While the Wisconsin Technical College System is no longer able to award Wisconsin Higher Education Grants to students, the University of Wisconsin is safe for now.
According to the Wisconsin Higher Educational Aids Board, the purpose of the grant is to help low-income Wisconsin residents attending either a University of Wisconsin campus or a Wisconsin Technical College pay for college costs, including tuition, fees and room and board.
Susan Fischer, director of financial aid at UW, said the money for the grants comes from the state, while the Higher Educational Aids Board serves as the administrator.
Additionally, there are two separate pools of money for the UW System and WTCS, which is why the UW System has not seen any impact in funding yet.
Michelle Curtis, associate financial aid director, said 2,500 UW students have received $5.3 million in grants for the 2008-09 academic year thus far. For the 2007-08 academic year, $5.6 million in grants were awarded to 2,850 UW students, with funding running out in the end of January 2008.
“We are awarding on a daily basis. The number of grants awarded is a moving target,” Curtis said. “It is a hard year for everyone this year. I am not surprised the tech schools ran out [of money]. There is just never enough money, but you just do the best you can.”
According to Fischer, the UW System generally runs out of the grant money by October or November. Fischer said she could not address why WTCS experienced a funding shortage so early.
“This has been the pattern forever, and most students, by [the time we run out], have aid applications turned in,” Fischer said. “We have not received any warning that [the UW System] will be out early (this year).”
UW System Spokesperson David Giroux said the fund shortage symbolizes an overarching issue in financial aid assistance. Giroux added it is imperative UW students realize there is no immediate threat to grants running out.
“The bigger issue beyond this is whether or not there is enough financial aid to meet the state’s larger needs. We have a long-range concern about the availability of enough financial aid for all students,” Giroux said. “That is why we are not only trying to encourage the state to increase its investment, but to also look at other private funded sources.”
Morna Foy, spokesperson for WTCS, said this is the earliest the tech schools have run out of money in the last five years. With 50,000 grant applicants for the 2008-09 academic year at WTCS schools, nearly 22,700 awards will be distributed. Foy said the System estimates 4,130 WTCS students who are eligible to receive the grants will not receive one because there is no money left.
“On average the [WTCS] awards slightly under $1,000 to students,” Foy said. “However, the average award would be much higher in the UW System because the cost of education is higher.”
Foy added a student’s eligibility for the grant is based on individual needs, and therefore neither the UW System nor WTCS is technically losing money because the state does not award money to the school, only the student.
