WASHINGTON - University students brought their concerns over the proposed elimination of certain federal student aid programs to the attention of state legislators Tuesday - and to their office doorsteps.
The 22 students, representing all four undergraduate colleges at the New Brunswick campus in addition to Rutgers-Newark and Rutgers-Camden, and President Richard L. McCormick, held meetings with legislators on Capitol Hill throughout the day in support of preserving federal financial aid.
Lawmakers who met with the students included New Jersey Sen. Robert Menendez, Sen. Frank R. Lautenberg, Congressmen Rodney Frelinghuysen, Rush Holt, Frank LoBiondo, Mike Ferguson, Bill Pascrell, Donald Payne, Albio Sires, Robert Andrews, and New York Congresswoman Louise Slaughter.
"It's important that students realize how much of what they're paying to get an education is affected by the actions of their legislators," Rutgers College senior Dave Cole said. "This should be pursued as the number one issue for our generation. We're just one step in a larger movement, but hopefully we'll be able to hold Congress more accountable for their voting actions."
"We're speaking in large part as Rutgers students, but we're speaking for the students of the nation, because most students don't have the opportunity to do something like this," Rutgers College senior Sharo Atmeh said. "We know that they're trying to help us, but we want to express to them that this is a constituency that really exists, and that these programs cannot be cut."
The students' discussions with legislators focused on the proposed elimination of the federal low-interest Perkins Loan program and the Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant, under President Bush's proposed 2008 budget. The proposal also seeks to increase the maximum Pell Grant amount to $4,600.
"The elimination of those two programs would remove an essential service from the poorest students in the country," Atmeh said. "The proposed increase in the Pell Grant is great, but let's not take away two very valuable programs which serve the same community. Students simply cannot afford to take out a debt burden that is so high as to suffocate them economically for the rest of their lives."
After a discussion with the student representatives, Congressman Mike Ferguson described a pronounced lack of support among legislators for the proposed 2008 budget.
"We have a battle every year regarding funding for higher education," he said. "Now, when you're talking about the possible elimination of programs, that is a real threat. But fortunately the budget proposal that has been put forth by the administration does not have a great deal of support on the Hill. There's pretty strong bipartisan support for these programs, so I think it's highly unlikely that the proposal will ever become law on these particular items."
Ferguson added, "That doesn't mean you should take them for granted. That's why meetings like this are so important. They bring issues like this to life in a way that they weren't before."
Congressman Donald Payne emphasized the value of his meeting with the students. "It definitely helps my understanding of the situation on the issue to have them articulate," he said. "You can also see how bright our future is. Sometimes it is discouraging to read the stories about young people today, but then these kids show you there's more hope."
Payne also expressed his confidence that the two programs will remain. "I think we're going to be able to fight back against the proposed cuts to those two programs, especially because there is a new Congress," he said.
The group also held a meeting with Sen. Robert Menendez, who stressed his strong support for higher education funding. "I'm a fierce advocate for this," he said. "If it weren't for Pell, Perkins and the work-study program, I certainly wouldn't be a senator for New Jersey today. So I understand, not exactly [as a student today would], but in real-life terms, the importance of these programs and their funding."
Menendez acknowledged the competitive nature of federal funding allocation. "This is a critical investment in not just the individual student, but the nation and its competitive future," he said. "So our challenge is to get the appropriations necessary [for higher education] at a time in which the president continues to seek almost a blank check for the War in Iraq. There isn't unlimited funding, so we have to prioritize our values."
The senator added, "There are competing interests for dollars here. Veterans' healthcare needs, healthcare needs of parents, students, children, competition for research funding in national health institutes, transportation funding, homeland security … these are all competing issues."
Each student constituent described his or her financial aid experience to legislators, and all emphasized the fact that nearly half of the University's student body receives a total of over $190 million in federal financial aid, $27 million of which is in the form of Pell Grants and $134 million in federal student loans. More than 4,000 students at the University received Perkins Loans last year, while more than 2,000 students qualified for the SEOG.
Menendez expressed his party's dissatisfaction with the proposed program eliminations. "We believe that budgets are a reflection of our values, they are a reflection of what we believe we should make our investments in," he said. "The president's proposed budget as far as I'm concerned is dead on arrival. We have already passed our own version, and I believe the appropriations we put in for higher education would be far more robust than what is currently proposed."
Regarding the University students' advocacy, Menendez said, "They and other students across the state and the whole landscape of the nation need to raise their voices. I hope that this is a resurgence of a time in which students were at the forefront of change in this country."
"Sometimes there is a criticism of younger people that they don't understand the value of a dollar, but that's not true of the students that I've spoken to," Ferguson said. "These students are very, very aware of their financial situation. They are savvy, well-informed and mature. They understand full well the impact that these programs are having, and also recognize what their own responsibilities are."
Menendez said his party's budget plan seeks to preserve and increase funding for the higher education programs.
"We, under our budget, allow for the Pell Grant to be where it currently is, but we also call on appropriators to go beyond if they can find the funds to do so," he said. "We don't believe in pitting one [financial aid program] against another. It is not a choice, as far as I'm concerned, to marginally increase the amount of the Pell Grant and eliminate the other programs. The net result of that in my mind is that people are worse off, not better."
In addition, the students advocated for H.R. 1010, the Student Aid Reward Act. The bipartisan act, introduced Feb. 13, seeks to provide over $10 billion in scholarships and encourages more direct lending among higher education institutions.
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