Using Federal Law, Research, and Practice to Improve Diversity Efforts in Scholarship Awards

Most institutions use scholarships to build a class that can achieve their unique mission and goals, including those related to access and diversity. When certain factors such as race or sexual orientation are used in scholarship decisions, different federal laws can be triggered. It is essential that institutions understand federal non-discrimination legal concepts to award scholarships in an effective, legally sustainable way that achieves institutional goals. This session joins legal and policy experts with financial aid practitioners to review the federal legal framework and provide concrete recommended strategies for meeting legal obligations and achieving institutional mission and goals.