Running the Hurdle Race:
MASFAP’s EAC and the Missouri
College Access Network
Presented by
Dan Dick, 2012 MASFAP EAC co-chair
Julie Meyer, 2012 MASFAP EAC co-chair
What is the MASFAP EAC?
• According to MASFAP’s P&P:
PURPOSE: The Committee will develop financial aid
early awareness projects aimed at all students,
schools, and community groups in the state of
Missouri, including collaborating with the Missouri
Department of Higher Education in organizing and
conducting annual College Goal Sunday events
(known as “FAFSA Frenzy” since 2009).
What is the MASFAP EAC?
Specific Duties in P&P
• “Conducting
presentations and
workshops to educate
community groups
[about financial aid]”
• Activities in the past
have included:
–
–
–
–
NT4CM workshops
Reality stores
CGS/FAFSA Frenzy events
Exhibiting or presenting at
MSCA conferences
– College for a Day events
Reality Stores
NT4CM
http://fsa4counselors.ed.gov/clcf/NT4CMResources.html
2011 locations: StL, KC, Springfield, Columbia, Rolla
College Goal Sunday
• http://dhe.mo.gov/ppc/collegegoalsundayFAO.php
• February 17, 2013 main event date
• November 13 (or 14), 2012 Site Coordinator meeting
What is the MASFAP EAC?
Specific Duties in P&P
• “Maintaining, enhancing, and promoting the
Show-Me to College events and resources
database”
– Two brochures by audience
• Student/family version in MDHE’s test survival kits
– Links on dhe.mo.gov
– www.masfap.org/showmetocollege published
http://www.masfap.org/docs/forms/comm_descript.html
How to find the EAC on
MASFAP.org
http://www.masfap.org/showmetocollege/index.html
Search results page
Link to Show-Me to College microsite
http://www.dhe.mo.gov/ppc/12thgrade.php
What SHOULD the EAC focus on?
Should the focus be purely on
“access” and financial aid training for
consumers/students and high school
guidance counselors?
What SHOULD the EAC focus on?
How does MASFAP’s EAC fit into the
Missouri College Access Network?
What is a state college access network?
• Statewide organization comprised of
professionals and organizations involved in the
educational pipeline
• Target audience - students facing barriers:
– Low income
– Lack of college-educated role models
– Students from under-resourced high schools
How do the EAC and MOCAN fit together?
MASFAP EAC
Missouri CAN
• Purpose in the P&P:
“develop financial aid early
awareness projects aimed
at all students”
• “Conducting presentations
and workshops to educate
community groups [about
financial aid]”
• Target audience of CAN:
students facing barriers to
access and success
• Comprehensive and diverse
activities and services
provided by membership
organizations to target
audiences
Why does Missouri need a CAN?
• Missouri policy makers want Missouri’s citizenry
to be educated and employable
– 34.9% had a college degree in 2008
• 28.1% short of 63% by 2018 goal
• 25.1% short of 60% by 2025 Lumina goal
– Focus on retention and graduation rates
• Missouri has a wealth of very successful college
access organizations and efforts
Why does Missouri need a CAN?
• Because data shows we are moving in the
wrong direction
• Per January 2012 report from the American
Association of State Colleges and Universities
– U.S. ranks 3rd in degree attainment for 55-64year-olds
– But DROPS to 12th for the 25-34-year-olds
We are moving in the wrong direction
• 2011 report from The Education Trust
a) “…at every level – federal, state, and institutional
– our leaders are making counterproductive
[policy] choices.”
b) State merit aid grown at a rate triple of need aid
c) Unmet need by income levels:
Family income
Unmet need
% of income needed
$17,011
$11,352
72%
$42,661
$11,493
36%
$67,844
$8,064
27%
$97,594
$2,339
21%
Borrowers with Excessive Debt
• Pell Grant recipient
• Total family income less than $50,000
• Parent’s highest education level less than a
Bachelor’s degree
• Race Hispanic or African American
Why does Missouri need a CAN?
“Large-scale social change requires
broad cross-sector coordination”
– Kania & Kramer, Stanford Social
Innovation Review, Winter 2011 edition
Five Conditions of Success
• Common agenda
– Slightly different goals and
definitions undermine results
• Shared measurement
– Consistency is critical
• Mutually reinforcing
activities
– Coordination of diverse
activities achieves overall
plan
• Continuous
communication
– Builds trust, a common
vocabulary, and shared
measurement
• Backbone support
organization
– Coordination takes time;
member organizations
rarely have this time
Implementation Timeline
• Official launch for the 2012-13 academic and state
fiscal year
• Presented to the Missouri Coordinating Board for
Higher Education (CBHE) at an upcoming meeting
• Steering committee nominations solicited April and
May; members chosen in June
• Organizations invited to join as members May and
June
• First steering committee meeting July 2012
How does MASFAP fit into a Missouri CAN?
• Financial aid policy is a critical component to access
and success for under-resourced students
• The EAC was formed in the early 1990s when times
were very different
– Considering all of the information provided in this
session, SHOULD the EAC change its focus?
– What types of activities should be the EAC’s priorities?
• Should MASFAP join a Missouri College Access
Network?
Missouri CAN Steering Committee
• To Nominate yourself or another for the Missouri
CAN Steering Committee:
– Nomination form coming in early April
– Updates in April Digest along with a link to the form
• Steering Committee tasks
– Determine official organization name, mission,
priorities, bi-laws, and goals
– Define active working committees and determine
services and activities
To Volunteer for the EAC:
Thank you for attending!
Questions or comments may be sent to the 2012
EAC co-chairs:
Julie Meyer, julie.meyer@dhe.mo.gov
Dan Dick, ddick@slu.edu