WASFAA Committee Report
Committee: Graduate Professional Issues Committee
Meeting Date: 2/8-2/9
Report Type:
Meeting Location: Portland, OR
Quarterly
Annual
Submitted by: Colleen MacDonald
Summary of Activities:
Who We Are:
The Graduate Professional Issues Commttee has the following members assigned
on the ATAC wesbite:
Jerome Thurman, NextStudent
Lindsay Ritchie, California State University - San Marcos
Tyese Dunn, Nevada State College
I continue to have little traction on gettign addiiotnal members from each state. My
hope is use the WASFAA Conference as opportunity to reach out to more
colleagues and solicit members. AS a reminder, the GPIC would like to have
representation from each states and sectors as well as attempt to increase gender
and diversity members. Particularly, it would be great to have representation from
adminsitrators at a Medical , Law , Divinity, Business, Other Graduate, and an office
which serves all students (from undergraduate to PhDs).
What we Have Done:
The Graduate Professional Issues Committee has submitted a newsletter article for
each issue. The first entitled, "Reflecting on Implementing the Grad PLUS"
discussed the decision making strategies for Grad PLUS versus the Private Loans.
The second article entitled, "And You Thought Consolidation Was Over" how the
repeal of the single holder rule may make federal loan consolidation last. In
addition, an article has been written and sent to each state to generate interest in
this committee as well as share some information about GP issues.
What We Like to Do:
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The Committee would like to work with the WASFAA Federal Issues Committee to
advocating for the following:
•
Grad PLUS having a six-month grace period with in-school status,
•
Support efforts to achieve the parity between the Federal Family Education
Loan (FFEL) and William Ford Direct Loan (DL) Programs by equalizing the terms
and conditions of student loans so that all borrowers no matter what loan delivery
system (FFEL & DL) have the same loan terms and conditions
The Committee will continue to discuss how to move from ideas to policy
suggestions.
In the News:
The NASFAA GPIC will be soon be announcing the “Financing Graduate Education:
Guide of Students.” The estimated release timeline for the document is March
2007. The document is a brochure which is similar to the NASFAA's "Cash for
College"; however, this document will be available to the public on the NASFAA
website in PDF format. Aid administrators and students will be able to downlaod
the document for use and distribution. Once this is made available, I will send an
announcement to WASFAA membership as well each WASFAA State President to
share with their members.
"Financing the Future: Responses to the Rising Debt of Law Students" was
recently published by the Equal Justice Works, an organization that trains and
supports public service-minded law students and is the national leader in creating
summer and postgraduate public interest jobs. The publication focuses on the
issue of high tuition and the capacity for repayment, as they affect the law student
and recent law graduate contemplating a public service career. It provides detailed
information about the debt burden facing law graduates, and on available debt relief
programs, including public interest scholarships, loan repayment assistance
programs and postgraduate public interest fellowship programs.
http://www.equaljusticeworks.org/financing-the-future2006.pdf
WASFAA Graduate Professional Issues Committee Goals for 2006-07:
1.
Bring issues of relevance to graduate and professional aid administrators
and students to the attention of the Association and the Executive Council.
2.
Respond with endorsement of the Executive Council, to any State or Federal
Issues with a Graduate and Professional perspective.
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3.
Advise other committees when Graduate and Professional concerns need to
be addressed and ensure Graduate and Professional representation on all
appropriate committees.
4.
Work with the Conference Committee to ensure interest sessions are
presented with graduate and professional aid administrators' needs in mind.
5.
Explore improvements to Membership Committee to collect better data about
the membership serving the graduate and professional community.
These goals align with Strategic Plan goals #1, to collaborate and coordinate with
conference committee in order to serve our members more applicable training and
professional development opportunities; #2, to communicate the public policy
decisions; and #7, to improve the methods of communication with membership.
In support of GPIC Goal #5, our Committee sent suggestions to Wendy Olson, the
Membership Committee Chair additional categories of questions to ask when
collecting membership information in order to to further distinguish the
membership.
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