University of South Carolina Libraries
THE GAMECOCK NeWS January 30, 1985 - Page 3 College ad By CotlBgo Press Service WASHINGTON, D.C. ? If rumors about the 1986 Education Department budget prove true, one of every four students who' apply for federal financial aid won't get it. Students from middle-income families and those attending private or out-of-state schools would suffer most under the proposals, financial aid experts forecast. rial balloons sent up by the Office of dinagement and Budget in early January signal the Reagan administration may try to limit students to no more than $4,000 a year in financial aid, and disqualify families that make more than $30,000 a year from the Guaranteed Student Loan and Pell grant programs. THE BUDGET proposals should reach Congress in February. Congress will then accept, reject or approve figures of its own. It could be months before Congress and ? president actually agree on funding u res. "If the proposals are accepted ? of course, we hope they won't be ? it means a serious restriction to graduate study loan aid and to all kinds of undergraduate aid," said Charles Saunders of the American Council on Education. f inancial aid directors around the country nuree the nronnsaU could hurl needy and middle-income students. "A $30,000 income cap would have a significant impact on our student popula f|n, on a tremendous amount of middle come families," said Ldmond Vignoul, University of Oregon financial aid director. Under current rules, students from families earning more than $30,(XX) a yeai must pass a "needs test" to get lederal aiu. Now the administration wants to cut of such students regardless of need. "Without the loans and grants, their op tions will be limited and this obviously wil have a detrimental effect on our enroll mem," Vignoul said. I^j CHECK < SSSSSSSSS ministrato I USC to match the increasing costs of s "AS MANY as 25 perccnt of the stu we process loans for wouldn't qualify I r $30,000 income ceiling," said Taft Ba Texas A and M's spokesman. "It would eliminate a great numn I students who might otherwise benefit higher education," he said. "Students not get an education because of la jnBI633RS9^^I^Rtfitt V r; -f < ? < I 11 A\\~ DUT VISUAL ARTS' P RUSSELL HOUSE I sssksssssk rs fear loss fice has been unable to meet Hit students' int.#. wNfe ftfgthe nts 'Bannister said he c*>n appreciate the bid r dilemma Congress and the Administration fact in deciding how to cut spending, but nt* I;' added, rtIhope they could look at some ? ..?t. ... .11 $4 lea purer pi#?5 BS wen, _ Of y THE fROPOSAL cap on total federal 4 aid available id an individual s(pdent a! ^ ?ffcc( on moipexptehsWe colleges and | ake universities, Bannister said. The change lily ij#yld also make education at branch cam- rptises and delayed entry into college more 3an Many of those^excluded will.be from Her than one family member in college/These ffer students will have the option of a parental l^it under condition* m^lU^ifavornbte ica* Bannister, however, points to the con|EBp; tfdtrable support in Congress fcreduca- & ap. uonal spending programs as an indication that the President's plan will not be inrt- i)i h sjtoiT' iT"hcV*"h''g"~ a"W<^dS " i of dent Loin program, started in 1958, Has ven been consistently extended by Cohgr44tt3 jver past its original term of eight years. iny?' s ' The possible compromises that might eftj at sue between Congress and the Presfdent. uch may include caps on loans and grants at of- higher income levels. Bannister said. idents resources." with a Benson admits the $4,GOO aid cap might :nson, not affect students at moderately-priced institutions, but students at private or out-of)er of state schools, who usually receive more than from $4,000 per year, would have to find other might financing or other schools. ck of "About 10 percent of our aid population IWiWMWWMCW j^rjngra, L^gBN^g :: ; ' ../i.;: /'/'? ' WSSSS <vtpo< ^i^ o* # e^^1" >C .A^V^ (NO^ ,0^ V^ ^^<VC .o/^'' A <# N - ^ ' 0 OSTER ART SALE IN THE 2 _OBBY ? ALL THIS WEEK SS88S? arolina l? of loans would be adversely affected by the 54,OOO cap," said John Klacik of Western Washington University. "AND ! was kind of surprised to hear the $30,000 income limit would affect about 50 percent of our GSI student population," he adds. Klacik condemns the proposals as "a direct attack on what 1 consider the principles of financial aid: provide students access to higher education, encourage choice between institutions, and acknowledge the persistancc to get through four years of college." "Part of my concerns are the dichotomy," he said. "We talk about cutting access and choice at the same time we talk about cx cellencc in education. If cuts need to he made, I've heard more intelligent proposals that would target funds more precisely." Indeed, the OMB may make other drastic proposals, ACE's Saunders warns. EDUCATORS EXPF.CT the OMB to try again to eliminate $412 million in Supplemental Grants, $76 million in State Student Incentive Grants and $17 million in graduate fellowships lor women and minorities, he says. Another recycled OMB plan would freeze next year's education budget, WWL 's Klacik said. M e;inwhile, the Department ol l-.dueation, burdened with changing leadership and an uncertain future. is reviewing all the pro posals, hut officials ret use comment. "We know what the administration has proposed," ;i department spokesman said. "But we can't comment until Congress is in session and we get our piograms over there 10 weigh them against the administration's." EDUCATION EXPERTS hope Reagan's recent nomination of William Bennett to replace outgoing Education Secretary Terrel Bell is a reprieve from the adpiinistration's See "Cuts," page 6 JK " JLJBJLJLB JIB eV4 /1 H li nd FLOOR jjj =tOGRAM ^PnION^K