Recent changes to federal financial aid policies have affected a large section of the student body, especially those who were not working towards a specific degree or certificate, a college official said.
“Some students had been on financial aid for a very long time without completing any program,” Hortense Cooper, director of the financial aid department, said. “With the changes, students and the institution are held more accountable for receiving federal dollars.”
Cooper said that as part of re-authorization of funds to higher education by congress, important changes in financial aid were put into place in July.

She said that one of the major changes in the program was the number of years a student could be eligible to receive a Pell Grant, which was the largest federal grant available for students.
“The lifetime eligibility of Pell Grant was reduced to twelve semesters or four to six years maximum eligibility,” she said.
Pell Grant eligibility used to be for 18 semesters or about nine years prior to the changes, she said.

Cooper said another change in the federal financial aid program is the requirement to have a high school diploma or its equivalent to be eligible to receive financial aid. In the past, as long as a financial aid applicant passed the ability–to-benefit test, the student could receive financial aid.
“The main concern with the diploma was to be sure that students who will really be working towards a degree will receive it,” she added.
Two students had opposing opinions on the issue.

Crystalyn Redd, 23, child development major, said that if students do not have the means to cover their educational expenses, it would be harder for them to pass their classes. She also said that some students have personal reasons why they had to take some time to finish their education but that those years helped them build maturity.

On the other side of the issue, Juan Carlos Valdovinos, 30, psychology major, said that these changes were good reinforcements so that students can have the guidance and motivation to move forward with their education.

“Some (students) just get money and stay here forever but these changes will help us stay on track,” he said.

Cooper said that many students had read about these changes but didn’t really understand how they affected them. She added that some students just did not read the information at all.

“Students need to understand these regulations that may affect them,” Cooper said. “It should not be ‘how much I am getting and when am I getting it’ mentality anymore.”