Dear SCU Faculty, Staff, and Students,
I am writing to alert you to the current funding situation on federal student aid. I also want you seriously to consider joining in a nationwide effort to ensure that the federal student aid programs remain strong for both current and future students.
Over the past year, federal student aid programs have been cut by $30 billion. The student loan programs have been particularly hard hit, and low-income students are seeing a sharp decline in the terms and conditions of their loans. Summer Pell Grants were eliminated, as was the LEAP program, which incentivized states to maintain funding for need-based student grants. Currently, Congress is considering other cuts to the Pell Grant program. At Santa Clara University, 820 Santa Clara students receive Federal Pell Grant support.
Now the “Super Committee” (Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction), tasked with developing a federal debt reduction plan by November 23, is looking at the possibility of additional student aid cuts.
National education organizations will be continuing policy conversations with both parties on how best to responsibly preserve the student aid programs. At the same time, though, it is important that elected officials are reminded how many Americans’ lives are improved by a college education. To that end, the presidents of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities (AJCU) have joined in support of mobilizing the Student Aid Alliance. The Alliance, which the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities was instrumental in founding, is a broad coalition of 62 higher education organizations united in support of federal student aid. The Alliance goal is to mobilize student aid supporters to sign a simple statement that will reinforce our advocacy efforts.
At Santa Clara, we are encouraging faculty, staff, students, parents, alumni and board members to sign a petition created by Student Aid Alliance at:
http://action.studentaidalliance.org/5371/save-student-aid-statement-support/
Help us save student aid by offering your support today.
Michael E. Engh, S.J.
President
