickly calmed by the NASFAA staff. There were significant resources shared ahead of time and several meetings to prepare for the conversations to ensure we felt confident. Once we were on the Hill, the five staffers we met were very engaged with our issues.
One of the topics we discussed was the unintended consequences of recent changes made through FAFSA simplification that have impacted students directly. We particularly focused on the significant complications with mixed status families completing the FAFSA and being asked to share their status with a federal agency. The staffers asked questions about how their offices could support financial aid professionals and students and sought to understand our concerns.
After spending the day on the Hill, I look forward to a return visit in February with the NASFAA Leadership Conference and Expo. It was a rewarding experience to share direct feedback from students and families with policymakers to hopefully improve outcomes in the future. In a year that has been anything but normal, it felt especially important to meet face-to-face and share experiences as a reminder that congressional offices make decisions that have a direct impact on actual people.
I encourage everyone to take advantage of future opportunities to participate in the Advocacy Pipeline or other advocacy events because it was a very rewarding experience both professionally and personally.
Publication Date: 7/17/2024
Jeff A | 7/17/2024 9:12:28 AM
At the same time, NASFAA should also be advocating for removing the hypocritical 9010 rule which contradicts this policy. Or, at least not count increases in Pell Grants in the 9010 formula. No school subject to 9010 requirements would want TItle IV increases, ironically, because they jeopardize their ability to participate in Title IV.
9010 is truly really bad policy!!!
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