Mark Zupan pens Democrat and Chronicle op-ed on FAFSA ‘debacle’
Mark Zupan, Alfred University president, has written an op-ed for the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle discussing the strain the federal FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) Simplification Act has had on institutions of higher education and on prospective students and their families.
The op-ed, titled “FAFSA fiasco hurts students and our future,” appeared in the Sunday, May 12, issue of the Democrat and Chronicle.
FAFSA is the form students complete to determine how much financial aid is available to help them pay for college. In the op-ed, Zupan says implementation of the FAFSA Simplification Act—while well-intended and meant to streamline the FAFSA filing process—has “been plagued by mistakes and delays.” The result—reflected in most higher education institutions reporting a decrease of between 10 and 40 percent in deposits from new undergraduates for fall 2024 compared to last year—is a significant number of students putting off a decision to attend college.