United States Student Association USSA National Association of

United States Student Association (USSA) National Association of State Student Grant & Aid Programs (NASSGAP) 2004 Spring Conference Presentation Ajita Talwalker, Vice President, USSA

About USSA • Nation’s oldest and largest national student association representing over a million students • Tracks and lobbies federal legislation and policy • Trains and organizes students from across the country to win concrete victories on their campuses • Represents students in national coalitions

USSA Believes… • Education is a right! • Access to education should never be denied on the basis of race, gender, sexual orientation, physical ability or class status • Investing in education is sound public policy • We must work to expand access for future generations

USSA Programs • • • National Action Agenda Campaigns Grassroots Legislative Conference National Student Congress Regions, Caucuses and Affiliates Materials

USSA Foundation Programs • Grass. Roots Organizing Weekends (GROW) • Electoral Action Trainings (EAT) • Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Student Empowerment Project (LGBTSEP) • Student of Color Campus Diversity Project (SOCCDP) • Student Labor Action Project (SLAP) • Student Vote 2004: The Movement at the Ballot Box

2003 -2004 Action Agenda • Elections 2004 • Fighting for Immigrant Rights to Education • Higher Education Act Reauthorization/Appropriations

Elections 2004 • Breaking the cycle of neglect • Non-partisan, issue-based voter registration, education and mobilization • 20 campus vote sites across the country with paid campus organizers • National Student Vote Conference • Electoral Action Trainings • Materials including organizing manuals and a voter guide on the issues students care about!

Fighting for Immigrant Rights to Education • • DREAM Act/Student Adjustment Act Permanent Partner Immigration Act Employee Free Choice Act Student Exchange Visitor Information Act (SEVIS)

Higher Education Act Reauthorization • Strengthening grant programs and making loan programs less costly to students • Strengthening services and programs for low-income and disadvantaged students • Protecting all early intervention programs • Protecting campus communities against violence

USSA HEA Proposals THE GREAT GRANT/LOAN IMBALANCE • 30 years ago 70% financial aid in the form of grants, 30% in the form of loans • Today, figures are almost reversed • 70% of financial aid in the form of loans, 22% percent in the form of grants

HEA: Grants and Loans • GRANTS – Pell Grant Program – Graduate Student Scholarships & Fellowships • LOANS – Loan Limits – Origination Fees – Loan Forgiveness

HEA: Access • Drug-Related Suspension of Financial Aid – 128, 951 students denied financial aid due to a drug convention • Child Care Access – Support for student parents

HEA: Preservation • Campus Safety Provision • Preserve strong campus safety measure • GEAR UP • Increase funding and maintain its autonomy • Voter Registration • Keep this important provision

The Current HEA Bill • House Resolution 4283 the College Access and Opportunity Act of 2004. – Some helpful provisions, but – Overall, USSA Opposes the Bill

H. R. 4283: Missed Opportunity • Good Things: – Retains current cumulative loan limits – Reduces student loan tax (origination fee) from 3% to 1% – Reduces excessive lender profits • Problematic Things: – – – Fails to raise maximum Pell Eliminates low-fixed rate consolidation Raises cap on student loan interest rates Includes so-called “Academic Bill of Rights” Fails to include full repeal of drug provision 90 -10 Rule

FY 05 Appropriations • USSA urges Congress to: – – Increase the maximum Pell grant by $450 to $4500 Increase SEOG by $230 million to $1 billion Increase LEAP by $34 million to $100 million Increase Federal Work Study by $152 million to $1. 15 billion. – Increase Graduate Grant Aid • GAANN $50 million • Javits $17 million • Thurgood Marshal $6 million – Increase GEAR UP by $202 million to $500 million – Increase CAMPIS by $19 million to $35 million – Increase TRIO by $50 million to $883 million

Questions Email vp@usstudents. org Phone 202 -347 -8772