ASSOU's Blog : Students Win Grant Aid
Students Win Grant Aid
January 23, 2008
Written by ASSOU President, Monique Teal
It was two years ago when the Associated Students of SOU (ASSOU) and the Oregon Student Association (OSA) first decided to prioritize statewide need-based aid. Our vision was realized this academic year when Governor Kulongoski flanked by Senator Bates, Representative Esquival and Representative Buckley, formally announced the new Shared Responsibility Model (SRM). The SRM will expand Oregon's only need based aid program, the Oregon Opportunity Grant (OOG), and for the first time ever allow middle-income Oregonians a greater access to need-based aid by increasing the income eligibility limits from $31,000/ year for a family of four to $70,000.
This program is truly exciting for low-income, students of color and first generation students, who are traditionally adverse to debt. By increasing grant aid to these students and lowering the amount of loans they will have to take, we can get even more underrepresented students into post-secondary education. This is extremely important for Southern Oregon University because currently a third of our population is recognized as low-income by federal standards and this new money will allow for more of the students that SOU serves to be able to attain their education.
It is expected that over 33,000 Oregon students will qualify for grants next year. That's an increase of about 6,000 new students. Higher enrollment would mean a more stable funding situation for SOU in the future. The investment by the legislature doubled funding for the OOG to $72 million for fall 2008. That's up from $34 million in ‘07 and $21 million in ‘05. The average amount of the grant will increase significantly for most students, doubling in some cases.
This new program is one of the finest examples of how student involvement in the legislative process can make great change. Most students don't realize that last year ASSOU in association with OSA, coalitioned around funding for post-secondary education, need-based aid, access programs and a myriad of other issues affecting quality in education. We won the first significant reinvestment in post-secondary education in 10 years. It was because students decided it was time for our voices, our concerns, and our opinions to be heard. So, we turned out to vote in record numbers, we lobbied daily during session, we called in weekly, we wrote our letters and we made our presence known throughout the state.
Every student who signed a postcard, told their story, talked to their legislator, or supported a friend organizing those efforts made a huge impact on the lives of current and future students in Oregon. It is because of those students working diligently that postsecondary education in Oregon became a priority.
However, students aren't done. The conversations around post-secondary education are already in the vein of "they got everything they needed last session." Students know this isn't true. We know this because we have rain dripping on our textbooks in class, because we are still choosing classes based on the cost of textbooks, because parents are dropping out of school due to rising childcare costs. It is clear that our work is not done. We don't have the luxury of resting during the interim. It is important that we continue doing the work that will position us strongly for the 2009 session. We need to vote. We need to talk about what is important to us. We need to hold our elected officials accountable. Students must be strong and united because the 2007 session proved that that is how we affect real change.
We have the privilege of seeing what has and hasn't worked in the past. I look forward to seeing what future students are able to accomplish for Oregon. Based on what I've seen, the sky's the limit.
