Access Barnard Parent & Family Newsletter: Issue 2, Dec 2023

PARENT & FAMILY NEWSLETTER DECEMBER 2023 | ISSUE NO. 2

INSIDE

Closing out Fall 2023 with Gratitude It has been an exceedingly busy fall semester here on

Gallery: Showcasing Fall Programming

campus, and we hope that you and your loved ones are healthy and well heading into this winter holiday season. We have an enormous amount of gratitude and

FLI Feature

pride in our Access Barnard community, and hope that each of our students can relish in a restorative winter

International Education Week

break of true rest and rejuvenation.

Thank you to our parents and family members who

Millie’s Thanksgiving Homestay Peer Mentoring Updates Parent Tips for Winter Break

continue to support and root for our students, and we wish all a meaningful close to the 2023 calendar year!

Warmly, Access Barnard Please note that the spring semester begins on Tuesday, January 16, 2024, directly following Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a federal holiday in the United States.

What to Know About FAFSA Changes

Issue No. 2 | Dec 2023

Fall 2023 The fall semester was full of events, workshops, celebrations, and outings!

Featuring: Peer Mentor group activities, Friendsgiving, First-Gen Legacy Night, ISS United National HQ Tour, Millie’s Thanksgiving Homestay, ISS MET Tour, OP Barnard - Columbia Mixer, Peer Mentoring Holiday Party, and Study Abroad Bon Voyage. This is merely a small showcase of our programs and the incredible Access Barnard student community here on campus.

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FLI Feature Celebrating First-Generation College Students

The members of Mariachi Leones, founded this fall by our very own Ariana Báñez ’27, who serves as President.

National First-Gen Awareness Day is an initiative started by the Center for First-

Read more about our First-Generation Celebration at Barnard here.

Generation Student Success. The center chose November 8th as a day to recognize first-generation students to celebrate the anniversary of the signing of the Higher Education Act of 1965. The Higher Education Act was an opportunity to level the playing field for Americans who came from underrepresented and low-income backgrounds. This act helped to create federal grants and loan programs to help students finance their education, which had a direct impact on first-generation and/or low-income students all over the nation.

To celebrate this joyous event we invited 4 students to provide reflections on their first-generation experience and how that has shaped their experience at Barnard College. Students spoke about breaking barriers and the joys and challenges that come with the first-gen identity. We also had a musical performance by Mariachi Leones de Columbia. This band is made up of a dynamic and vibrant ensemble of musicians who perform traditional Mexican music. Through performances, the group celebrates the rich cultural heritage of many Latino and Hispanic groups on and off campus while preserving and promoting the beloved traditions of mariachi music. FLI Legacy Dinner was an evening to remember and hope that all first-generation students felt celebrated!

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Check out our FLI Legacy Night Highlights Reel here.

Issue No. 2 | Dec 2023

International Education Week November 13-17, 2023 During the week of November 13th, International Student Services invited the College community to celebrate the global and international experiences unique to Barnard.

Through performances, trips, special programs, and workshops, International Education Week is instrumental in increasing our community’s cross-cultural awareness, curiosity, and knowledge.

The week commenced with a special session with Immigration Attorney, Michael Goldstein, who reviewed key insights and tips on the H1B lottery and application process. Mid-week, ISS hosted a memorable in-person guided tour of the United Nations Headquarters for fifteen students, where a multilingual tour guide took the group on a brief journey through the corridors of international diplomacy. The group learned about the history and work of the United Nations and visited the famous General Assembly Hall and Security Council Chamber.

ISS co-facilitated a program with the Peer Mentoring Program, “International Identi-TEA.” Over tea and refreshments, students discussed how the international student identity has shaped their experience at Barnard, and the many challenges and opportunities of being an international student living and studying in New York City.

Access Barnard’s annual Friendsgiving celebration marked the season of gratitude, where international students enjoyed a traditional American Thanksgiving meal while celebrating, giving thanks, and enjoying the company of friends and classmates.

The week culminated with an unforgettable ISS-sponsored trip to the world-renowned Metropolitan Museum of Art where eight international students experienced a 2-hour private tour and behind-the-scenes journey through art and history.

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Issue No. 2 | Dec 2023

Millie’s Thanksgiving Homestay Connecting with Alumnae Millie's Thanksgiving Homestay was a key fall program for International Student Services, in which local alums were matched with Barnard students

Read more about our uniquely Barnard Holiday Tradition here!

(most of whom were international or out-of-state) in order to host them for the Thanksgiving holiday. Funding was provided by a DEI Grant to support students with transportation expenses and to carry small gifts to their host families’ homes. Twenty-six students were matched with local alums from graduating years 1978-2014 residing in New York City, Westchester County, and New Jersey. On November 30th, the participating students reconvened for a reflections gathering where they shared their experiences and learnings, and thoughtfully wrote out thank you cards to their alums. One student wrote in her reflection: “I learned a lot about how to open myself up to new traditions, cultures and histories and it has filled my heart with love for all the amazing people that have studied at Barnard and all over the world!” Another student who has declared a unique major offered by Barnard’s Slavic Department was amazed that she was matched with an alum who shared her same major and found even more value in this connection, which will be a lasting one for her.

This program last ran in 2019, and we are thrilled to have brought this special holiday tradition back to Barnard!

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Issue No. 2 | Dec 2023

Peer Mentoring Fall 2023 Program Updates

Our office manages the college-wide Access Barnard Peer Mentoring Program.

This program matches incoming first-year and first-semester transfer students with upper class students that help them navigate life at Barnard. This includes everything from best utilizing campus resources and offering advice, to developing a sense of connection and belonging with the community at large. We are proud to report that we matched 320 Mentees with 104 Mentors this fall.

Mentor groups have been learning about potential majors, registering for classes, discussing clubs, involvement, and summer opportunities. They delve into the ins and out of living in the dorms and navigating NYC as a college student. They also have been able to have some fun! Peer mentor group outings have included dining at local eateries like the Hungarian Pastry Shop and grabbing pizza at Mama’s TOO!, going to see Broadway shows and watch movies, as well as taking walks in Riverside Park and exploring the city’s holiday markets. January marks National Mentoring Month and we are looking forward to celebrating the collective successes of our participants. If you haven't already, please make sure to follow us on Instagram @accessbarnard to stay up to date on happenings in our program!

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Issue No. 2 | Dec 2023

Parent Tips for Winter Break Your college student is returning home for winter break!

For some, this is an exciting time that you’ve been anticipating. For others, it may bring potential for added stressors to the home front.

Adjusting back to home life can involve a mixture of complicated feelings for all parties. For the student (particularly first years), no matter how geographically near or far their school is from home, college has offered newfound independence, which may include new attitudes, perspectives, and habits. Your student may not expect to return home and have their home environment feel foreign. They will have been very busy in the last few days and weeks prior, with exams, papers, and end-of-semester activities, and may not have had time to reflect or think about potential changes since they were last home.

Amidst a potential reverse culture shock, where the familiar feels strange, your student may show frustration or irritation. There may be more misunderstandings than anyone anticipated. They may feel bored or that they don’t fit in. Most disconcerting, this is probably not what anyone in the home expected.

Remember: Change is the new normal. Knowing that change and adaptation are sometimes difficult can help.

Be patient. Give your student time and space to settle back in. Be patient with yourself. While it’s meant to be a break from school life, college students may return home feeling pressure to prove that their time away has been well spent, hesitation that their newly established life is too different from their former home life, or frustration that they cannot reconcile the two. They may be using an entirely new vocabulary and make references to things you have never heard of, they may be newly impassioned by a cause or interest that you do not understand. Try to keep an open mind, focus on reconnection, and resist any urges to interrogate.

Remind your student that they are not a guest.

Once the fatigue has lifted, it’s a good idea to remind your student that while they may be home for an extended period of a few weeks, they are not a visitor. Discussing certain boundaries (i.e., late night noise levels), and reassessing or reassigning household duties/contributions may be prudent.

Find ways to reconnect. Maybe there’s a tradition you’ve had — an annual family outing, or an interest you share, that you can suggest putting on the calendar for some dedicated quality time together.

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Issue No. 2 | Dec 2023

What to know about FAFSA Changes FAFSA Simplification Changes: The number of family members in college will no longer impact eligibility calculations and will no longer be asked on the FAFSA. The Expected Family Contribution (EFC) will become the Student Aid Index (SAI).

The Student Aid Index (SAI) can now be a negative value, with a minimum of -$1,500, rather than zero as in previous years where the EFC was used. This helps colleges meet the full amount for a student that may demonstrate significant financial need.

The process for transferring parental tax information to the FAFSA now requires them to give consent via the Consent to Retrieve and Disclose Federal Tax Information (FTI) section of the FAFSA. This consent will allow the IRS to share FTI. If any party to the FAFSA form does not provide consent, submission of the form will still be allowed. However, a Student Aid Index (SAI) will not be calculated.

The IRS Data Retrieval Tool (DRT) will now be referred to as the Direct Data Exchange (DDX), and will be used to transfer tax information directly to the FAFSA. As a result of the new formula, some students will have increased Pell eligibility, while a smaller percentage of students will have decreased or no Pell eligibility.

The definition of ‘custodial parent’ has changed and no longer refers to the parent with whom you have lived most of the time. Instead, the parent on the FAFSA will be the parent who provides you with the most financial support.

Students with unusual circumstances preventing parent data provision receive provisional independent status. Further review by the Office of Financial Aid is required.

Everyone must have their own StudentAid.gov account

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Here is what’s NOT changing: Barnard’s School Code (aka OPEID) will remain 002708.

Federal Verification documentation, including Tax returns or statements of non-filing, Verification worksheets, W2’s and other applicable documents, will still be required.

What Does FAFSA Simplification Mean for Me? CURRENT or RETURNING STUDENTS who indicate a desire to be considered for Financial Aid should carefully review the following: The new FAFSA form will be available by Dec 31, 2023 You must submit your CSS Profile and FAFSA

by April 15, 2024.

Here are publicly available resources which will help you better understand FAFSA Simplification and prepare for the release of the 2024-2025 FAFSA: What is the FAFSA and Why Is it Important How to Create an Account and Get an FSA ID How to Regain Access to My FSA ID What and Who is a ‘Contributor’ for the 20242025 FAFSA What Changed on the 2024-2025 FAFSA Form?

Legislative Information about FAFSA Simplification

Issue No. 2 | Dec 2023

CONTACT US & FOLLOW ALONG Access Barnard serves as the hub of College efforts to enhance the academic experiences, and promote the inclusion and excellence of first-generation, low-income, and international students in their transition to and persistence through the Barnard experience. We do so by celebrating identities, cultivating community, empowering exploration, mentoring others, and building allyship, holistic development, and self-advocacy.

Email accessbarnard@barnard.edu iss@barnard.edu opportunityprograms@barnard.edu Follow us on Instagram @accessbarnard Website www.barnard.edu/access-barnard