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Oles to meet with state legislators on financial aid funding

Steve Blodgett
March 5, 2010

On Thursday, March 18 a group of St. Olaf students and interested others will travel to St. Paul to meet with state legislators during the 2010 Day at the Capitol.

Organized by the Minnesota Private Colleges Council (MPCC), the St. Olaf contingent will join counterparts from Hamline University, St. Catherine University, and the University of St. Thomas in discussions with members of the House of Representatives and Senate on the importance of the Minnesota State Grant program to students and their families.

This year, more than 84,000 students benefited from the State Grant program, most coming from households where the family earns less than $50,000 a year (photo by Carol Highsmith/Cass Gilbert Society).

The State Grant program makes higher education accessible to low and middle income students. This year, more than 84,000 students benefited from the program, most coming from households where the family earns below $50,000 a year. Across the state, nearly 1 out of every 3 Minnesota undergraduates received need-based aid through the program.

While two-thirds of grant recipients attend a public college or university, the program also impacts the state’s private colleges and their students. This academic year, nearly 500 St. Olaf students received a total of $1.8 million in aid from the State Grant program.

During this legislative session, the state must deal with a $1.2 billion deficit. At the same time, the State Grant program faces a $42 million shortfall for the biennium ending June 2011 due to increased demand on the program. The Governor’s recent budget proposal targets an additional $2.3 million reduction in state funding. Altogether, these projected shortfalls and proposed budget cuts will necessitate sharp reductions in the number of students receiving aid and the amount of their awards.

Unless something is done, projections are that the program will have 27 percent less funding than what is needed, with the corresponding possibility of 10,000 students falling off the program books and the average grant being decreased by 17 percent. If the current estimated shortfall is not addressed, about 60 St. Olaf students will lose their eligibility for the State Grant, and other St. Olaf recipients will experience an average $800 reduction in their award. To offset the impact on St. Olaf students, the college will be forced to find an additional $450,000 in institutionally funded financial aid from its operating budget. At most other colleges and universities in the state the loss in State Grant dollars will be felt directly by students and their families.

The full-day event on March 18 involves a briefing on the State Grant program by MPCC staff and a luncheon with legislative leaders, after which St. Olaf students will meet one-on-one or in small groups with legislators representing their home districts. Transportation is being organized by the St. Olaf Student Government Association at no cost to participants.

Further information on Day at the Capitol is available on the MPCC Web site.

Participating students must register online in advance and notify SGA President Taylor Brorby by email (brorby@stolaf.edu) to ensure adequate transportation for all who are interested in attending.

Contact Steve Blodgett at 507-786-3316 or blodgett@stolaf.edu.