State University of New York Chancellor John King warned of potential fallout from the ongoing FAFSA nightmare as fears grow that enrollments will drop while students are unable to access federal aid.
The FAFSA submission rate in New York is currently about 20% lower than it was this time last year, according to a policy book released Wednesday as part of the chancellor’s annual State of the University speech — a trend that is likely to lead to fewer students being able to go to college.
“Along with our triumphs come challenges,” King said during a roughly 30-minute address. “This year, our biggest roadblock to success is navigating the federal problems surrounding the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA.”
Last fall, SUNY logged its first enrollment gains in more than a decade in every sector of the system.
But the delayed rollout and “crippling bugs” of the new FAFSA “created a mess,” King said, leading to fewer students finishing the form. While the simplified process is expected to make it easier to get aid in the long run, for now, it could block access to college, experts say.
“The potential reduction in attendance has higher education champions quaking nationwide,” King said.
In response, King announced Wednesday the public university system will nearly double the number of campuses served by a “FAFSA Corps,” a group of paid SUNY students helping high school seniors and their families. About 70 students from 12 campuses will participate, up from 50 people at seven schools this past year.
SUNY will also launch a virtual help desk to aid with the form, and provide more training and technical assistance through local organizations and high school counselors. Also, for the first time next school year, FAFSA completion at New York high schools will be a requirement for graduation, thanks to a recently enacted provision in the state budget.
“The chancellor had this ingenious idea that we will make sure that every student, before they leave high school, will have had help in filling it out — guidance counselors, teachers, other parents,” Gov. Hochul said as she introduced King. “This is the transformation that we’re undertaking right now.”
