If you, or a classmate, receive state aid, and just spend a few minutes advocating for full funding, the potential outcome could be thousands of dollars.
1) Know the Basic Issues
Urgent Massive Pell and SEOG Cuts
On February 19, the House of Representatives approved H.R. 1 cutting billions of dollars from the student aid programs, and putting added pressure on low-income students and the colleges that serve them. Pell Grant was reduced by 15% for fall 2011-12. Supplemental Education Opportunity Program (FSEOG) was eliminated.
In Washington, these cuts impact 122,500 students, removing $440
million in financial aid this fall.
House members need to understand the financial challenges students will face because of the cuts passed in H.R. 1. Senators need to hear the same, and should be encouraged not to include these cuts in the bill they must now approve.
Washington legislators are meeting in Olympia and trying to close a budget shortfall of around $5 billion. Yet while deep cuts to financial aid, colleges, and universities are on the table, lawmakers tell us they seldom hear from higher education advocates. Please let them know that students are listening to the debate and are active in the political process.
Tell them that a strong, high quality system of higher education is important to Washington, and that financial aid programs open the doors to college for many students who otherwise could not afford it.
Urge them to make higher education a top priority!
Urgent: Tell your Senators in D.C. what cuts to Pell Grant and SEOG programs will mean to you and your classmates. Unfortunately H.R. 1 passed the house on February 19th, so now it is time to rally behind the Senate to take out these cuts in the bill they must approve.
Ask State Legislators to prioritize a high quality system of higher education, and fully fund the State Need Grant and State Work-Study programs
Here are some simple ideas:
Email
Our easy form makes it simple to send a message and make a statement. You can use our template or write your own email. It will take just a minute.
Visit your Legislator In Olympia or their local office, Legislators make time to meet their constituents.
Join a group of students, or rally your own group
We can steer you in the right direction. ICW is in Olympia nearly every day, working to protect student aid and access.
Phone Call the capitol directly at 800-562-6000. A 30 second call, telling your story in a respectful tone, can make a huge difference. End the call with " Please protect funding to student aid programs". Make the call. Have friends to call separately from their phones.
Snail Mail
Impactful. Your experience with student aid is a story that will get read. Pool a bunch of letters together and take them to your financial aid office.
Video Tell your story with authenticity.
Be creative. Be respectful. If your phone has a video camera, that's great- It doesn't need to look professional. Load it onto YouTube and email us the link. Share it with your friends.
Share your story with us and your college Use this easy form or send us an email. Copy your contact in the financial aid office too. We appreciate hearing your story.
Why get involved? It's for you, your classmates, and future students!
H.R. 1, the FY 2011 Continuing Resolution, keeps the government running until September 30, but cuts $100 billion in spending
The bill cuts the maximum Pell Grant by $845, making the maximum grant $4,705 as of July 1. This would kick 1.7 million students out of the program, and would drastically reduce grant aid for the remaining 7.5 million students.
The bill eliminates all funding for the SEOG program, meaning that 1.3 million students would lose an average grant of $736, while the poorest students would lose up to $4,000 in additional grant aid.
The bill also eliminates all funding for the LEAP state grant program. LEAP is the seed money for more than $1 billion in state student aid funding.
The next step is for the Senate to write its version of the bill, using a framework of a five-year freeze on discretionary spending. That means the student aid programs are still on the table for possible cuts. With the recent growth in the Pell Grant program, the current $36 billion price tag makes the program especially vulnerable. SEOG and LEAP are at risk because many members of Congress erroneously see them as duplicative of the Pell Grant program.
State Cuts
$25 million mid-year cut to 2010-11 State Need Grants
A partial supplemental budget was signed by the Governor today that includes a $25 million reduction to State Need Grant for this fiscal year.
The cut is to be replaced by local funds, at public institutions, to ensure students do not have awards canceled or reduced.