Affordability Opportunities and Strategies with Long-term Impact
Message from Executive Director Ben Cannon
New federal student loan relief opportunities could help thousands of Oregon borrowers, so please help us spread the word on resources for reliable information on student loan forgiveness. The U.S. Department of Education (DOE) just opened the application process for the one-time federal student loan debt forgiveness program announced by the Biden administration, and reports that 499,000 Oregonians are expected to be eligible. In addition, Oregonians should know about a time sensitive opportunity (with an application deadline of Oct. 31!) to benefit from a limited-time expansion of the public service loan forgiveness program. Please help spread the word.
While the long-term economic benefits of a postsecondary degree credential remain strong, Oregonians are heavily burdened by excessive student debt load. In a recent presentation to the House of Representatives Interim Committee on Education, Dr. Amy Cox, director of the HECC Office of Research and Data, described the potential impact of the federal student loan forgiveness programs in relation to affordability challenges. Our most recent data shows that 31 percent of graduates from Oregon public institutions held federal loans, and the average federal student loan debt load (an average including those who did not take out debt) was nearly $19,000. This is only a slice of debt. This average would be far greater if it included private debt students acquire, and these numbers do not account for students who borrow but do not graduate. Nationally, studies show that this debt burden is extremely uneven: people of color carry heavier debt burden.
While we spread the word on debt relief information, the HECC is addressing the crisis of college affordability to help protect future generations of Oregonians from the burden of crippling debt loads. At the state level, one of the most critical influences we have on affordability is our investment in and design of college financial aid programs to support students and families with rising college costs. The HECC is proposing a nearly four-fold increase to the Oregon Opportunity Grant (the state's underfunded need-based financial aid program), an expansion of the Oregon Promise, sustained permanent funding for the Oregon Tribal Student Grant, as well as increased funding in Oregon's 24 public institutions to keep tuition increases manageable. Finally, we are proposing a new $100 million equity investment to support strategies that have emerged from the historic statewide listening tour of the Joint Legislative Task Force on Student Success for Underrepresented Students in Higher Education.
In addition to our budget requests, we are proud to report in this newsletter on numerous innovative initiatives to serve students and learners statewide, and to better support their swirling pathways to success. Thanks as always for your engagement.
Student Loan Help for Oregonians - Please Share this Information!
Interested in student loan relief? Having issues with your student loan servicer? Go to the Student Loan Help for Oregonians web page here. Oregon now has a Student Loan Ombuds, located in the Department of Consumer and Business Services. Oregon's Student Loan Ombuds can help borrowers resolve disputes with their loan servicer, and make sure loan servicers are in compliance with the law. The Student Loan Help web page also includes links to recent news and resources related to student loan forgiveness.
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Deadline for Expanded Student Loan Waiver That May Help Government and Nonprofit Employees is October 31, 2022: Are you a public, tribal government, or non-profit employee with student loans? The deadline is coming up soon to apply for a temporary expansion of a waiver meant to help student loan borrowers who work in the public and nonprofit sectors. The deadline for this time-limited opportunity, which is part of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF), is October 31, 2022. Read more in the recent article here.
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Information and Application for One-time Federal Student Loan Relief: In August, 2022, the Biden administration announced one time student loan relief of up to $20,000 for some borrowers. The application has recently opened on the Federal Student Aid website for one-time student loan relief. Individuals will have until December 31, 2023 to apply. Federal student loan borrowers can also sign up for updates on the Department of Education subscription page here.
College Goal Oregon Includes 82 Events Supporting Students with Financial Aid Applications (FAFSA and ORSAA)
Submitting the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or the Oregon Student Aid Application (ORSAA) is the first step to access financial aid. Students are strongly encouraged to submit their FAFSA or ORSAA as soon as possible each year after October 1 for the best chance at qualifying for financial aid, and help is available.
We are excited for the return of College Goal Oregon this year, with more than six regional events and 82 events hosted at community colleges, universities, and high schools across the state. These events are hosted by local institutions with support from the HECC Office of Student Access and Completion (OSAC). Individuals who need help completing a FAFSA/ORSAA are encouraged to attend a College Goal Oregon event. College Goal Oregon helps college-bound students and their families complete their FAFSA or ORSAA. College Goal Oregon events are free and open to high school seniors, college students, and adults interested in college.
The FAFSA or ORSAA are used to determine eligibility for financial aid opportunities including the Oregon Opportunity Grant, the Oregon Promise Grant, and many need-based OSAC scholarships. Many colleges and universities also use these applications to determine eligibility for financial aid opportunities. If students are not sure which to submit, OSAC has a Filter Tool to help students determine which application they are eligible to complete. Students may also contact PublicPrograms@hecc.oregon.gov if they have questions.
Subscribe to the new Transfer Hub newsletter!
In addition to our Collaborations agency newsletter, the HECC publishes numerous other newsletters and updates focused on our program activities. We are pleased to announce the launch of a new email update: the Transfer Hub newsletter. You can read the inaugural October issue of this quarterly newsletter focused on Oregon's statewide policy work and promising practices for improving transfer pathways for Oregon students. You can subscribe or update your current subscription preferences at the link below.
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HECC Future Ready Oregon Grants Awarded to 19 Public Institutions to Expand Credit for Prior Learning
The HECC continues to award funds and implement strategies as part of the comprehensive Future Ready Oregon investment package (Senate Bill 1545, 2022), supporting education and training that leads to employment and family-wage careers, and prioritizing Oregon’s historically underserved and vulnerable communities. We are pleased to report that after receiving applications from Oregon community colleges and public universities to expand what is known as Oregon’s Credit for Prior Learning (CPL) Program, all 19 institutions that applied were recently awarded Future Ready Oregon funds totaling $10 million.
The $10 million Future Ready Oregon investment in Credit for Prior Learning is one-time funding to increase opportunities for students from priority populations to receive academic credit for prior experience or skills gained outside of traditional higher education institutions. Such academic credits will count toward a credential that provides a pathway to employment or career advancement. Most grantees are focused on expanding CPL, creating transparent systems, increasing staff capacity to support CPL students, and the creation/distribution of marketing materials to engage priority populations. View the full list of recipients below or in the CPL grantee document attached here.
In the long term, activities implemented under this grant program are expected to improve prior learning assessment practices in Oregon’s public higher education institutions and increase the number of students receiving CPL. CPL works with other Future Ready Oregon programs that build on existing successes while advancing transformational change, connecting Oregonians to the postsecondary credentials needed to prepare for a future of increasingly complex work.
2022 Educator Equity Report Highlights Diversification Efforts
The Educator Advancement Council recently announced the release of the 2022 Educator Equity Report focused on educator workforce diversification efforts in Oregon.
This year's report provides an updated review of research on recruitment and retention for educator diversity, recent data on educator preparation and licensure programs, and recommendations for Oregon policymakers, education agencies, and university educator preparation programs. The report emphasizes the continued importance of this work, with the data following a consistent trend—while the numbers of racially and ethnically diverse students and teachers continue to slowly increase, diverse student population growth is growing at the same or a higher rate, meaning the demographic gap is not being closed.
The Higher Education Coordinating Commission has an important role to play in this work. The Commission currently reviews Educator Equity Plans for each public educator preparation program. In light of data which suggests that enrollment of diverse educator candidates is improving while program completion is not, HECC and partners are focusing on supporting continuous improvement of program quality and student learning experiences that contribute to greater retention and completion. This focus on program quality is rooted in a systems change approach which recognizes that addressing institutional and structural practices impacting diverse educators is critical to eliminating disparity, disproportionality, and predictability in outcomes.
The report is developed by the Educator Advancement Council in partnership with the Oregon Educator Equity Advisory Group, Oregon Department of Education, Oregon Teachers Standards and Practices Commission, and the Higher Education Coordinating Commission. Read the full report at the link below.
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HECC Modernization Project Addresses Aging Information Systems
The HECC is moving forward with a major project to replace multiple, disparate aging information systems used by the agency. The modernization project will address several aging systems which are inflexible; time-inefficient because of many manual processes; and difficult to maintain, enhance and extend. These three projects were combined into one project as we work toward a single Information Technology platform for all of HECC. The first phase of this project focuses on replacing the following:
- Financial Aid Management Information System (FAMIS) – the primary system for administering financial aid and college access programs. This system is used by the HECC’s Office of Student Access and Completion.
- Private Career Schools System (PCSVets) – the primary system for the private career school licensure, teacher registration, and private college degree program authorization. This system is used by HECC’s Office of Academic Policy and Authorization.
- Eligible Training Provider List (ETPL) – the primary system for maintaining a comprehensive list of training providers and training programs that receive Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) funded participants. This system is used by HECC’s Office of Workforce Investments.
In 2021, the HECC received Stage Gate 1 approval from the State of Oregon Enterprise Information Services for this project. The Stage Gate process guides review and approval of significant IT projects. A Request for Proposals (RFP) for this work closed on September 20, and evaluations have begun to select a vendor to complete this work by June 2025 or sooner. We welcome questions or comments at HECC.Modernization.Project@hecc.oregon.gov.
HECC Executive Director Ben Cannon Named Chair of State Higher Education Executive Officers Association (SHEEO) Executive Committee
The State Higher Education Executive Officers (SHEEO) recently announced that Oregon Higher Education Coordinating Commission Executive Director Ben Cannon was named the chair of the SHEEO Executive Committee. SHEEO, the national association of the chief executives of statewide governing boards and coordinating boards for postsecondary education, works to assist its members and states in developing and sustaining excellent systems of higher education. The Executive Committee is responsible for shaping SHEEO’s federal priorities and strategies and for leading its communications with Congress, the U.S. Department of Education, and other federal agencies.
“We are excited to have Ben Cannon serve as our Chair this year,” said Dr. Robert Anderson, president of SHEEO. “I have had the opportunity to get to know Ben through his service on the Executive Committee, and look forward to working with him as we advance a higher education agenda that provides opportunity for all students and advances the core tenets of the states and institutions that serve them.”
Overcoming Challenges in Adult Learners Through Text Messaging
Adult education is paramount to workforce development and aids in overcoming gaps in inequity. However, many adults nationwide continue to struggle with barriers in advancement with education and professional development. These barriers include limited access to critical resources such as childcare or transportation, limited access to technology, and lack of instruction or guidance on how to access important resources.
Oregon was one of four states to participate in a recent study to explore the potential of text messaging to support the engagement and success of learners in adult education programs. Through collaboration with 10 adult education programs across four states, a total of 423 adult learners from programs across the nation participated in the project, and the researchers analyzed the messages and feedback from program staff. The HECC Office of Community Colleges and Workforce Development (CCWD) Adult Basic Skills program contributed to the Technology-Based Coaching in Adult Education (TBCAE) Project study conducted by Abt Associates with funding from the U.S. Department of Education.
Participating programs identified learner’s goals, and then sent individualized text messages with questions and feedback, along with educational program updates. These texts offered encouragement and preparation for transition to further education. The two-way communication allowed adult learners to also reply with questions. The analysis notes numerous positive impacts. To read the results of the study, see the Technology-Based Coaching in Adult Education Final Report.
Oregon’s adult education programs are made possible by funding from Title II under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act WIOA. For more information on WIOA, you can view HECC’s Implementation of WIOA.
Academic Program Approvals
At its October Commission public meeting, the HECC approved the following new academic programs at Oregon's community colleges and public universities. Find details in the October 11-12 materials here.
Community Colleges (CCs)
Universities: New Programs
- University of Oregon: MS in Immersive Media; MS in Immersive Media; Ph.D. in Data-driven Music Performance and Composition
- Western Oregon University: Doctorate, Occupational Therapy
- Eastern Oregon University: MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
The Commission also approved a new location for the following program:
- Oregon State University: BS in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
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