The state Senate and Assembly both approved a bill last Thursday that would increase the maximum grant amount awarded to needy University of Wisconsin System students.

In a unanimous vote by the Assembly and an affirmative voice vote by the Senate, legislators decided to pass AB 895 on to Gov. Jim Doyle for final approval.

The governor is expected to sign the bill — which was introduced in December — into law as soon as possible, according to bill author state Rep. Joan Ballweg, R-Markesan.

"I am happy that both the committee and Assembly took the bill up right away and that it could be passed in a timely fashion," Ballweg said.

The bill, if approved, would increase the maximum amount of Wisconsin higher-education grants from $2,500 to $3,000 in an attempt to help students most in need to afford a UW education.

Under current law, needy students who demonstrate extraordinary financial circumstances are eligible to receive a WHEG award from the state to help pay for tuition costs.

Brian Tanner, legislative affairs director of the systemwide United Council of UW Students, expressed his support for the bill's passage.

"It's a positive step to reverse a very dangerous trend in that we are losing students from families that make less than $46,000 a year," Tanner said, adding the university enrollment rate of these low-income students has decreased by 22 percent in the last 10 years.

Though a few representatives previously communicated concerns regarding the source of the additional funds, the increased award money will be taken from the money available from this past year's budget, Ballweg said.

Additionally, the increased grants of some students will not, as some legislators had worried, decrease the awards of others.

"All students will at least maintain and hopefully increase their funding a bit, but it's going to be most used for students who are currently at the $2,500 maximum," Ballweg said.

The UW System also supports the initiative and urges the governor to sign AB 895 into law.

"This increase is an important step toward helping Wisconsin students struggling to pay for a college education," UW System President Kevin Reilly said in a release.

Students' financial struggles are intensified as tuition continues to increase, but the system is considering other measures to make college more accessible to students of all backgrounds.

"There is a lot more we can do to help our students in the future. The UW System will be considering more big ideas about financial aid and student access at the Board of Regents meeting next month," Reilly said. "Providing access to every student who wants a college education, and is willing to work at it, is one of the UW System's top priorities."

The WHEG award increase will most likely be in effect by fall 2006.