ED Delivers Priorities, Verification Overview, and Federal Policy Updates at FSA Conference
Hugh T. Ferguson
December 3, 2021
The annual Federal Student Aid (FSA) Training Conference dove into its second day of programmatic offerings on Wednesday, with a number of detailed sessions highlighting policy updates and procedures that the Department of Education (ED) sought to engage with financial aid leaders.
In his keynote address, Education Secretary Miguel Cardona touted three significant challenges that ED was prioritizing: ensuring an equitable recovery from the pandemic, pushing for historic investments in college affordability, and implementing policies to help institutions of higher education commit to equity.
In response to the pandemic, Cardona touted the department’s efforts to inform postsecondary students of their eligibility for certain federal assistance programs, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and access to broadband services.
“For too long, the answer to rising college costs has been larger loans. It’s unacceptable that student loans can leave students and families worse off than if they had never gone to college,” Cardona said. “Student loans can also be a major contributor to post-college inequalities, including exacerbating the racial wealth gap. This cannot continue.”
