Protect funding for TRIO and GEAR
UP, and oppose any proposal to scale
back or eliminate any significant
component of the programs.
According to the U.S. Department of Education, in FY 2010 there were 2,962 TRIO projects, 840,863 total participants (not including TRIO Training participants), and a total funding allocation of $904,285,427 for TRIO. The FY 2011 appropriation for the Federal TRIO Programs was cut by approximately 3.1 percent for a total appropriation of $826,521,644. According to other data, two-thirds of TRIO participants come from households where neither parent graduated from college and where family income is under $30,975.
According to the U.S. Department of Education, in FY 2010 there were 2,962 TRIO projects, 840,863 total participants (not including TRIO Training participants), and a total funding allocation of $904,285,427 for TRIO. The FY 2011 appropriation for the Federal TRIO Programs was cut by approximately 3.1 percent for a total appropriation of $826,521,644. According to other data, two-thirds of TRIO participants come from households where neither parent graduated from college and where family income is under $30,975.
Support continued legislative changes and/or technical corrections to the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008 in order to make procedures simpler and more transparent, as well as standardize benefit processing in accordance with accepted higher education practices.
The Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008 or "Post-9/11 GI 8ill" also has a Yellow Ribbon component, where institutions whose tuition and fees are higher than the base Post-9/11 GI Bill benefit (in-state tuition and fees at the most expensive public college or university in that veteran's state) can sign agreements with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to contribute up to 50 percent of tuition and fees toward the remaining cost. The VA will match up to 50 percent of the school's Yellow Ribbon contribution. According to September 2010 VA testimony, in the 2009-2010 academic year VA paid out $41.7 million under the Yellow Ribbon Program.
The Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008 or "Post-9/11 GI Bill" also has a Yellow Ribbon component, where institutions whose tuition and fees are higher than the base Post-9/11 GI Bill benefit (in-state tuition and fees at the most expensive public college or university in that veteran's state) can sign agreements with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to contribute up to 50 percent of tuition and fees toward the remaining cost. The VA will match up to 50 percent of the school's Yellow Ribbon contribution. According to September 2010 VA testimony, in the 2009-2010 academic year VA paid out $41.7 million under the Yellow Ribbon Program.
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Assure that veteran students receive their full education benefit entitlement for military service, irrespective of other forms of financial assistance. Continue collaborating with appropriate stakeholders to attempt to mitigate the confusion for veteran students and increased administrative burden for institutions created by the “payer of last resort” and other amendments to the Post-9/11 GI Bill.
Oppose unfunded mandates imposed by the VA or Congress on institutions without regard to established higher education processes and funding streams. Tuition and fees paid by the VA defray the cost of veteran students' classroom education—as all other students' tuition and fee payments defray the cost of their classroom education. These monies cannot be diverted to other veteran support services, such as psychological counseling or veterans' centers, without jeopardizing the academic enterprise.
■ Support efforts to have school certifying officials given appropriate, secured access to VA data systems that will contain timely information on veteran students' remaining education benefit eligibility. Institutions need appropriately limited access to this data in order to better serve veteran students.