MEMBER ADVISORY

1/17/2023

U.S. Department of Education New Proposed Regulations for Income-Driven Repayment Plans

The U.S. Department of Education released proposed regulations to reduce the cost of federal student loan payments, especially for low and middle-income borrowers. The proposed changes to income-driven repayment plans would:

  • Allow $0 monthly payments to any individual who makes under roughly $30,600 a year
  • Cut payments for undergraduate borrowers in half
  • Stop charging any monthly interest that is not covered by a borrower’s payment, ensuring that a borrower’s balance doesn’t grow if they are making their monthly payment, and 
  • Shorten the time it takes for low-balance borrowers to get their student loan debt forgiven 

The result would be the most affordable student loan repayment plan ever. A typical graduate of a four-year public university would save nearly $2,000 a year relative to the current income-driven repayment plan, and on average, Black, Hispanic, American Indian and Alaska Native borrowers would see their lifetime payments-per-dollar-borrowed cut in half.

For more information:

 

USDA E. Kika De La Garza Fellowship Informational Webinar

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Office of Partnerships & Public Engagement (OPPE) will host an informational webinar to discuss the 2023 USDA E. Kika De La Garza Fellowship on Thursday, February 9, 2023, at 2:00 p.m. EST.

Attendees will have the opportunity to hear about the fellowship application process; the available fellowship tracks (Education, Science, and High School); institutional support needed; and how the fellowship benefits faculty, staff, and administrators from Hispanic-Serving Institutions. This includes hearing from previous fellows regarding their participation in the program and how their experience continues to benefit their institutions and communities. 

Click here to register.

The program brings faculty and staff from Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) and Hispanic-Serving School Districts (HSSDs) to Washington, D.C., where they meet with USDA leaders, learn about the federal government, and share their insights with students and colleagues in their home institutions and communities.

Education and High School Fellowships are for faculty and staff at Hispanic-Serving Institutions or Hispanic-Serving School Districts. Participants will attend a one-week program in Washington, D.C.

Science Fellowships are for science faculty at HSIs to collaborate with leading USDA scientists. Participants will attend the first week in Washington, D.C. and then spend a second week at a USDA research facility.

Important Dates

  • Application Deadline: March 1, 2023 (all materials must be received by 11:59 p.m. PST)
  • Fellowships are awarded: May 2023
  • Travel to Washington, D.C.: July 9, 2023

Program Dates

  • Education and High School Fellowships: July 10 – July 14, 2023
  • Science Fellowship: July 10 – July 21, 2023

2023 Application

To apply for the Kika De La Garza program and learn more about the USDA-HACU Leadership Group, visit USDA’s Hispanic-Serving Institutions National Program or contact partnerships@usda.gov.

 

HACU Member Advisories are a service of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU)



  

The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities, founded in 1986, represents more than 500 colleges and universities in the United States, Latin America, Spain, and school districts throughout the U.S. HACU is the only national association representing existing and emerging Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs). The Association’s headquarters are in San Antonio, Texas, with regional offices in Washington, D.C. and Sacramento, California.

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