A little older, but helpful...

Catch up on news you may have missed.

May News

Some Morehouse College students don't want Biden to deliver commencement speech. Watch Here.
While many schools offer early decision and early action in addition to regular admissions, some offer rolling admissions. This is where colleges evaluate applications as they receive them, then release admissions decisions accordingly as opposed to doing so all at once. Read More.
The White House approved and released the Department of Education’s sweeping changes to Title IX’s implementing regulations last month, changing the rules for how colleges conduct investigations into allegations of sexual harassment and assault. Colleges now have until August 1 to comply. Read More.
Richard Cordray, the chief operating officer of the Office of Federal Student Aid and top student loan official in the Biden administration, is stepping down. “Mr. Cordray, don’t let the door hit you on the way out,” Representative Virginia Foxx, who chairs the House Education and Workforce Committee, said in a statement. Read More
Xavier University, a small Catholic and historically Black school in New Orleans, formally signed an agreement Monday with Ochsner Health to establish a medical school. Read More
Holding Palestinian flags and signs calling for “Justice for Asna,” hundreds of University of Southern California students gathered Thursday to march in support of a Muslim valedictorian whose planned commencement speech was canceled by the university. Read More
10 recommendations experienced financial aid professionals have for those who are new to the field. Read More.
Over 100 students at Columbia were arrested last week after refusing to leave a pro-Palestinian protest encampment set up on the university’s main campus. The arrests have since set off a chain of events. Read More.
Are race-conscious scholarships on their way out? The fate of hundreds of millions of dollars in scholarship money is up in the air in Ohio after seven state universities put race-conscious programs on hold to check their legality. Read More.

January News

Spelman receives $100 million dollar donation. To go towards endowed scholarships for students and improved student housing. Read More
UNCF will use $100 million gift to support endowments for HBCU. The donation from the Lilly Endowment Inc. to the United Negro College Fund (UNCF), is intended to boost the fund's new $1 billion capital campaign. Read More
Uncle Nearest’s Second Annual HBCU Old Fashioned Challenge Aims to Raise $1.4 Million for Underfunded Black Colleges. This nationwide initiative aims to raise $1.4 million to provide one full in-state tuition scholarship per accredited Historically Black College and University (HBCU). The challenge commenced on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and will continue until Juneteenth. Read More
The significant improvements to the 2024–25 FAFSA form expand eligibility for federal student aid, helping an estimated 610,000 more students get Federal Pell Grants. Recipients will receive more aid, with nearly 1.5 million additional students receiving the maximum Pell Grant award. Read More
New Jersey’s class of 2022 high school graduates left $92 million in unclaimed federal Pell Grants on the table, according to the Washington, D.C., based National College Attainment Network. Starting this year, New Jersey's high schools must provide every graduating student with the federal government's free financial aid application form before they receive their diploma, according to a bill passed by both houses and sent to Gov. Phil Murphy's desk for signing. Read More
Meadow and NASFAA announce a partnership to ensure that colleges and universities have access to a modern net price calculator that meets CCT's standards, allowing for ease in comparability when students go from looking at a Net Price Calculator to their aid offer. It could not be timelier as students across the country are applying to colleges and making decisions that will impact their financial futures right now. Read More
Over 1 million 2024-2025 FAFSA forms successfully submitted. Read what students and families are saying about their new FAFSA experience.
Millions of student borrowers will receive loan forgiveness. See what Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona had to say regarding who should be held accountable.
Massachusetts open financial aid to undocumented students. See how.
The major focus in higher ed news would be the release of the 2024-2025 FAFSA. The soft launch has limited availability. Here is what you need to know about what students, families and administrators are experiencing.
- National Association of Financial Aid Administrators - DOE Soft Launch
- abcNews - FAFSA Change
Are more states seeing the benefits of investing in higher education? See some of the new budget proposals for FY 2025.
Thinking about enrollment? Read about how one organization is changing how high schoolers are looking at furthering their education. Read more.

February News

What’s better than having an old fashioned cocktail? How about knowing you’re funding a good cause with every sip? From now until June 19, the fantasy-themed lounge and bar The Wicked Wolf is donating $1 towards scholarships for a semester of tuition at each Historical Black College or University (HBCU) in the nation every time someone orders an old fashioned. Read More.
Clark Atlanta University's HBCU Executive Leadership Institute (HBCU ELI) proudly announces receipt of a $225,000 grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation (WKKF), reinforcing the philanthropic institution's goal of fostering equitable outcomes through strategic partnerships. Read More.
The new FAFSA’s streamlined form eliminates questions about grandparent contributions, effectively creating a “loophole” for grandparents to fund their grandchild’s college fund without impacting their financial aid eligibility. Read More.
Some colleges are bringing back the SAT and ACT requirements. Dartmouth College announced Monday that beginning next year, prospective students must submit standardized test scores with their applications. Read More
The SPS’s HBCU Fellowship Program continues to progress as it has graduated more than 100 fellows in the span of its existence. Recent or soon-to-be HBCU graduates are invited to apply for one of SPS’s 16 full-time Master of Science degree programs. Read More
Delaware State University makes history with the nation's first helicopter flight program for HBCUs, removing barriers and creating pathways to diverse aviation careers. Watch Here
Some students may be pressured into making one of the most significant financial decisions of their lives without having a complete picture of their options. Read More.
A bold statement is made. “There’s a Better Way to Apply for Student Aid”. Inside Higher Ed has more.
To continue to broaden the demographic and socioeconomic diversity of its student body, Colby College has received an extraordinary new gift of $50 million for financial aid. Read More.
Many are honoring Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) for educating Blacks when it was denied during segregation times. A leader is trying to bring one of the oldest HBCUs back to prominence. Read More.
San Francisco Mayor London Breed says efforts are now underway to bring Historically Black Colleges and Universities to town. The plan has long and short-term goals. In the short-term, there will be educational programing in the city this summer with an initiative called Black 2 San Francisco Watch.
Too Late, Too Little - The U.S. Department of Education announced Monday it is introducing a “FAFSA College Support Strategy” with additional personnel, funding, resources and technology to help colleges process the new Free Application for Federal Student Aid forms after the rollout was repeatedly complicated by a number of setbacks. Read More
Some families are breaking rules to apply for financial aid by having students complete both the student and parent portions. Read More
Washington state ranks first in the nation for need-based financial aid for college students, according to the National Association of State Student Grant and Aid Programs (NASSGAP). Read More
The Department of Education said it will fix a problem with the new Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which would have cost students about $1.8 billion in lost federal aid. Read More
Pennsylvania degrees may become more affordable at state-owned universities or community colleges for students who meet certain financial guidelines to $1,000 per semester. Read More
Incarcerated students enrolled in a groundbreaking program at Pelican Bay State Prison to earn their bachelor’s degrees from Cal Poly Humboldt are now the first in the nation eligible to receive Pell Grants to pay for their education. Read More

March News

Last week, NASFAA's Board of Directors voted to update NASFAA's current financial aid offer glossary. NASFAA believes that this alignment will contribute to greater transparency and trust in the financial aid process, benefiting students and institutions alike. Read More.
Some HBCUs are still seeing enrollment surge. Here’s why.
Legacy’s ‘Last Stand’ in Connecticut. State lawmakers are considering a groundbreaking bill to ban legacy preferences at public and private colleges. Powerful institutions like Yale are fighting to stop it. Read More
NASFAA, last week signed onto a community letter urging the Department of Education (ED) to delay reporting requirements, beyond the July 31, 2024 deadline, associated with the implementation of the department’s final rule for gainful employment (GE) and financial value transparency (FVT) framework. Read More
Despite the fanfare surrounding its launch in August 2022, the California Kids Investment and Development Savings program (CalKIDS), a state initiative to help children from low-income families save money for college or a career, has been underutilized as eligible families lack awareness about its existence. Read More
Malinda Williams Launches Coding Bootcamp For Women At HBCUs. The E.S.T.E.A.M. Project will take place May 30 through June 2, 2024 on the campus of Jackson State University. Read More
The Department of Education has yet to begin processing completed applications, preventing colleges and universities from sending aid packages to students. The redesign includes overhauling over 20 systems, some of which have not been updated in nearly 50 years. The department has repeatedly blamed Congress, which refused requests for additional resources. Read More.
Spike Lee’s commitment to empowering Black talent extends beyond the silver screen. In a unique collaboration, Lee’s fellowship program, Spike Fellows, has joined forces with Ralph Lauren to provide students with a wardrobe that epitomizes professionalism and success. Read More.
This week colleges have begun receiving student FAFSA information after delays. Republicans have called for the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to investigate the FAFSA reform process, while Democrats have sent a letter to the Department of Education asking how the agency will help ensure families aren’t negatively impacted by these delays. Read More.
Ferris State establishes financial aid hotline amid FAFSA delays. Read More
Fewer Arizonans applying for federal student aid, but those who do can get free spring training tickets. Read More
Several consultants have been brought in to assist in filling in the details of Gov. Josh Shapiro’s Blueprint for Higher Education at a cost of nearly $1 million. Read More

April News

Biden administration cancels another $7.4 billion in student loans. The president is wiping away the loan balances of 277,000 Americans through a mix of existing forgiveness programs. Read More.
Goucher College joins movement to reckon with its ties to slavery. Abolitionist-minded founders never enslaved anyone, but the wooded campus was once part of the Hampton plantation. Read More.
Texas A&M is offering residents of Midland and Ector counties a low-cost test for their well water, screening for harmful — and in some cases, deadly — contaminants. Scientists will look for three different pollutants, including arsenic, E. Coli and nitrate. They also will test salt levels. Read More.
Texas lawmakers ramps up oversight of college DEI ban. The state’s seven public systems have until May 3 to report on their efforts to ensure no diversity programming is offered on their campuses. Read More.
Downsizing of Wisconsin’s higher education institutions will continue as the number of colleges and universities was said to be “unsustainable”. Read More
The Virginia Talent + Opportunity Partnership (V-TOP) recently recognized 136 recipients of the 2024 Top Virginia Employers for Interns Awards. The annual award celebrates Virginia employers who provide high-quality internships to students. Read More
Starting this spring, Marymount’s master’s in counseling and doctoral students can earn work experience through a free counseling clinic for the public. Read More.
The Luther Vandross Foundation is thrilled to announce that it’s 2nd annual fundraiser will be held on May 4, 2024, at the Rivers Casino in Philadelphia, PA. The event aims to raise funds to support students attending Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Read More.
At Texas State Technical College in Waco on April 23rd, join the discussion on how Texas schools are addressing workforce shortages and what else is needed to address their state’s needs. Read More.
Black lawmakers, students and alumni of Tennessee State University are outraged that Gov. Bill Lee, in an unprecedented move, signed into law legislation that dismantled the storied historically Black college’s board of trustees. Read More.