With the re-election of President Bush and the presence of a more conservative Senate and House of Representatives, some college students and higher-education experts have expressed concern that a business-driven administration will serve the needs of profiteers of the system rather than beneficiaries.
“I think President Bush is ignoring the student needs, because he doesn’t need them for election,” Liz Sanger, chair of College Democrats, said. “We saw that was the case in the last election.”
Bush’s agenda is expected to benefit loan companies and for-profit colleges and universities. Proprietary colleges must follow certain rules to participate in student-aid programs, and proposals to relax these rules are expected to move forward. This could mean less money for Pell Grants, as well as decreased funding for research and development, including stem-cell research, according to the Chronicle of Higher Education.
Bush had asked Congress to increase spending on the Pell Grants over the past four years by 47 percent. The maximum benefit is still $4,050, however, due to a large, unexpected increase in demand for the grants.
College Republicans chair Nicole Marklein cautioned against painting too dismal a picture for the future of higher education.
“President Bush has increased the number of Pell Grants by 1 million,” Marklein said. “There are also extra incentives for high school students that take challenging courses, which is definitely a good thing.”
The government sponsors more than just the Pell Grants and does reward ambitious students. The president has vowed to provide $5,000 in grants to financially needy students who agree to study mathematics or science.
Research has shown the need for more financial aid and grant money is important, especially in Wisconsin.
According to the study “Measuring Up, The National Report Card on Higher Education,” an increase in financial aid for students would be especially beneficial for low- and middle-income families because of the sharp increase in tuition.
Currently many families must devote on average one-third of their income to pay for a family member’s college education.
In the study, Wisconsin scored a D in affordability and has made no progress over the past decade. Wisconsin students borrow an average $3,076 annually compared with the $2,619 average in the top ranking states in 2004.
Also on the rocks is funding for stem-cell research, a scientific field in which the University of Wisconsin excels. Some leading scientists have expressed concern over limitations on the growing area of research.
President Bush’s proposed increase for research in 2005 would slow to 0.6 percent, the Chronicle of Higher Education reported.
