Show Bush calls for drastic education budget cuts students affected by changes Jonathon Bonner Contributing Writer students could find themselves reaching deeper into their pockets to pay for tuition this year With enrollment on the rise the need for financial aid is increasing while federal funding is facing more cutbacks students depended on federal federal federal fed fed- eral Pell Grants to assi assist t in the rising costs of education during the 2004 05 year greater than third one-third of the colleges college's total enrollment President Bushs Bush's recently announced budget would cut 37 billion from current funding The proposed amount would provide provide provide pro pro- vide the Federal Education Department with billion for for discretionary spending spending spending spend spend- ing in the fiscal year beginning Oct 1 The 64 percent cuts would eliminate 42 educational educational educational edu edu- programs deemed inefficient or unnecessary Affected are high school programs promoting free drug-free schools technology resource parent-resource centers and the arts In higher education multiple scholarships are in jeopardy Bushs Bush's budget calls for an increase to the maximum Pell Scholarship by an increase of 25 percent The bump up does not account for inflation which according to the Consumer Price Index has risen 91 percent since 2000 The maximum maximum maximum maxi maxi- mum Pell available to students in 2006 07 is falling over 1000 short to the Presidents President's pledge of maximum Pell Grants during his run for office in 2000 In his fir first t run for office the President said he would continue to expand Pell Grants to make sure that people have an opportunity opportunity opportunity to start their career with a college diploma Low and middle-income middle students would be forced to pay thousands more in students stu- stu students students stu stu- dents loans under the plan as the current low fixed benefit rate for borrowers consolidating consolidating consolidating con con- their loans would be eliminated According to the Congressional Research Service this would amount to students students students stu stu- dents accumulating an average of in additional loan payments nearly 3 billion billion billion bil bil- bil- bil lion in total nationwide over the next ten years These taxes come at a time when tuition has increased by averages of 6 percent percent percent per per- cent at four year private schools 9 percent Education Cuts Cont on Page 8 I r- r rYN YN r Fr 1 r n f irr rs i N r rI r I jl 4 i l' l v i r J r fin finD D r j o oDI DI II D. D C c I co GI Education Cuts Cont Cant from front at two year public institutions institutions institutions and 11 II percent at four year public institutions The budget also eliminates eliminates eliminates nates the funding for GEAR UP Upward Bound and Talent Search programs forcing more than one million million million mil mil- lion disadvantaged and minority students to find alternative financial assis assis- tance Teachers military service members and law enforcement officers will also be affected as the plan calls to eliminate the Perkins Loan program Im a waitress I dont don't make much said student Amber Roedel This semester I dont don't have books The cost of looming budget budget budget bud bud- get cuts in education mean additional stress on students students students stu stu- stu- stu dents dependent on government government government govern govern- ment aid Without funding the option for many students students students stu stu- stu- stu dents to attend college becomes a staggering obstacle More than 70 percent percent percent per per- cent of students depend on financial aid including student loans tuition reimbursement and jobs on campus The cuts to education come as part of a trillion trillion trillion lion package sent to congress congress congress con con- gress Monday Feb 6 The plan outlines the White WhiteHouse's WhiteHouse's WhiteHouse's Houses House's intent on increased global economic President Bushs Bush's State of the Union Address Jan 31 stressed training for high school teachers in the advanced math and sciences sciences sciences additional foreign language courses and assistance assistance assistance assis assis- tance in math for middle school students |