Greensboro, N.C.
Students react to changes to financial aid
Lisa Meagher
Staff Writer
A 7" e re b e ' n 9 punished for having
V V good grades," said junior Heidi
Kessler.
On March 29 eight students opposed to
the merit-based financial cut for next semes
ter met in the lobby of Founders hall. They
discussed ideas for a fair and just agreement
on the issue.
Of the eight
students who
attended the
meeting, there
were off and on
campus stu
dents, all of
whom shared
suggestions
and information
as to how they
can propose
either a meeting
-f m ij
or panel discussion
to explain the poli
cy.
"The language
(of the policy) was unclear, as it was report
ed in The Guilfordian," said off-campus junior
Julie Sloane.
In an e-mail, Vice President for Enrollment
and Campus Life Randy Doss attempted to
clarify any confusion due to language or
other logistical concerns after getting student
responses and concerns.
"Since there were student questions, we
needed to clarify changes approved by the
Budget Committee" said Doss. "So in one
sense, it was a response to student ques
tions, although no additional changes have
been made."
The policy gives a brief overview of the
financial aid awarded to students, how the
policy affects current on and off-campus stu
dents, and the "myths and facts" of any
rumors or gossip circulating in terms of the
financial aid change.
The revised policy states, "Currently
enrolled off-campus students will not be
affected."
The policy also states, "Currently enrolled
on-campus students who want to move off
campus will be affected."
"It's the only aid (the administration) can
(JUILFORDIAN
Volume 91, Issue 24
www.guilfordian.com
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WWW.GUILFORD.EDU l"ieW policy,
Above: Sloane implemented
Below: Doss (L) and Gurley (R) by the Office
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Enrollment and Campus Life, will not affect
Bonner or need-based scholarships.
Sloane, who announced and organized
the meeting, shared ideas as to who and
how they could change the policy and make
their statement heard.
"Although I'm not affected by this new pol
icy, I know it's just completely chance," said
Sloane. "Had I moved off campus one
semester later than I did, I would no longer
be able to attend Guilford."
Some students find it is cheaper to live off
campus. A letter sent to the students' home
addresses notifying raised tuition for 2005
increased concern about the affordability of
living on campus as opposed to off.
"I'm sure there are a lot of other people in
the same situation as me who can't afford
to live on campus anymore, but as a result
of this aid cut can probably not afford to live
off campus either" said Sloane.
"I feel like they are using our scholarships
as leverage to manipulate students to do
whatever they want since they know we
depend on that money" said Vandenbelt,
who receives the merit-based honors schol
arship.
"You can't halfway sneak it in" said
Vandenbelt. "This residence requirement
was not an original stipulation on our schol
arships."
When asked about the prospective stu
dents and the underclassmen who still plan
to move off campus, Associate Dean of
Enrollment Anthony Gurley said via e-mail,
"I don't think this is (or) will be a major
issue."
"As a matter of practice, when the issue
of merit scholarships has been discussed
during pre-enrollment conversations, their
renewal based on specific academic
requirements was covered without any
mention of residential expectations," Gurley
said.
control" said
sophomore
Leah
Vandenbelt,
on the issue
of cutting the
merit-based
scholarships
25 percent
to live off
campus.
When the
fall 2005
semester
begins,
merit-based
scholarship
aid will be
cut 25 per
cent to those
students
wishing to
live off cam
pus. The
Although the off-campus students are
grandfathered into the new policy, ther£ is
concern for the on-campus students who
are now subject to a different policy as to
which they were not before.
"Now that we have codified a policy
regarding this, admission and financial aid
will have to be sure to cover this aspect of
the merit awards when they are discussed
for future students ... In this case what we
had was a practice that had never been
codified into a policy. Upon review of the
practice, we made the decision to codify a
new policy," Gurley said.
For the on-campus, merit-based students
who chose Guilford due to the financial aid,
the new policy can pose a problem paying
for tuition next semester. The new policy
can also affect incoming freshman making a
decision to attend Guilford.
"The administration needs to take into
consideration that this may force good stu
dents into dropping out or transferring
because they can't afford to pay that extra
25 percent," Sloane said.
"I hope there will be minimal impact here,"
Gurley said via e-mail. "I don't think the poli
cy will have any effect on need-based aid
recipients' making the decision to come to
Guilford or not."
"Need base doesn't cover everyone who
needs it" said Kessler, who also lives off
campus.
"This puts students who are high achiev
ers in a really unfair position, especially
since many students work hard to receive
Continued on Page 5
April 8, 2005
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