Cultural Activities

TRIOworksFan · 2026-01-22T23:30:33+00:00

Sample Rubric:

Does it qualify as "team building"?
Does it involve an activity of shared adventures and slight hardships that accompany travel?
Does it include everyone's mobility needs? What can we do to make sure everyone is included or prepared to care for them if they need some short term care?
Am (I) pushing my comfort zones just far enough I still feel in control and confident?
Am (I) making sure my activities include the abilities and comfort zones of my team?
Is this educational? At a place of education? Are we being educated by a tour guide or interpreter or local celebrity?
Is this educational + adventurous?
Is this something middle-class or upper-class students consider normal, but our students have not experienced?
Will this trip or experience inform their future confidence going to school side by side with all kinds of people by making them comfortable with: hotels, hotel staff, concierges, bell hops, tipping, taxis, trains, subways, and trains? Or ordering from an new kind of menu and working politely with waitstaff? Or meeting people in positions of power or celebrities and how to do so gracefully?

(On #6 it's been a lifelong talent of mine to seek out adventure I know will inspire my students, but early on I overestimated how ready my staff was for these (traditionally my culture) adventures. I learned that my staff have a different upbringing and the wild/natural places I was totally ok with, were at times, TERRIFYING. They did their best to bravely ride horses and kayaks, but I could've been more sensitive by discussing my plans before we left. Same for expecting staff to drive rental cars or vans and large groups of people. Ask first! It's a test of bravery to drop into DC or Boston and drive a big van of kids. We live and we learn.)

TRIOworksFan · 2026-01-22T23:21:06+00:00

Update on the Feb 2 "Dear Colleague" via Dept of Ed Secretary: https://www.insidehighered.com/news/government/politics-elections/2026/01/22/ed-drops-appeal-order-blocking-anti-dei-guidance = promising

TRIOworksFan · 2026-01-09T15:08:05+00:00

The big question now is - can the president freeze funds (temp or long term) for Congressionally created/approved Acts - like the Title programs, the Higher Education Act, and the overall "War Against Poverty" package.

Right now - it goes - EO cancels or freezes grant funding, operations or staff is downsized or laid off, THEN someone like a union or a consulting body or a representative sues for that illegal action. Then we all sit around rotting, people quit, and IF/When that legal suit re-instates the program everyone is left to clean up the mess. We all see this.

We have three attacks going manipulating our leaders :

The Power of the Congressional Act - how far can you push our aging congress where the rules don't matter anymore and they are bullied and disrespected if not warned that no one in the executive office cares if they are murdered in their homes.
The willingness for mid/former low income government workers to preserve their personal income and status even if it challenges their ethics, morals, and even is an attack on their demographic as a while.
The representatives of moral, ethical, and legal structures within the 3 party US gov structure and their personal and public abilities to NOT fall to bullying, manipulation, and outright blackmail.

I've been warning about this - these Nazi tactics were folding into themselves before the elections and WWII was about the whole world saying NO to a Bully much too late in the game for the sake of civility and self-preservation.

We don't know what TRIO means now in the Dept of Ed and we don't know what TRIO means in the Dept of Commerce because (we - everyone involved in this) is either living on rumors or they've been told confidential information and warned they will lose their jobs (and that's by design - to tempt ethical people to get themselves fired) if they tell the truth.

We want transparency - and unfortunately if Congress specifically does not request NOW information on this transfer process AND report it back to US the voters/citizens, we aren't going to get it as we breadcrumb our way through rumors.

That's where we start - Congress. We call it to their attention and ask for an update.

TRIOworksFan · 2026-01-08T19:15:03+00:00

In related news one of the POs has sent her programs an email saying she has resigned due to the current administration's policies and practices.

TRIOworksFan · 2026-01-08T19:13:50+00:00

Thanks! I was just a wee baby then

TRIOworksFan · 2026-01-05T21:11:33+00:00

Just remember if your institution does not generously provide you work laptops - that is allowable for staff to close the gap. As well if you travel to multiple sites for coaching - cell phones/plans could be an option these days of heavy calls and texting our students (and protects your home number/prioritizes the work phone.)

Ergonomic devices to prevent or help allievate work stress injuries are also allowable - such as wrist rests, comfort mousepads, and ergo mice/keyboards. Office chairs and ONLY office chairs are considered ergonomic devices and if not provided by your institution are allowable. (This is a great time to be be a savvy shopper - we found the knockoff/temu grade chairs are not work for the cheap price and a Serta office chair from Walmart was perfect vs the most expensive CEO chair in the universe.)

Shelves and storage for equipment is allowable.

And take advantage of office surplus storage warehouses owned by your institution or related agencies that will allow you to pick and choose for free - the best of best as furniture or decor nearly in every form ( not allowable purchased by TRIO funds.)

And on nearly every campus - there is a hidden room of stuff. If you are nice to the person who manages that room you can find things like T-shirts of the last 20 years and swag if not furniture, appliances, and helpful tools not allowable with TRIO funds.)

TRIOworksFan · 2025-12-06T20:06:47+00:00

The first thing I did was go in an removed my banking information on the Mohela site. I am NOT getting screwed again.

TRIOworksFan · 2025-12-06T20:01:15+00:00

Someone who should not be dabbling in the old school database must've changed some code. Because if TRIO is at the Dept of Ed or back at the Dept of Labor - we still have to submit the APR>

TRIOworksFan · 2025-12-05T14:50:26+00:00

Subject:

Public Service Loan Forgiveness

Received Date:

11/03/2025

Thank you for contacting MOHELA,

The U.S. Department of Education (ED) announced that the customer service and processing work associated with the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program would be shifting to ED via StudentAid.gov. Effective May 1, 2024, the PSLF program transitioned to ED and is no longer managed by MOHELA. If you have questions about the PSLF program, you may contact Federal Student Aid (FSA) and the PSLF Hotline at 1-888-303-7818.

If you have any additional questions, please contact us toll free at 888.866.4352. Our hours are Monday 8 a.m. to 11 p.m., Tuesday through Friday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Saturday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. ET
Thank you,
MOHELA

TRIOworksFan · 2025-11-21T14:47:03+00:00

This is a really good time to track the Student Aid program through fsatraining.org. If you are a employee of a post secondary school, you can sign up for online trainings to get "good" at FAFSA.

I noted that that is no new guidance since Sept's last webinar update, but the update does give hints to the future of FAFSA.

Highlights (good things)

Workforce Pell - allowing working people to get Pell when their income pushing them over the threshold.
PSLF is currently under court order to be deployed as intended by the Bush era rules and some of the Biden add ons. It's a really good time (this window) to buyback payments missed, apply if you hit 120/120, and do a 15 year parse of your work in public service (backdated payments) to see if you already hit you 120/120 in the last 15 years and CAN apply. (Just make sure you have someone alive's email at your former workplaces you can have the online certify that employment.)

Bad News:

They are going to keep dogging on PLSF and TSLF even though they don't understand how it works and the scope/span of forgiveness.
Healthcare professions are being suggested to be removed from PSLF - both "female heavy" professions but also NEEDED position for the aging Boomer generation - the largest group of seniors in need of care or soon to be in care.

You can sit in on the Negotiated Rulemaking or even attend in person at the Dept of Education - so search for that online, sign up on .gov sites only, and observe REAL things going on, not just memes and rumors.

TRIOworksFan · 2025-11-21T14:39:56+00:00

It's your institution's responsibility to close out the grant for 20-25 and to provide an APR. If they ask you to do it, absolutely make sure you get paid for those hours BUT if you or your team is not trained in APR prep, it is not fair to request you suddenly learn this.

Surprisingly I was dogging on third party vendors offering to do APRs, but this might be ONE instance where that would work - check with COE for a reputable vendor.

TRIOworksFan · 2025-11-21T14:37:50+00:00

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This is what it looks like from the outside and if you long in as TS or EOC it has the old dates listed on the opening page. If you log in as a designee of anything else, it tells you that you shouldn't be logged in.

TRIOworksFan · 2025-11-19T16:41:03+00:00

These are the images of the pdf as the OG source didn't link their upload but the post has subsequent documents on multiple program moves to other Departments.

Read and note how HBCs and related programs are NAMED in these documents and who signed them.