(The Center Square) – Wisconsin’s higher education leaders are warning of dire consequences because of the federal student aid changes included in the House’ reconciliation package.
UW President Jay Rothman, Wisconsin Technical College System President Layla Merrifield and Wisconsin Association of Independent Colleges and Universities President Eric Fulcomer warned that thousands of students in Wisconsin could lose access to Pell Grants or other federal aid options under the new plan.
“Our 13 public universities together have nearly 31,600 Pell Grant recipients who are depending on financial aid to get the educational opportunities that will be life changing,” Rothman said. “It makes no sense for the U.S. to narrow opportunities if our country wants to win the global war for talent.”
The reconciliation package requires students to be full-time students in order to qualify for a Pell Grant. That would mean 15 credits, or five classes, per semester.
Merrifield, with the Technical College system, said that would hurt thousands of part time students who take classes in her schools.
“We have serious concerns about the numbers of students who would lose Pell Grant eligibility entirely,” she said.” We think, according to our preliminary analysis, at least 6,000 students would lose eligibility entirely. Many thousands more would lose portions of their grants, as they would be prorated based on the number of credits that the students are able to take.”
“I’m dumbfounded that cutting educational opportunities would even be considered when our economic vibrancy is at stake,” Rothman said.
The three higher education leaders said more than 70,000 students across Wisconsin use Pell Grants to help pay for their education.
All three said they hope the U.S. Senate makes changes to the reconciliation plan when they take it up next.
