FirstGen Forward / January 09, 2024
Niels Bohr, Nobel laureate in physics, once said, “Prediction is very difficult, especially if it's about the future!” As we look to the future in 2024, some of the significant issues on which one might #AdvocateFirstgen are listed below.
In December 2020, Congress passed the FAFSA Simplification Act, which promised to overhaul the processes and systems used to award federal student aid. The implementation of the new Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) remains troublesome for the Department of Education, with the already delayed rollout officially launched in December 2023 as a “soft rollout,” which will include monitoring for technical issues and periodic pauses.
Users on various social media channels reported challenges accessing the application following the launch. The Department of Education indicated full processing will not begin until late January, which will compress timelines for reviewing and calculating awards. In some cases, the delayed launch is affecting students’ ability to know if they qualify for state awards.
Opportunities to #AdvocateFirstgen include immediate awareness campaigns to share this information as well as reminding students and families to begin completing the revised FAFSA form promptly.
The U.S. Supreme Court blocked the Biden administration’s initial plan to forgive student loan debt—ruling the administration had no authority to cancel the debts. However, the administration announced its Saving a Valuable Education (SAVE) income-driven repayment plan in the fall. Several SAVE Act provisions will become effective in 2024 including the reduction of undergraduate loan payments from 10% to 5% of discretionary income and forgiveness in as soon as ten years for certain loan borrowers.
Awareness campaigns will be important for ensuring first-generation college students and graduates are aware of the beneficial changes coming this year.
Advocacy for diversity and inclusion is expected to remain critical in 2024. Several states enacted restrictions in 2023. As of January 1, 2024, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) offices at public higher education institutions in Texas will no longer exist. Higher education institutions in Oklahoma must demonstrate they are not using state funds toward DEI initiatives by May 31, 2024.
Advocates for student programs and services will need to navigate ongoing efforts while pushing for equitable approaches to serving students traditionally underrepresented in higher education.
Advocates need to tread carefully to ensure that revised or renamed efforts do not default to using descriptors such as “first-generation” to provide services to students who do not meet those definitions.
Advocacy on behalf of first-generation college students may involve supporting policies that address financial support for attending higher education institutions, relieving the burden of student loan debt, and promoting inclusivity. As 2024 progresses, college student voter registration, student mental health services, and funding for basic needs may rise as important issues on which to #AdvocateFirstgen.
What advocacy efforts will you undertake for first-generation college students in 2024? Let us know by tagging us @FirstgenCenter on social media and using #AdvocateFirstgen!
