March 1, 2024

TICUA Meets with Assistant Secretary

TICUA met this week with Dr. Nasser Paydar, U.S. Assistant Secretary of Education for Postsecondary Education. The discussion centered around the failed roll-out of the revised Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and its impact on fall enrollment. TICUA explained the challenges faced by families, institutions, and state grant programs due to the delayed release of FAFSA data. There is reasonable concern by campuses about how the lack of certainty regarding student aid packages will lead families to default to institutions with lower sticker prices.

TICUA also raised concerns about what impact the delayed FAFSA information will have on staffing issues once the data are released. The backlog of processing will put a huge strain on financial aid and other enrollment staff. This stress will be exacerbated by the launch of new federal reporting requirements which will become effective on July 1, 2024. TICUA urged the Assistant Secretary to delay the new reporting requirements for at least one year so that campuses can focus on serving students during this difficult time. The Assistant Secretary indicated awareness of the challenges and said that the Department is considering all options going forward.

House Higher Education Moves Several Bills to Scholarship Calendar

The House Higher Education Subcommittee has created a special scholarship/lottery calendar to consider all student aid bills in one meeting. Several bills were moved to the special calendar this week. Recently moved bills include:

HB1912/SB2670, allows Tennessee HOPE scholarship students who earned their first baccalaureate degree in less than five years from initial enrollment and graduated between July 1, 2022, and July 1, 2023, to continue to receive the scholarship for graduate studies. The student must reenroll at an eligible postsecondary institution, be in pursuit of an advanced degree, and continue to meet all other applicable eligibility requirements.

HB2180/SB2659, expands the Tennessee Future Teacher Scholarship pilot program to include Western Governors University. The aid program provides last-dollar funding for students during the final two years of their teacher training. Student recipients must commit to serving in a high-need area of the state. This is year two of a five-year pilot and currently only about a dozen students have signed up for the program.

HB1809/SB1752, extends eligibility for the Tennessee Promise scholarship to students who are enrolled full-time in a private, for-profit trade school. The school must be approved by the Tennessee State Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners. This provision specifically addresses the Knoxville location of AVEDA Institutes. This is a national for-profit chain headquartered in Minnesota. TICUA opposes the inclusion of any educational program into lottery scholarship funds which is not domiciled in Tennessee.

HB2179/SB2327, provides for dual enrollment participation for qualified high school freshmen. The bill requires high school students to complete the eighth grade and be admitted to an eligible postsecondary institution as a dual enrollment student to qualify for a dual enrollment grant.

Early Tennessee Promise Bill Passes

HB1803/SB2061, changes the start time for students to enroll in the Tennessee Promise Scholarship program from the following fall after high school graduation or its equivalent, to no later than the fall following semester. Essentially, this allows students to receive Tennessee Promise funds immediately following graduation. Some students complete high school early, and this allows them to take advantage of the program upon graduation rather than waiting until the subsequent fall.

The House passed the bill in the full chamber on February 12th and the Senate chamber passed the legislation on February 27th. The bill is now headed to Governor Bill Lee’s desk for action.

Pepper Spray and Tasers on Campus

HB1909/SB1868, as introduced, specifies that it is not a criminal offense for an adult person to carry or possess pepper spray, a taser, or another similar device for purposes of self-defense when on property owned, operated, or in use by any college or university. The amendment to remove TICUA member institutions from the bill was adopted in the full House Administration Committee. The bill, as amended, will now move to the House chamber. The Senate has yet to consider the measure but it has been referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee.