Regents press DOJ rollout failures as system launches statewide FAFSA campaign and seeks to scale 'Montana Ten'

Regent leaders and university officials on the Montana Board of Regents on May 1 focused on student access to financial aid after a rocky federal rollout of the new FAFSA application.

Commissioner Christian told the board the Department of Education rollout has been uneven and that the delays have created a backlog and extra work on campus financial‑aid offices. "This has been a really challenging, bumpy road, and they've not done a good job rolling this out," he said, describing a compressed processing window and a 21% year‑over‑year lag in FAFSA completions for Montana students as of early May.

The commissioner and system marketing staff presented a new statewide campaign to drive college‑bound high‑school seniors and families to Apply Montana and the federal FAFSA portal. Director Scott Lemon said the campaign went live in mid‑April: "We launched this about two weeks ago," he told the board, describing geofenced ads, streaming audio and digital billboards intended to generate impressions and redirect users to the system portal.

Why this matters: Regents said delays threaten fall enrollment and leave eligible students underfunded. The system estimates it already ‘‘left about $10 million a year on the table’’ prior to this year because Montana FAFSA completion was low; officials flagged the risk that the new rollout could widen that shortfall.

Details and proposed fixes: System staff outlined a two‑part approach: short‑term marketing and outreach to counselors and parents while campuses and Apply Montana improve portal tools; and longer‑term investments in student support services—such as the Montana Ten student‑success model—to keep students enrolled and on track. Deputy Commissioner Trevor briefed the board on legislative priorities that include moving the Montana Ten pilot program toward sustained state support, pairing campus, state and philanthropic funding.

Campus officials stressed outreach to high‑school counselors and suggested targeted help for families in rural communities. Director Lemon said early campaign metrics show promising impressions and click‑through performance but cautioned it is an early effort: "We're off to a great start," he said, while acknowledging much work remains.

The board requested regular progress updates on FAFSA completion rates, campaign metrics and the system’s legislative proposal to scale student‑success supports.