Examines the Clinton administration's proposal to radically overhaul the system for financing higher education. A summary of selected programs (primarily for higher education) is presented. The programs are included in the 1994 education appropriation and are considered relevant to African Americans. (GLR)

In the debate over the rationale for college student financial aid, the key question is whether providing aid increases or decreases the net resources available to the college to fulfill its mission. For some institutions, such as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, student aid may function as an investment. (MSE)

Evaluates the success of the Cornell Tradition Program, designed to encourage current undergraduate aid recipients to give back to the university after graduation. Results indicate institutional efforts can have a positive impact on the long-term giving behavior of alumni. The Input-Commitment-Environment-Output model used shows promise as a tool…

The private sector is a mostly untapped source of student financial aid. Colleges and universities themselves are the largest sources of funds, but corporate sources are important. The Citizens' Scholarship Foundation of America (CFSA) administers over 720 scholarship programs for corporate and other sponsors, up from 400 five years ago; other…

Reviews developments in the law regarding student affirmative action in college admission and financial aid, and reflects on the growing trend toward state referenda banning preferences based on race and gender. (Author)

States that the Hopwood v. Texas case of 1996 has had significant impact on the practice of student affairs in Texas. Explores these effects from the perspective of a practitioner affected by the decision. Discusses strategies and guidelines for meeting the challenges created by the decision. (Author/MKA)

The federal Department of Education will help college students save money on loan interest if they consolidate loans in the direct lending program while in college. Some college lobbyists feel the administration has not done enough to cut fees and help students and colleges and, as a result, may lose direct-loan participants to bank-loan programs.…

Explores historical trends in college admissions and financial aid; poses some questions for higher educational policy makers to consider; and offers a benchmark against which to measure practices as the competitive landscape of college admission and financial aid shifts. (Author/MKA)

Preferential/differential student aid packaging, or reducing the self-help component of an aid package for specific students, is by definition discriminatory. Such student aid packaging is very old, but in recent years there is even more discrimination within need-based aid against the economically weak. A new approach is needed to reduce…

After five years, the AmeriCorps program, a federal program designed to encourage youth to perform public service by providing substantial scholarships after completion, has been both praised as effective in getting things done and criticized as cost-ineffective. Some feel the money could have been better spent for federal grants or work-study…

Describes the assessment process of the University of Virginia's Office of Financial Aid under the Standards of Excellence Peer Review Program of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators. Discusses the rationale for the review, preparation for it, and the actual review visit and ensuing reports. Offers five recommendations…

Reports that the College Board's annual survey of tuition and financial aid shows continuing escalation in the cost of higher education. Graphs and tables detail average college costs by institutional type, trends since 1990/91, and the most and least expensive public and private colleges. Notes especially students' increasing debt burdens as…

Describes the many benefits now available to laid-off and displaced textile and apparel-related workers through the North American Free Trade Agreement's Transitional Adjustment Allowance (NAFTA-TAA), which allows them to attend college for the first time. Examines the effectiveness of the TAA program and concludes that there is room for…

Explores why California's ambitious new aid program, Cal Grants, misses its goals and shortchanges older students; millions in grants go unused while students complain of having eligibility taken away. (EV)

Reports that the Education Department has cancelled Access America, a pilot program which allowed students to control their financial aid accounts over the World Wide Web. Finds that many colleges objected to lack of federal consultation with colleges. However, supporters say the pilot has shown the value of using the Web for this purpose. (DB)