Following FAFSA Hiccups, Senator Marshall Leads Bipartisan Letter Seeking to Expedite Reviews of Financial Aid Applications

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. led a letter urging the U.S. Department of Education (ED) to take two specific actions to help alleviate administrative headaches for colleges and universities rolling out financial aid packages for prospective students. This letter comes on the heels of widespread troubles with the department’s new process for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). 

Senator Marshall’s letter received bipartisan support with Senators Tim Kaine (VA), Tommy Tuberville (AL), and John Hickenlooper (CO) cosigning the letter to the administration. 

The letter specifically requests that the Department of Education allow more time for higher education institutions to fulfill two federal reporting requirements. It also extends the permissible use of electronic signatures on students’ verification documents. With the deadline for students to commit to a higher education institution fast approaching, making these changes will help college administrators focus more of their time and effort on providing financial aid offers to students before it’s too late.

“Congress passed legislation to simplify the FAFSA process in order to ease the burden on institutions, prospective students, and their families. Thus far, the Department has made the implementation process more onerous and burdensome for all parties,” the Senators wrote. “The Department now has the opportunity to course correct and help ease that burden by allowing these flexibilities. With financial aid offices already dealing with staffing difficulties, any administrative streamlining the Department can provide will have an outsized impact on our small colleges.”

You may click HERE or scroll below to read the Senators’ full letter.

Background:

Previously, Senator Marshall signed on to a letter slamming ED’s implementation of the new FAFSA process, requesting a GAO study to look into ED’s actions leading up to this and what they plan to do to prevent future mistakes. A GAO study was announced in February.

Additionally, Senator Marshall has hosted multiple roundtables with Kansas colleges to listen to their concerns and feedback on the FAFSA rollout.