Members of the University community reacted to President Bush’s proposed budget with mixed feelings. The budget suggests the elimination of 48 educational programs, including the Perkins Loan Program, but increases the maximum amount a student can receive in Pell Grants by $100.
In the proposal, funds for the federal Department of Education were cut by about half a billion dollars, or approximately 1 percent. If passed, it would represent the first cut in overall education spending by the federal government in a decade, according to The Washington Post.
Programs like Upward Bound, Talent Search, GEAR UP and LEAP have, reportedly, found themselves on the budgetary chopping block.
However, sources stressed that it’s still too early in the process to get a definitive idea of what the final budget will look like.
“The budget that congress will finish with won’t resemble the budget that the president submitted,” said Andy Clark, senior associate director for federal affairs at the Oregon University System.
Clark said the State Board hasn’t taken up any formal consideration of budget items yet, but that it will be paying close attention to what’s happening on the federal level.
The White House is planning on four more annual increases to Pell Grants to bring the total award per student to $4,550.
Increases to Pell Grants will be beneficial to low-income students, said Elizabeth Bickford, director of Student Financial Aid. She sees both positive and negative points in the budget.
“We’re always in support of the needy students receiving more grant money,” Bickford said.
“(The Perkins Program) has me a little worried; it’s the one I’m keeping my eye on,” she said.
A Perkins loan is a mix of federal and institutional dollars.
“A certain amount of the federal share that we’ve been receiving over time may go back to the federal government, which reduces the amount of money that we can lend out to students,” Bickford said.
Research activities also depend on federal dollars.
“Federal investment in academic research has been critical from World War II to the present,” said Richard Linton, vice president for research and graduate studies. “About 85 percent of our (research) grants are federal in origin.”
Linton added that the budget, which the White House described as a “pause” in research funding increases, had a 2 percent overall gain in items related to research. The National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health and the federal Department of Education have the most impact on research money.
“Considering the federal deficit, I’m worried that it’s more of a halt than a pause,” Linton said. “Research is key to U.S. competitiveness in the global economy. All of this is a major ongoing concern.”
Research dollars could also impact graduate studies.
“Many of those grants include research assistantships and teaching fellowships. If those budgets are flat or decline, we’re going to have more trouble supporting our graduate students,” Linton said.
The U.S. Student Association, a national lobbyist group comprised of students, will help represent the interests of University students.
Ashley Rees, ASUO federal affairs coordinator and representative
to USSA, said that overall, she isn’t happy with the budget.
“The budget doesn’t prioritize higher education,” said Rees, who didn’t feel the Pell Grant increase was worth the tradeoff in terminated programs.
“One in three of (the program cuts) are education-related,” she added.
USSA will be lobbying in Congress over spring break to encourage student-friendly changes to the budget.
Rees said she believes senators and representatives are supportive of USSA.
“I’m confident that they at least support our goal of increasing access,” she said.
Clark said the program cuts will bolster opposition or support for those programs.
“This year I believe that Congress will get to the re-authorization of the Higher Education Act,” Clark said. “(The president is) sending a message to the authorizing committees that these are programs that he doesn’t want to see in the reauthorization. He’s created groups to fight for the things they care about.”