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Legislation could benefit students financially
Vanessa Johnson
Issue date: 2/20/08 Section: News
Sacramento State may be forced to spend a minimum amount on education based on past spending due to a new legislation that is being considered by the U.S. Congress.
The new legislation requires that all the state's higher public education spends either the same amount or above the average amount of money it spent the previous year.
The proposal for the College Opportunity and Affordability Act has been underway for five years and was recently passed through the House of Representatives on Feb. 7. It is now being considered by the Senate.
This act could affect undergraduate studies the most.
A Pell grant is a program where money is given by the state to students who are in need of that money; about $5,800 to $900 is available in a Pell Grant. Unlike loans, they do not have to be repaid.
If this idea is not realized, schools like Sac State will lose money that they receive from the Pell Grant programs.
Because the legislation is not finalized yet, some campuses of the California State University system have not taken a position, said George Conant, legislative director for the CSU office of Federal Relations.
"CSUs have put a $313 million cut into approved budgets. We have not yet taken a position," Conant said.
Usually only one Pell Grant could be received per year at a university, but with this new legislation, students will be able to receive another one.
"It will increase the amount they get in a year, which will enable them to get out of classes faster and graduate," Conant said.
Some students, like sophomore kinesiology major Danielle Leahy, said the act can be seen in a positive light.
"If it is giving me a chance to receive more money, then I definitely can put my support into it," Leahy said.
Sophomore psychology major Kristen Fenter said the act may not be productive.
"Students change their major so often that it doesn't really matter how fast you go through college. Most students don't even attend summer school," Fenter said.
Because this is national legislation that has not been finalized as of now, many people are unaware of it.
Media Relations Specialist of CSU Public Affairs Paul Browning said he sees the act as promising.
"We strongly support it, although we have taken no formal position on the matter," Browning said.
Joseph Sheley, Sac State provost and vice president for Academic Affairs, declined to comment.
Ed Mills, associate vice president for Enrollment Management of Student Affairs, was unavailable for comment.
Giving Sac State a chance to receive money that it met the previous year will enable Sac State and other CSUs to cut fees in half, making it more affordable to attend college, Conant said.
This bill makes it a requirement to lower the cost of textbooks by requiring publishers to include the cost of the books when they sell them to bookstores.
Junior business major Monica Martinez sees this part of the bill as one of the most essential aspects.
"Books this semester for my classes were ridiculous," said Martinez. "I had to pay about $500."
This legislation must go through the approval of the Senate before both the House and the Senate send this proposal to the president. The president will make the final decision.
Vanessa Johnson can be reached at vjohnson@statehornet.com.
The new legislation requires that all the state's higher public education spends either the same amount or above the average amount of money it spent the previous year.
The proposal for the College Opportunity and Affordability Act has been underway for five years and was recently passed through the House of Representatives on Feb. 7. It is now being considered by the Senate.
This act could affect undergraduate studies the most.
A Pell grant is a program where money is given by the state to students who are in need of that money; about $5,800 to $900 is available in a Pell Grant. Unlike loans, they do not have to be repaid.
If this idea is not realized, schools like Sac State will lose money that they receive from the Pell Grant programs.
Because the legislation is not finalized yet, some campuses of the California State University system have not taken a position, said George Conant, legislative director for the CSU office of Federal Relations.
"CSUs have put a $313 million cut into approved budgets. We have not yet taken a position," Conant said.
Usually only one Pell Grant could be received per year at a university, but with this new legislation, students will be able to receive another one.
"It will increase the amount they get in a year, which will enable them to get out of classes faster and graduate," Conant said.
Some students, like sophomore kinesiology major Danielle Leahy, said the act can be seen in a positive light.
"If it is giving me a chance to receive more money, then I definitely can put my support into it," Leahy said.
Sophomore psychology major Kristen Fenter said the act may not be productive.
"Students change their major so often that it doesn't really matter how fast you go through college. Most students don't even attend summer school," Fenter said.
Because this is national legislation that has not been finalized as of now, many people are unaware of it.
Media Relations Specialist of CSU Public Affairs Paul Browning said he sees the act as promising.
"We strongly support it, although we have taken no formal position on the matter," Browning said.
Joseph Sheley, Sac State provost and vice president for Academic Affairs, declined to comment.
Ed Mills, associate vice president for Enrollment Management of Student Affairs, was unavailable for comment.
Giving Sac State a chance to receive money that it met the previous year will enable Sac State and other CSUs to cut fees in half, making it more affordable to attend college, Conant said.
This bill makes it a requirement to lower the cost of textbooks by requiring publishers to include the cost of the books when they sell them to bookstores.
Junior business major Monica Martinez sees this part of the bill as one of the most essential aspects.
"Books this semester for my classes were ridiculous," said Martinez. "I had to pay about $500."
This legislation must go through the approval of the Senate before both the House and the Senate send this proposal to the president. The president will make the final decision.
Vanessa Johnson can be reached at vjohnson@statehornet.com.
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