CASFAA Federal Issues Committee
3/28/2005
2:00 PM to 3:25 PM
Conference Call
Type of meeting: / 2nd FIC Meeting / Facilitator: / Colleen MacDonald
Note taker:
Attendees: / Kathryn Anderson, Tim Bonnel, Nancy Coolidge, Jack Gorman, Donna Huber, Natasha Kobrinsky, Colleen MacDonald, Rick Rams, Sean Smith, Pat Hurley, La Nae Johnson-Herrera, Helen Lara, Sandy Ninemire, Mary Robinson, Vicki Shipley, Tami Sato
Absent / Kathryn Anderson, Nancy Coolidge, Rick Rams, Helen Lara, Sandy Ninemire, Mary Robinson
----- Agenda Topics -----
Welcome / Colleen MacDonald / 5
CASFAA at NASFAA Leadership Conference / Colleen
Subcommittee Formation and Potential Meeting / Jack/Colleen
The Latest from the Hill / Colleen / 10
Challenge to CASFAA community to contact Congress / Colleen / 5
New Business / Colleen / 5
Next Meeting / Colleen / 5
Other Information
Special notes:
CASFAA Federal Issues Committee
3/28/2005
2:00 PM to 3:25 PM
Conference Call
Type of meeting: / Facilitator: / Colleen MacDonald
Note taker:
Attendees: / Kathryn Anderson, Tim Bonnel, Nancy Coolidge, Jack Gorman, Donna Huber, Natasha Kobrinsky, Colleen MacDonald, Rick Rams, Sean Smith, Pat Hurley, La Nae Johnson-Herrera, Helen Lara, Sandy Ninemire, Mary Robinson, Vicki Shipley, Tami Sato
Absent: / Kathryn Anderson, Nancy Coolidge, Rick Rams, Helen Lara, Sandy Ninemire, Mary Robinson
------Agenda Topics ------
CASFAA at NASFAA Leadership Conference / Colleen / 0
Discussion:
California Delegation:
Colleen MacDonald – Stanford University Graduate School of Business (CASFAA VP and Federal Issues Chair)
Louise Jones – UC Riverside (CASFAA President-elect)
Antoinette Moore – Silicon Valley College (CASFAA Ethnic Diversity Chair)
Tami Sato – Southern CA College of Optometry (WASFAA Federal Issues Chair)
Rick Rams – Golden West College (CCCSFAAA VP and Federal Issues Chair)
Karen Micalizio – Butte College (CCCSFAAA President-elect)
Bert Logan – Lane Community College (Oregon) (WASFAA Training Chair)
Who we met with:
A meeting was held from 11:00 a.m. to 12:15 with the following staff members:
Alison Griffin – staff member for the House Committee on Education and the Workforce
Amy Raaf – staff member for the House Committee on Education and the Workforce
Heath Weems – legislative assistant for education issues for Congressman McKeon
Content of Information Packets
Highlights of three talking points cover letter (Colleen)
Individual School Profiles with Federal Aid (each of us)
California Profile Profiles with Federal Aid (from NASFAA)
Case example - health professions student (Tami)
Impact Sheet – CCCCO 2005 Federal Priority Issues (Rick) & SSSO Pres FY06 Budget and Reauth Recommendations
Talking Points:
Larger Pells - - Still need for more increase Pell maximum to authorized $5,800 maximum & Elimination of tuition sensitivity
Termination of Federal Aid Programs – Maintain program that helps State of CA Perkins - $198 million in 03-04. Also, no other program has cancellation for borrowers who perform public service
Increased Stafford Loan Limits –
§  Undergraduate Subsidized to $7,000 & additional unsubsidized to $7,000 regardless of year;
§  Graduate Subsidized to $10,000 & additional unsubsidized to $15,000
§  Corresponding aggregate loan increases
§  Give schools flexibility to set lower loan limits
§  Limits for entire groups of students
What they said:
Staff members advised us that they need to hear from schools about the need for low-cost federal loans and especially the students directly involved.
While the need to address the federal deficit, school representatives wondered why out of the 157 programs eliminated in the President’s budget, 48 or one-third were from the Department of Education. Alison stated that savings can be only made in student loans, child nutrition and vocational education.
Alison stated that to cover college costs there must be a shared responsibility with the state, federal, institution and family resources.
Staff members requested that we try to provide the stats on the use of private loans in California. They have been told that nationwide the usage is only 5%.
Staff members asked if we were for the continuation of both the FDSLP and FFELP programs
Colleen had meant to also let Committee know that staff members felt that students should not have to decide on college depending on program availability. Staff members asked us our opinion on changing the interest rate on loan consolidation to a variable rate.
DISCUISSION:
Regarding Private Loans, Pat suggested that FIC attempt to collect data through survey. Vicki asked if the staff was familiar with the Institute of Higher Education Policy (IHEP) Private Loans & Choice study. Colleen suggested that gather data about Cause of private loans through survey of CASFAA, review and communication of other studies (change as Fall 2003 Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) & Private Loans & Choice study) and communicate back to Allison, Amy & Heath (as well as others on the Hill).
Action items: / Person responsible: / Deadline:
Survey CASFAA regarding the use of Private Loans / Colleen & Pat / May 30
Subcommittee Formation and Potential Meeting / Jack/Colleen / 5
Discussion:
Subcommittee to be convened to discuss what should be added or removed from CASFAA Reauth Recs. Members that Jack was aware of - Nancy, Colleen, Sean, Vicki, Pat, Tim volunteered.
Need in-person meeting to review side by side of Pres Bush, House, and Senate’s higher ed recommendations. Suggestion to have meeting attached to next CASFAA Executive Council meeting in Temecula, CA on May 22. Donna, La Nae, & Tami (if not in conflict with CASFAA fiscal planning meeting) said they would also attend meeting.
Pat discussed the Chronicle of Higher Ed article from last week about how a lot of higher education policy will move through the budget and reconsolidation process instead of Reauth. Pat & Tim vocalized concerns about being able to comment on the budget and reconsolidation higher ed issues if the Subcommittee does not convene until May 22. FIC decided to still convene Subcommittee in May because to create a meaningful response, for convenience of volunteers, ability to move to EC issues, etc. However, Colleen understood the need to encourage CASFAA to take some action in the meantime. (See Challenge notes)
Colleen asked if FIC would give subcommittee permission to move forward on recommendations to the CASFAA Executive Council for approval after the 5/22/05 meeting. Pat suggested that this could take place if we have representation by each segment. Colleen noted that there is currently no CSU in the meeting. Colleen suggested that she would request the CASFAA EC segmental rep to participate in the meeting if a FIC member would otherwise not represent the segment. If this still does not happen, then the subcommittee will wait to move forward recs.
Conclusions:
Action items: / Person responsible: / Deadline:
Create agenda, send prep materials, coordinate space to meet, send info on location, etc for Sunday, May 22, 2005 meeting in Temecula, CA at the Temecula Creek Inn. / Jack& Colleen / May 22
The Latest from the Hill / Colleen/Anyone in the Know / 5
Discussion:
Vicki said that it appears that savings in student loan funds will be used to discretionary expenses. Vicki informed us that Sally Stroup said something to the effect that, “Get over it. It’s been done before and will be done again.”
With the White House appointment of Spellings and changes to senior staff, it appears that the Dept of Ed is now more engaged with the higher ed issues than they were over the 1st four years of the Bush administration. This “new” Dept of Ed may be the wild card in higher ed legislative dialogue.
Pat said that the elimination of programs such as the Perkins, GEAR UP, and TRIO is still out there. Tami informed the group that CA largest user of these programs.
Colleen added to notes only: Per NASFAA – CA has 47,393 students in 135 upward Bound & Talent Search programs. These represent $45,580,737 in funding.
Conclusions:
Action items: / Person responsible: / Deadline:
Engage CASFAA in advocacy to save GEAR UP, TRIO, upward Bound, and Talent Search. / Colleen / 4/30/05
Distribute Student Aid Alliance site to CASFAA / Colleen / 4/15/05
Review other higher ed sites for good advocacy sites. / Colleen / 5/3/05
Challenge to CASFAA community to contact Congress / Colleen MacDonald / 15
Discussion:
In 1st CASFAA Newsletter this year, Colleen challenged each member of the CASFAA community to write at least one letter a quarter to a member of the US Senate or House of Representatives about a financial aid matter that they hold dear to their heart
In 2nd, CASFAA Newsletter this year, Colleen gave guidance about help on the CASFAA website to assist in knowing what type of communication reps prefer. . For instance, Federal section under Resources in the left bar of the CASFAA website map will include contact information for all of our 52 members of the House of Representatives (1 district still is vacant) and 2 Senators with each of their preferred mode of contact.
In 3rd, CASFAA Newsletter this year, Colleen will give types on writing letters/emails. She hopes to post example letters/emails about specific issues, like elimination of Perkins, elimination of TRIO/GEAR Up (from Jill Schrutz), and others that may come from our committee or others.
FIC discussed the use of emails, Letters, faxes, etc. Jack commented that Hill staff indicated that hand-written gets a lot of notice but emails & letters lots of importance. Some had heard that quantifying the number of mass stock letters/emails on an issues effective.
Action items: / Person responsible: / Deadline:
Keep up with Newsletter on challenge / Colleen / Continuous
Create example single issue letter/emails examples to post on CASFAA website and send to Colleen / Everyone / 5/15/05
Next Meeting / Colleen MacDonald, Chair of FIC / 5
Discussion:
After discussion, decided to schedule now. May 3rd at 2 pm
Action items: / Person responsible: / Deadline:
Send conference call notification to committee / Colleen / 4/20/05
New Business / Everyone / 5
Discussion:
Natasha suggested that we contact EDFUND’s A& E to see if they could give/ help get information on use of Private Loans in CA. Colleen also asked Donna Huber as CA Lenders for Education (CLFE) rep to explore other resources within their CLFE group as well as others (i.e., Huff and College Board) to seek out this information.
Action items: / Person responsible: / Deadline:
Contact EDFUND’s A& E get information on use of Private Loans in CA / Natasha & Colleen / 5/3/05
Contact CLFE & other loan research groups for more data on use of Private Loans in CA / Donna / 5/3/05
Other Information
Special notes: