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Maximum Pell Grant increase strikes debate |
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Thursday, 29 March 2007 |
by HEATHER SANDERS
News Reporter
Appalachian State University students will see an increase in the maximum amount of the Pell Grant for 2008, though it is still undecided how much the increase will be.
According to the Chronicle of Higher Education, Senate Democrats are pushing for a $300 increase in the Pell Grant for the Department of Education’s 2008 budget.
“It’s always good to get additional grant funding,” Esther Manogin,
director of Student Financial Aid, said. “I just hope it’s not at the
expense of other programs.”
That is exactly what concerns the American Association of State Colleges and Universities.
In its “Initial Overview of the President’s 2008 Budget Proposal,” the
organization supports the increase to the maximum Pell Grant, but not
at the expense of cuts to the Federal Perkins Loan program and the
elimination of the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants
(FSEOG).
In total, 44 programs in the Department of Education would be eliminated by the president’s budget.
According to the Chronicle, Democratic Sen. Edward M. Kennedy of
Massachusetts said a change in policy would free up $10 to $15 billion
in student loan programs, though he did not specify where the money
would come from.
Manogin said she would favor an increase in the Pell Grant to offset the amount of loans students have to borrow.
She said the increase would also offset rising tuition costs, along with Appalachian’s tuition offset program.
In addition, Manogin said an increase in the maximum Pell Grant would mean more students would become eligible for the grant.
The Pell Grant is based on family income, the amount of people in
college supported by that income and the number of people in the
household supported by that income.
“I think, ultimately, it’s a good thing,” sophomore Nathan H. Smith,
Student Government Association director of governmental relations,
said. “It provides opportunities for people who couldn’t go to college.”
Manogin said the biggest problem for students is accumulated debt. For Appalachian, the average amount of debt is $14,000.
“If the only way to remove barriers to education is a loan, and $14,000
is the average, that’s reasonable,” Manogin said. “Any financial aid
program that can be made available is not ever excessive. What better
return on your investment than to educate your citizenry?”
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