Search

ARCHIVES
CONTACT US
WORLD NEWS

Proposed federal budget cuts may hurt financial aid

University of Arizona officials objected to potential federal budget cuts to higher education, saying that the House proposal endangers grant money for college students and does not reflect the country's stable economy.

Federal funding for student financial aid could take a $99 million cut under a budget proposal approved by a U.S. House of Representatives subcommittee last week.

Higher education assistance could also see a $140 million decrease from last fiscal year, leaving some school-run programs with little or no funding.

John Nametz, the University of Arizona's director of financial aid, said the proposed budget cuts don't make sense.

"I don't think this is a year to cut education," Nametz said. "Here we have a year where, budget wise, the country is in good shape, and they're cutting education."

While maximum award amounts for Pell grants increased $150 - the highest maximum ever awarded - the program's total funding was cut by $84 million.

The Pell grant program is the largest federally-funded grant program for individual students.

In an issued statement, President Bill Clinton said he would veto the bill unless "substantial revisions" were made.

"This bill is unacceptable," Clinton stated. "Our nation's children deserve much more."

In order to fund the appropriations in the bill, Congress would have to "forward fund" money from future budgets. Forward funding is a budget gimmick Congress uses to remain within budget caps while still providing sufficient funds for federally-assisted programs.

"This is not a time to forward funds," Nametz said. "It's not a good sign when they're forwarding money. (But) if that's what it takes to get the money to students... I agree with it."

Without the use of the funding tactic, another $15 billion would be cut from the higher education budget.

This week, the Associated Students of the University of Arizona encouraged students to contact their congressmen and express their feelings about the bill.

"It's important that everyone gets a higher education," ASUA President Cisco Aguilar said. "Once they get a higher education, they can contribute to society."

Nametz said ASUA's commitment to higher education is "laudable."

"If anything is going to make a difference, it's stuff like this," he said. "It wasn't just saying we don't like something. They did something about it."

The bill must still pass the full House and Senate before going into effect. A final draft may not be approved until mid-November.