Pubdate: Wed, 02 Feb 2005
Source: Daily Egyptian (IL Edu)
Copyright: 2005 Daily Egyptian
Contact:  http://www.dailyegyptian.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/779
Author: Andrea Zimmermann

COMMITTEE ASKS CONGRESS TO SIMPLIFY FINANCIAL AID SYSTEM

Students could see a slimmer federal financial aid process if Congress
approves the recommendations of a higher education committee,
including one that would eliminate questions about students' drug histories.

A congressionally appointed committee called on Congress and the
Secretary of Education last week to simplify the entire financial aid
system, as well as eliminate questions it deemed irrelevant on the
applications.

As part of the ongoing reauthorization of the Higher Education Act,
which has been untouched for nearly a decade, the committee produced a
one-year report that revealed the nation's shortcomings in financial
aid. The report included 10 recommendations, eight of which would not
require any additional money to implement.

The committee asked Congress to consider eliminating needless
questions about drug convictions and selective service, which have
been used to disqualify otherwise eligible applicants.

"These questions add complexity to the form and can deter some
students from applying for financial aid," the report stated. "By
eliminating irrelevant questions from the form, Congress can extend
the benefits of simplification to applicants at all income levels and
reduce the total number of data elements."

Tom Angell, spokesman for the Students for Sensible Drug Policy, said
the question about prior drug convictions has stopped more than
170,000 students from receiving financial aid. Since it was organized
in 1999, Angell said his organization has been fighting to remove the
question. Angell said at the time, the question was slipped into the
larger Higher Education Act of 1998 and was justified as a way to help
reduce the nation's drug problem.

"It remains to be seen whether the Congress is going to follow the
committee it has appointed," Angell said. "We really think Congress
should act immediately to remove roadblocks to education because
closing the doors to education is not going to help solve our nation's
drug problems. It is only going to make them worse."

Richard Stuedel, assistant director of financial aid at SIUC, said
while 170,000 is a large number, it is probably much higher because
many students probably see that question and then never complete the
form.

"On the financial aid application, we collect a lot of information
that is not related to financial aid," Stuedel said. "Applying for
financial aid is really much more than just being eligible for
financial aid because of all the other things that the government
wants you to do."

According to the report, the complex financial aid application system
can create unnecessary barriers that would stop students, especially
low- and middle-income students from gaining access to college.

"This suggests that a small additional investment in simplification
might improve college enrollment and completion," the report stated.

Stuedel said the current financial aid forms can take applicants up to
an hour to fill out because of the complex questions.

The committee also recommended that Congress create new legislation
for a public-private partnership through federal matching or incentive
grants to states and institutions that form partnerships that would
promote simplicity and access.

President Bush announced earlier this month that he wanted to increase
the Pell Grant awards by $100 each year until 2010. Also, the Illinois
Board of Higher Education is asking the state Legislature to increase
state financial assistance.

About 70 percent of all SIUC students receive financial aid of some
kind, and Donna Williams, the interim director for financial aid, said
the recommendations could increase such a number.

"I'm not sure what will come out of the effort they are trying to
make," Williams said. "Unfortunately, I think the dollars they are
talking about are probably too small."

Although more money could be on the horizon for many students,
Williams said according to data received from the Illinois Student Aid
Commission, the University will receive either the same or less money
than it had this year.

"We are not keeping pace," Williams said.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Derek