How Trump’s proposed Pell Grant cuts could affect Lee students
Donald Trump speaks with supporters at a campaign rally in Prescott Valley, Arizona on October 4, 2016.
Photo by Gage Skidmore
According to President Trump’s 2018 Budget proposal, the Pell Grant will be reduced by $3.9 billion amid other education funding cuts that could significantly impact current and prospective Lee University students.
During the 2015-2016 school year, $28.2 billion was expended by the government on the Pell Grant, with 7.6 million students receiving it, according to the CollegeBoard website.
A recent USA Today article calculated that students of families earning below $40,000 annually are eligible for the grant, and students with lower family incomes have higher priority for the financial aid.
Senior public relations student Julia Emerson expressed her concern, since the Pell Grant has been an invaluable tool permitting her and her siblings the ability to advance their education.
“The Pell Grant is what actually was able to allow me to come to Lee,” Emerson said.
How could these changes affect the students of Lee University? Marian Dill, Director of Financial Aid, said that approximately 1/3 of Lee students currently meet the criteria for receiving the Pell Grant.
Junior elementary and special education major Anna Beth Jones is also alarmed by the potential grant cut. If the grant were to be reduced prior to the completion of her degree, she would not be able to stay at Lee.
“If they get cut, then I could see a lot of students like me being unable to afford going to schools,” Jones said.
As someone going into the field of special education, Jones is also concerned that the current administration’s push in school choice could have a negative impact on children with special needs that require specific programs to succeed.
“They’re cutting funding to schools that have programs that are being really beneficial to those children, that they’re not going to be able to be served at some of these other schools," Jones said.
Despite the negative critiques of the Trump administration’s proposal, Lee’s Director of Financial Aid brought a potentially positive outcome to surface.
“Another key consideration for the Pell Grant Program is year-round Pell, which could benefit Lee students,” Dill said. “If approved, Pell-eligible students would be able to receive additional funding during the summer semester.”
Emerson said that additional funds during the summer would be helpful, but if the aid is only distributed differently each year, there would not be a large change. She explained how the current grant distribution has functioned annually for her during her time at Lee.
“You only receive Pell Grant money for fall and for winter and if you have any leftover then you can use that for summer,” Emerson said.
Jones does not believe that this budget will be voted through, but she thinks it could be detrimental if it were to happen. Upon being asked what advice she would give those considering this budget, she said she wants them to better understand the need that this financial aid meets.
“I would mostly want to tell them not to discount the schools that don’t appear to be doing as well and not to discount students that really need extra help whether its Pell Grants or extra resources at a lower level,” Jones said.
While the fate of the 2018 Trump administration budget is still unknown, the Lee University administration has committed to remain aware of the financial aid implications.
“The administration is monitoring the situation and will work to mitigate any potential impact on students,” Dill said.
News Editor Kimberly Sebring contributed to this story.
