Responses
As you compose your replies to your peers, explain why postsecondary institutions would find it hard to resist the program you identified.
Respond 2 classmates discussion
speak in first person. Speak as you are talking to each classmate directly
Michael Discussion
This week’s discussion prompt asks us to consider why “…the words of postsecondary officials call for the exclusion of the federal government, but their actions state otherwise?” First of all, I do not hear postsecondary officials complaining all that often about the federal government. They may complain about an unfunded mandate, but it’s more an expression about budgetary concerns than it is an impassioned expression against the encroachment of the Federal government. The only professor I never heard complain and state that we should reject the federal government’s encroachment is Prof. Camille Paglia. She said that when he asks college students why they tolerate school officials regulating them in accordance with federal mandates the students often act as if it never occurred to them that they should be offended that school officials are implementing federal mandates and policing them, etc.
I think postsecondary officials do not do more to free themselves from the federal government because without federal money most schools cannot function, at least that is my understanding. I believe the federal money applies to student loans also. Furthermore, it may not be “politically correct” to push back against the federal government’s initiatives, many of them are good, or aim at achieving a good, for example, what comes to mind immediately is Title IX, which was passed in 1972. Maybe in 1972 we needed more oversight, but one can perhaps argue now that we do not. However, there are those who talk about life on college campuses as if it is still 1950 in every way, and I don’t think that is accurate. Also, it is NOT that the college is against equality for the sexes, but let the college handle it in their own way, we do not need to policed. Also, if college officials were so against the federal encroachment wouldn’t they be Republicans? It seems to me the Republicans lean more in the direction of smaller government and less oversight, but of course Bush and his No Child Left Behind for K-12 was nothing but federal encroachment, this is a major problem for K-12 also, maybe even a much bigger problem.
Linda Discussion:
Hello Class,
Maybe it is because I am required to follow Title IV Federal Student Aid laws and regulations daily that I almost always circle back to it. It is important to all public higher education institution to remain in compliance to the many Title IV Federal Student Aid requirements as it would be detrimental to most college if that were lost. Federal student aid can be negatively effected by actions of the Financial Aid staff, cash management handling by the Business Office, enrollment reporting by the Academic Affairs Offices or by the colleges student loan default rate, which is based on the percentage of students that enter into default on their federal direct student loans. These regulations weigh heavily on the shoulders of college administrators even though historically I am always attempting to do everything possible to assist the students.
Often times these federal government Title IV regulations work in favor of underrepresented students the most, the process is not always smooth for these students due to the lack of experience, family struggles and other pressures, when they are most often the student that needs the most financial assistance. Often times I disagree with the finalized awards that are calculated for students that are from families within the middle class economic status, which is unfortunate because everyone understands that a W-2 or a tax return is not always a clear picture of financial stability. Most often these families are also living paycheck to paycheck and cannot afford to pay for a college education. These are the families I have the hardest time assisting and I can honestly say that it is unfairly regulated. Quite often I hear the comment from others across the campus community do the Feds really understand students at all
