Fresh From the UIA (Student Aid)

LOS ANGELES, Calif., June 26, 2018—While college campuses rarely reach outside their walls to collaborate with other campuses, ten postsecondary institutions have pledged to work together to share best practices, help pilot innovations and openly discuss risks and failures.

The new collaborations are the result of a challenge grant supported by ECMC Foundation and in partnership with the University Innovation Alliance (UIA), a group of 11 public research institutions committed to increasing the number and socioeconomic diversity of college graduates.

Last September President Obama announced a key change in the Free Application for Federal Student Aid or FAFSA, as it’s known. Beginning with the 2017-18 academic year, students will be able to apply for FAFSA as early as October first instead of waiting until January first of the new year.

While this change in federal policy was created with the intention of making it easier for students to apply for FAFSA and giving them more time to understand financial aid, it has real implications for institutions.

Recently the venerable Washington Monthly took a look at "America's Ten Most Innovative College Presidents" and evaluated college presidents in a refreshing way. Instead of focusing on traditional success factors like selectivity, prestige, and the size of the university’s endowment, it featured presidents who have rolled out innovations in diversity, research, and affordability.