SSOCIATION OF LOW-INCOME STUDENTS (ALIS) ALIS was founded in 1985 in order to “improve the lives of low-income students by fostering financial security, emotional support, group empowerment, and greater public awareness of the realities of life for low-income people.” The organizations’s goals included giving low-income students opportunities to gain a meaningful education and to have an active voice within the student body, confronting the anger, frustration, guilt, and stigma associated with poverty, and educating Smith College and the public about the causes and effects of poverty. The group is still in existence and meets twice a week to discuss organizational business, political strategies, and issues affecting financial aide. It also hosts occasional speakers from various organizations, including the local Department of Public Welfare, HCAC, Northampton Housing Authority, the local Educational Opportunity Center, and others. Finally, the group also organizes an annual meeting to discuss financial aid and other policies with the financial aid officer and director of the Ada Comstock Program.
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