NEWS! Archive

Refreshing Coursework to Keep IPEDS SFA Relevant -- Last month I mentioned that I taught a course in preparing the IPEDS Student Financial Aid Survey, which lets colleges report their average net price accurately, so price-conscious students and parents can compare schools. Now, I am serving as a member of the Curriculum Revision Team for that IPEDS SFA workshop.

                                                                                                                        You know those evaluations you fill out anonymously after a workshop? We actually read them, and use them to revise the curriculum every year. We also jump on changes in the industry that need to be added to keep the course up to date. Other input comes from the IPEDS DC Meeting, IPEDS Help Desk, and the US Department of Education - so we can include stumbling blocks, challenges, and changes to the data collection process.

                                                                                                                        I'm comfortable revising this program because I was on the original team that created it. It gives me a chance to influence the curriculum so it remains totally relevant to my workshop participants. It also aligns well with issues that I am concerned about: student loan debt and the challenges of closing the education cost gap. 

Giving Student Borrowers a Break -- I've been researching ways we can attack the student debt crisis for many years. Last month I was able to put this knowledge to good use. In an article for an in-house publication, I explained how employees of the Community College of Allegheny County can meet the criteria for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. The program forgave $5.52 million in loans in 2018 -- an average of $57,500 per borrower. If you meet the criteria, this can be a huge benefit, but you have to invest some time and effort to restructure your debt to take advantage of it. I salute CCAC for taking the time to address it. I'm researching other ways to tackle the issue of student debt by analyzing national data sets with the Nation Center for Education Statistics. More about that as the project continues.                                                                                                                                      

Ingram Market Analytics Sponsors the "Grants Cafe" -- The Grants Professionals of Western PA hosts the Grants Cafe so grant professionals, grant managers, non-profit staff, consultants, and volunteers can discuss all aspects of grants funding and conduct professional education and networking. The organization, with over 200 members, meets monthly at the revitalized Nova Center on Pittsburgh's historic North Side. Ingram Market Analytics' sponsorship helps defray the cost of membership, and allows members to attend monthly meetings for free.