Public, private university officials agree on financial aid points
Following a March 11 speech in which Gov. Jay Nixon proposed cutting all state-funded financial aid for private universities, college and university presidents have agreed that such aid should at least be reduced.
According to a statement from Missouri Department of Higher Education, “four-year institutions agreed that equal award amounts should be provided to students attending either public four-year or independent institutions.”
With regard to Access Missouri scholarships, Missouri state law limits the amount of a public-school award at $2,150 per year for public university students and $4,600 per year for private school students. Because the group of college presidents has no legislative power to increase the caps on public school awards, the only way the presidents could equalize the awards at their schools would be to reduce awards at the private schools.
The officials did not reach an agreement about whether students at public and private two-year colleges should receive equal awards. They also did not agree on a date when any of the changes would take effect.
The statement also said the presidents agreed that need-based scholarship aid was important and that it should be presented in a way that is accurate and easy to understand. They also agreed students should have to meet certain academic standards to receive the aid.
Commissioner of Higher Education Robert Stein said the agreements would help students afford their education.
“It is a state and national priority to increase college access and success,” Stein said in the statement. “By working together, sectors with different perspectives were able to craft a framework that will support removing financial barriers for Missouri citizens.”
Two bills are pending in the legislature aimed at reducing the amounts of Access Missouri scholarships for private university students, one in the House sponsored by Rep. Gayle Kingery, R-Poplar Bluff and one in the Senate by Sen. Kurt Schaefer, R-Columbia.
9:53 a.m., March 25, 2010
Joe said:
The bills in the Senate and House don't reduce the amounts of Access Missouri - they equalize the disbursements. Both the Senate and House bill will equalize the grant at $2,850. So students at Mizzou could see an increase of $700 and students at private schools will see their amounts equalized to that of the public school students.