THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE RESOLUTION

INTRODUCED BY ROEBUCK, HARKINS, M. O'BRIEN, FLECK, MANN, BAKER, BEAR, B. BOYLE, CALTAGIRONE, D. COSTA, DiGIROLAMO, EVERETT, GEORGE, GINGRICH, GOODMAN, GRELL, HESS, KIRKLAND, KORTZ, MAJOR, MILLARD, MUSTIO, REICHLEY, ROSS, SCAVELLO, SWANGER, VEREB, VULAKOVICH AND YOUNGBLOOD, JANUARY 25, 2011

INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35, JANUARY 25, 2011  

A RESOLUTION

Designating the month of January 2011 as "Financial Aid

Awareness Month" and commending the work of the Pennsylvania

Higher Education Assistance Agency and the Pennsylvania

Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators.

WHEREAS, January is the first month in which students can

apply for financial aid to help finance their postsecondary

education; and

WHEREAS, The ability of some college students to attend and

pursue a postsecondary education is conditional on the

availability of student financial assistance; and

WHEREAS, Knowledge of the availability of student financial

aid to help finance a postsecondary education has been shown to

vary across demographic groupings; and

WHEREAS, This Commonwealth, through the Pennsylvania Higher

Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA), has been one of the leading

states in the nation, providing need-based State grant financial

assistance to eligible Pennsylvania residents and providing

other State financial assistance programs; and

WHEREAS, The Pennsylvania Association of Student Financial

Aid Administrators (PASFAA) has been one of the leading State

associations of financial aid professionals in the nation who

advocate for access to postsecondary education and educate the

public on financial aid and funding opportunities; and

WHEREAS, The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

is the first step in the financial aid process to apply for

Federal student aid, such as the Pell Grants, student loans and

college work-study programs; and

WHEREAS, FAFSA information is also used to award State grants

to Commonwealth students pursuing postsecondary education; and

WHEREAS, The Commonwealth, PHEAA and PASFAA want to promote

the availability of student financial assistance to help finance

a postsecondary education, in the form of Federal grants, State

grants, loans, work-study programs and other specialized State

funding programs to help eligible Pennsylvanians pursue their

postsecondary endeavors; therefore be it

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives designate the

month of January 2011 as "Financial Aid Awareness Month," urge

all college students seeking financial assistance to apply for

financial aid through FAFSA and recognize the work of PHEAA and

PASFAA in their respective efforts to promote the availability

of postsecondary student financial assistance for the residents

of this Commonwealth.