A nearly 6.3 percent across-the-board reduction in state spending will increase to 25,000 the number of students who won’t receive a State Need Grant (SNG) this year, according to the Higher Education Coordinating Board.
A 6.3 percent reduction in the SNG program this academic year will add another 3,000 to the 22,000 estimated eligible students who won’t be served. Last academic year, more than 22,000 students who qualified for the SNG did not receive one. In 2007, only 1,600 who qualified for the SNG did not receive an award.
The SNG is the state’s largest financial assistance program, serving more than 73,000 students annually.
Over three successive fiscal years that began in 2009, the state has cut higher education operating budgets from nearly $3.7 billion to nearly $3.2 billion. The impacts have included larger class sizes, eliminated academic programs, loss of top faculty to other states, and reduced access to labs and other facilities for students.
A portion of the budget reductions were offset by 14 percent tuition increases authorized by the Legislature during the current and previous academic years.
Further budget cuts are likely for the current fiscal year (FY 2011), assuming the Legislature adopts a final supplemental budget early next year. Meanwhile, the HECB is reviewing institutional budget proposals for the next biennium, which begins July 1, 2011, and will make recommendations to the Legislature before the end of the year.
The community and technical college system funding has been reduced $127 million over the two-year period, and the latest 6.3 percent across-the-board cut brings the funding cuts to $167 million over the same period. That represents a 21 percent cut in state support, according to the SBCTC.
“In these tough economic times — with state revenue decreasing and the demand for help increasing — there is not enough financial support to help everyone who needs it,” said Don Bennett, executive director of the Higher Education Coordinating Board, which administers state financial aid programs.
