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OPINION & EDITORIAL

Budget imperils college aid

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by Letters to the Editor

Wednesday, February 28, 2007

Students are in danger of losing critical financial aid programs and dollars that help ease the rising cost of education. Recently, President Bush released his budget proposal that would cut over $3.1 billion from education program. With tuition rising over 70 percent in the last four years at UW-Madison and over 35 percent in at colleges across the country, students have to tell Congress and our President that the time to prioritize education and increase funding for federal financial aid is now.

For the past several years, students have not seen adequate funding for key programs that increase the ability of students to access to higher education. Last year, the President's proposed budget called for the elimination or reduction of 141 federal programs. In the Department of Education, 42 programs were targeted for elimination, totaling $3.5 billion in cuts. These programs included zero funding the Perkins Loan, cuts in the work study program, and level-funding the Pell Grant. Funding for key programs that aid low-income communities and communities of color are consistently decreased or zero funded. Programs like the Perkins Loans, a loan program that many students benefit from by providing low interest rates, was proposed to be zero funded in 2007 after receiving a cut of 6 million dollars the year prior. If this proposal passes along with many proposed programs targeted for elimination and reduction, students will not be able to afford an education.

This year's Presidential budget also poses a serious threat to college affordability. The President began by proposing an increase in the maximum Pell Grant award from $4,050 to $4,600 this year and to $5,400 by 2012. The Pell grant is the cornerstone of federal student assistance; it is awarded to the neediest students on campus. Although we welcome an increase to the Pell Grant program, it cannot come at the expense of vital early intervention and outreach programs that open the doors of higher education to millions of students each year. The President's budget also proposes the elimination of four key programs LEAP, SEOG, Perkins Loan, and Thurgood Marshall which help make education accessible to low income communities and students of color.

The Associated Students of Madison is joining schools from across the country to take part in the U.S. Student Association's (USSA), "One Hundred Day Agenda for Higher Education." Through this campaign we will tell elected officials that higher education programs need their support now. Students on campus will be collecting postcards, recording the testimonies of UW Madison students most affected by the cuts and going to Washington DC to lobby our representatives to show that important loan programs and all federal financial aid programs that help off-set the rising costs of higher education must be preserved for the livelihood of our students.

If you want to get involved with the Associated Students of Madison and USSA's, "One Hundred Day Agenda", please come by the student government office in the Memorial Union, Rm. 511 or contact (608) 265-4ASM.

Jennifer Knox

Board Member, United States Student Association (USSA)

Senior, Information Systems Major

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Anonymous (February 28, 2007 @ 1:45am):

nicely written

Anonymous (February 28, 2007 @ 3:30am):

would be better if it did not come from a take no prisoners race warrior

Anonymous (February 28, 2007 @ 7:45am):

At least half the people in college should be in a trade school. It would be better for them and better for the country. Too many over-educated, good-for-nothings are being generated by college liberal arts programs. They'll never produce anything but a loud whining sound when they can't find a job to support them in the style to which they feel entitled.

Anonymous (February 28, 2007 @ 7:52am):

America, ask yourself this: Why would YOUR government not provide you with interest-free loans for education?

Uncle Sam will ask for your help to fight terrorism, and in the same breath he'll demand 6% interest for 30 years on your student loans.

Thanks for nothing.

Anonymous (February 28, 2007 @ 9:54am):

Well, if you poor little college kids didn't party so much, maybe you'd have some money left over to pay your tuition. You spend it all on iPods, Jewelry, Spring Break in Florida, beer, condoms, etc. It's a wonder you get any money at all year after year. I think we should just yank all the financial aid and spend it all on fighting terrorism. Do something for your country and enlist. Your country needs you, you thankless little runt!

Anonymous (February 28, 2007 @ 12:30pm):

Hey creepy college kids, wait until after you graduate and you're earning your own money, then you can blow all your own hard-earned money on whatever you want. The money you get for tuition is for just that, tuition. Stop whining that you don't get enough for beer, parties, drugs, spring break and concert tickets and get you educations over with.

Tuition gets more and more expensive every year and we taxpayers are sick and tired of it! Stupid kids! All of you!

Anonymous (February 28, 2007 @ 12:51pm):

"Tuition gets more and more expensive every year and we taxpayers are sick and tired of it!"

What? Dude, us taxpayers aren't paying tuition... are we?

If so, I'm moving to another state OR demanding Swingtown be played all 5 quarters of the football games.

OooooooOOOOOOOhhhh, sucks.

Anonymous (February 28, 2007 @ 1:24pm):

USSA doesn't do anything.

Anonymous (February 28, 2007 @ 4:15pm):

Dear 12:30pm

First, how perceptive of you notice that every single college student is exactly alike, and without any redeeming qualities. Thinking like this way must make the world a very simple place for you. How's that working out?

Second, a moments reflection would suggest that tuition is rising precisely because your taxes no longer cover the percentage of the education budget they once did. So think of it this way - rising tuition means that taxpayers bear less of the burden of funding public universities. You are, uh, winning, so to speak.

Third, do you have nothing better to do than cruise an online college newspaper message board in the middle of the day? That is a tad creepy. Best of luck, dude.

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