The new GI Bill is now law.  It is the largest higher education benefits program since the original GI Bill passed right after World War II.  It subsidizes tuition and fees for veterans, with the maximum benefit pegged to the highest public college undergraduate resident tuition rate in a given state, plus a housing allowance and   $1,000 per year for books.  With 140,000 applications for eligibility certificates already pending, and eligible veterans having 15 years in which to use the benefits, this program will have a huge impact on public higher education - immediately and for the long term.

PHENOM filed a formal complaint with the U.S. Department of Education (USDOE) alleging improper use of State Fiscal Stabilization (federal stimulus) funds that were earmarked for public education.  Having received some ambiguous responses, PHENOM appended additional information and documentation to the complaint. The main points in the amended complaint are:

PHENOM is supporting the Massachusetts Law Reform Institute's campaign to publicize eligibility rules for food stamps as they apply to college students.  Currently, 1,700 Massachusetts college students receive food stamps, but thousands more may be eligible and not realize it.  Please see this fact sheet  or check list and help publicize this on your campus,

You may also read a Boston Globe article about this.

            The Public Higher Education Network of Massachusetts (PHENOM) applauds President Obama’s proposal for $12 billion in additional funding for community colleges, announced today in a speech in Michigan.  This provides Massachusetts with a major opportunity to be a leader in addressing affordability and access.  The President correctly sees access to quality education as essential in improving the economy and assuring a good quality of life.  He recognizes the key role played by community colleges in job training, escape from poverty, and access to lifelong learning.