Politics & Government

Sequester Could Hit College Grants And Work Study Programs

Missouri Baptist University says it will be forced to "guess" about federal aid levels even as award letters go out to students in early March.

Congressional lawmakers are meeting with President Obama Friday, but there's little reason to expect an agreement that will immediately delay mandated federal spending cuts which were due to take effect March 1.

College administrators are bracing for what the cuts would mean for higher education. According to data calculated by the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, Missouri Baptist University is projected to lose just over $9,000 in Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant or SEOG funding, and $13,323 in Work Study funding. The cuts would take effect in July.

The school reported that in 2011-2012, 154 students received the SEOG funds and 92 students participated in Federal Work Study. Terry Dale Cruse, Missouri Baptist's Vice President for Enrollment Services, pointed out that not all students will lose funding as a result of the sequester.

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But he added that it comes at a difficult time for schools, as financial aid award letters go out in early March, essentially forcing institutions to guess about funding levels. Students then won't know until August 1 what kind of financial aid they're set to receive for a semester that starts just a few weeks letter, something Cruse called "unacceptable."

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"The White House is sending mixed messages," he said. "Educate more people, expand access, yet we're cutting student aid programs." Cruse said cutting those funding streams would make the net cost of attending college, something else measured by the federal government, more expensive.

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