This online forum is designed to encourage and facilitate discussions of federal student aid issues as part of NASFAA’s National Conversation Initiative (NCI).

On April 22, 2009 NASFAA released The National Conversation Initiative Preliminary Recommendations, a coherent framework of 30 integrated recommendations for remaking the student aid system so it is more effective and efficient.

The NCI Preliminary Recommendations Report is a outcome of NASFAA’s exhaustive NCI campaign, launched in late summer 2008, a national dialogue for building consensus, support, and enactment of reforms needed to eliminate major obstacles to college access, namely the financial barriers for low- and moderate-income students. The recommendations have been delivered to the Obama administration, key Capitol Hill staff, and NASFAA members.

If enacted, these recommendations would dramatically improve the effectiveness, efficiency, simplicity, and equity of the student aid programs. “NASFAA shares the Obama administrations’ goal to dramatically increase the number of college graduates and we agree that bold changes are needed to realize this goal,” NASFAA President Dr. Philip Day said. “If we continue business as usual, we risk falling behind in the future global economy and widening gaps between the haves and the have-nots … Adopting NASFAA’s recommendations would create a more robust and effective financial aid system that will motivate more Americans to set, pursue and accomplish higher education goals.”

Every week I will be posing several questions in this forum to spur discussion on specific aspects of the NCI Preliminary Recommendations and Report. Please join us in the discussion to ensure your concerns and recommendations are apart of this vital conversation.