[nfbmi-talk] means Test and College Policy in Response to Important Letter

[Elizabeth]

Hello Joe,
 
Thanks for the full version of the regulation. I already posted the part about Social Security benefits in a comment that I submitted for Monday's meeting. So as the saying goes, been there, done that, and got the tee shirt to prove it. Or in this case, I should probably say that I got the recording to prove it. It seems to me that no matter what argument we use to refute the use of the new DELEG financial needs form, the agency always seems to have a counter argument as to why it needs to be included in the policy. During the meeting on Monday, they said it was not a means test, but rather a tool that the counselors can use when providing services to college students. They also said that the financial aid offices at the college or university would be able to complete the form in a timely manner because they are already use to filling out this form since it is used by Michigan Rehabilitation Services. However, from what I can tell by reading through their policy, Michigan Rehabilitation Services appears to use this form as a part of the means test they use for providing services to college students. 
 
I tried voicing my concern about whether or not the financial aid offices will actually be able to fill out this form in a timely manner given the recent increase of students requesting financial aid. I also mentioned the fact that I typically do not receive anything in writing from my financial aid office until classes have already started or just before classes start. It did not seem as though these comments were taken seriously because it is the job of the financial aid office to fill out these forms. And it was somehow my fault that the college did not have enough time to send me a letter notifying me that I was eligible to receive financial aid even though I typically fill out the forms in March or April. It was like they had an answer for everything and that my experience was somehow invalid because it did not fit into what they knew to be true.
 
So I am at a loss as to what to do next. It seems as though nothing I ever do or say ever really gets through to them, and I am tired of banging my head up against a brick wall trying to figure it out. I am tired of simply arguing with the Michigan Commission for the Blind all of the time. If they would put as much time and energy into working with consumers and providing services as they do arguing against us and creating barriers for obtaining services, then we would probably have one of the best vocational rehabilitation agencies for the blind in the country. If anyone else has any ideas, I would love to hear them. The new DELEG financial needs form is attached to this message for anyone who would like to read it.
 
Elizabeth
 
 		 	   		  
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