The Institute for College Access and Success (TICAS) has released its latest policy recommendations to make postsecondary education affordable and completable for all students.
“It encompasses things we think are possible to get across the finish line now, but also a broad sweep of things needed over time to make progress as a nation to reduce racial and economic disparities across higher education,” said Sameer Gadkaree, TICAS president and CEO.
Recommendations include doubling the maximum Pell Grant, reforming the student loan system to protect borrowers, and ensuring that public benefit programs, like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), are reformed to support a student’s journey through higher education.
Sameer Gadkaree, TICAS president and CEO.
The consequences of not making these changes to the higher education system will impact the American economy for years to come, he said.
“We count on our higher education system to help us get the professionals we need to have a vibrant economy,” said Gadkaree. “If we don’t make investments in making the postsecondary education system better, more equitable, more accessible, and if we don’t support [these students] to completion, we’re not going to be able to achieve that goal.”
Dr. Frank Fernandez, an associate professor of higher education administration and policy at the University of Florida, called the TICAS's recommendations “ambitious.”
