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Continuing troubles for MAP Grants, particularly at community colleges and the privates

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Illinois

* AP…

A survey of Illinois colleges shows nearly half of those responding say they won’t front income-based state grants for students this spring.

The Illinois Student Assistance Commission heard from 84 of 133 colleges and universities approved for the Monetary Award Program. MAP provided $373 million last school year but nothing since summer because of the stalemate over a government budget.

Many schools credited students’ accounts for MAP grants last fall - the state typically reimburses the grants by December. But many schools say they can’t pay that money upfront again.

Among respondents, 41 schools say they won’t provide money this spring. Another dozen have yet to decide.

* OK, but that’s not the whole story. From the survey…

Nearly half (49%) of institutions that responded (41 of 84 schools) indicated they do not plan to credit MAP grants to student accounts for second term , and 14 percent of respondents indicated they are undecided with regard to whether they will credit MAP grants for second term. The remaining 37 percent of respondents plan to credit MAP grants to student accounts for the second term.

In comparison, 42 percent of respondents (34 of 81 schools) indicated they did not credit MAP grants to student accounts for first term, and 58 percent indicated they credited MAP grants first term.

So, the number has risen from 42 percent to 49 percent. Significant, to be sure, and 49 percent is a lot, but that story is a tiny bit misleading.

* Also from the survey…

All six of the public university respondents reported they plan to credit MAP grants for second term, compared to 21 percent of community college respondents, and 35 percent of private institution respondents. Seventy - five percent of community college respondents and 41 percent of private institution respondents do not plan on crediting MAP grants for second term. Another 24 percent of private institution respondents reported they are undecided on what they will do about MAP grants for second term.

The 37 percent of respondents that indicated they plan on crediting MAP grants for second term include 6 community college respondents, all 6 public university respondents, and 13 private institution respondents. […]

The 14 percent of respondents that indicated they are undecided as to whether they will credit MAP grants to student accounts for second term include 1 community college respondent and 9 private institution respondents (of those that identified their sector). […]

The 49 percent of respondents that indicated they do not plan on crediting MAP grants for second term include 21 community college respondents, 15 private institution respondents, and no public university respondents.

More here.

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 1:19 pm

Comments

College isn’t for everybody. Illinois needs ditch-diggers too.

Comment by 47th Ward Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 1:30 pm
On at least a weekly basis, I’m reminded that I was very lucky to have attended a public research university when I did.

– MrJM

Comment by @MisterJayEm Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 1:30 pm
Couldn’t find it on their site, but it would be nice to see a list of all the schools by name who responded and how they plan to deal with MAP into the future. This goes beyond the current students, and might get more alumni and others involved if they knew who was who.

Comment by Anon221 Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 1:34 pm
===it would be nice to see a list of all the schools by name who responded===

Yes, except nobody would have replied to the survey (or answered honestly) unless they were promised strict confidentiality.

Comment by 47th Ward Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 1:36 pm
True 47th, however, it’s going to come out eventually, and the new/returning to school students would benefit from a “clearinghouse”, so to speak. If nothing else, hyperlink each of the colleges to their homesite on this site-

https://www.isac.org/students/during-college/types-of-financial-aid/grants/monetary-award-program/1617-approved-schools-for-the-map-program.html

That wouldn’t be too hard to do.

Comment by Anon221 Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 1:44 pm
It would be nice for state universities and colleges to receive some attention for the cuts and lack of funding. They are hurting.

Comment by 360 Degree TurnAround Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 1:44 pm
If a school loses a student because of the MAP crisis, it doesn’t just lose the MAP money. More likely than not, the student also receives a Pell grant, and probably borrows money to pay some additional tuition. And when a school loses a freshman, it loses that revenue for the next three years too.

None of these schools wants to freak out its students and start and run for the exit doors. And don’t kid yourself, the publics can’t enroll, and in many cases don’t want to enroll, more MAP dependent students.

This is a slow motion train wreck and there are seniors in high school that have already been hit hard because of the state’s ineptitude. Lucky for them, they just don’t know it yet. Ignorance is bliss.

Comment by 47th Ward Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 1:50 pm
Mike Madigan and the colleges and universities he controls.

Comment by hockey fan Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 1:52 pm
47 is on it. Well said!

Comment by Norseman Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 1:55 pm
47, thanks for the long-term perspective.

Are the kids who can’t cover the MAPs short right now going to get tossed out of dorms, lose meal plans, be dropped from classes, etc?

Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 2:06 pm
===Are the kids who can’t cover the MAPs short right now going to get tossed out of dorms, lose meal plans, be dropped from classes, etc?===

I’d expect the different schools will handle this on a case-by-case basis and do what they can to keep these students. But the student is going to get a bill for the missing MAP money. Some will be able to borrow more to pay it, some won’t.

When I was in school, if you owed money you couldn’t register for classes until it was paid. Some schools will do it that way. Other schools will increase their financial aid to the affected students they want to keep. Generally speaking, those would be high-performing students, students close to graduation, etc.

Not every student is going to be able to stay in school though. That much is clear.

Comment by 47th Ward Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 2:14 pm
Good info, but would have had much more impact accompanied by enrollment numbers. Does a respondent represent 500 students? 2500 students?

Another impact if a student isnt enrolled for adequate credit hours is, i think that triggers required payments on federal
loans. Long term damage and disruption

Comment by Langhorne Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 2:15 pm
These are interest free loans contingent on State funding. What are the chances funding does not come through or is inadequate?

Comment by thechampaignlife Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 2:22 pm
http://www.news-gazette.com/news/local/2016-01-06/some-area-colleges-not-covering-map-grant-cost-spring-semester.html

http://money.cnn.com/2015/12/31/pf/college/illinois-budget-college-grants/

Comment by Anon221 Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 2:23 pm
Good info. Greater impact if accompanied by enrollment info. Does a respondent speak for 500 students or 2500?

Another impact is that if a student drops out, or doesnt register for enough hours, that may trigger required federal loan
payments. Long term damage and disruption.

Comment by Langhorne Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 2:25 pm
Sorry for the double post

Comment by Langhorne Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 2:26 pm
https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2016/01/07/universities-left-footing-bill-budget-crisis-looms-illinois

Comment by 47th Ward Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 2:51 pm
Yet another example of “hostages” being taken and those impacted being asked to suffer “short term pain” for the long term benefits of the Turn Around Agenda. Still have trouble seeing the up side to this entire scenario.

Comment by illini Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 2:55 pm
Most student loans begin repayment schedules sometime after the students’ enrollment ceases, whether through graduation or other reasons. This based on employment assumed after leaving college. Those students who cannot graduate because they can no longer afford school will be in line for lower paying jobs, making repayment even more difficult for them. The domino effect is money tied up in student loan repayment cannot be used for buying a house or a car or even starting a family. Also, these situations reduce both income and property tax revenues. Let’s keep digging this hole until we can climb out of it, in China right?

Comment by My New Handle Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 3:09 pm
the US is importng doctors from countries with free education; it is also both importing engineers/programmers and exporting that work again mostly to countries wit free education. in other wrods we are paying other countries citizens to provide us high pay workers because we are not educating enough of our own. we need to cut education costs and provide better funding or lose out slowly. death by a thousand small job cuts. we are becoming more unskilled workers every day

Comment by Ghost Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 3:12 pm
At some of the regionals nearly a third of the students have been MAP grant recipients.

Summary of MAP Grant Awards and Payout by Institution, FY2010 to FY2014
https://www.isac.org/dotAsset/f8c4bbcc-6aea-42b0-8dd7-97a2dc5d05b4.pdf

Comment by Joe M Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 3:14 pm
I think Rauner is holding federal money that he was supposed to pass through to the colleges. I heard if that money is not used by a certain time, the grant expires and the money goes back. Is that accurate? How long does this go on before the money is lost?

Comment by DuPage Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 3:30 pm
Actually it looks like as many as 60 percent at small private schools like Monmouth get them While it is about half at WIU. If the privates have massive enrollment collapses they are done. Even if they are and the enrollment challenged publics like EIU ,SIUC and WIU get them all it still doesn’t solve the long term decline. With so much student debt surveys show we may be heading back to a lower percent going to college as well as a general decline in college age population especially in the Midwest. I think our public universities can survive the budget crisis. Long term I don’t know. Short term I have doubts about some of the small privates. Mr JM said it though………..but it is sad when its lucky to have happened in the past.

Comment by Broke University Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 3:34 pm
I think community colleges operations are supposed to be funded 1/3 by the state, 1/3 by property taxes, and 1/3 by tuition while the UI gets only about 11-12% of its operating budget from state appropriations. If so, the loss of state funds is obviously far more devastating to community colleges.

Comment by CapnCrunch Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 3:49 pm
Let’s just say I have a sibling who will be heading to college for engineering soon, and for the primary reason that all this crap is happening, we’ve successfully convinced him to go out of state. The situation in IL is much too unstable.

Comment by Sick & Tired Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 3:57 pm
@CapnCrunch 3:49 =funded 1/3 by the state, 1/3 by property taxes, and 1/3 by tuition.=

That’s how it was originally envisioned, but state funding has shrunk a lot over the years, and has been a year behind in payments. This year of the Rauner non-budget, there has been no payments from the state at all.

Comment by DuPage Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 4:06 pm
The lack of funding for higher ed in Illinois will only result in Illinois moving up from the second largest exporter of college students to number 1. Shameful.

Comment by Because I said so... Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 4:08 pm
== But the student is going to get a bill for the missing MAP money. Some will be able to borrow more to pay it, some won’t. ==

I am literally ill after reading this.

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 4:27 pm
On a related, yet slightly different thread, and I’m asking this question because I do not know the answer. Are there any “FOR PROFIT” private trade/vocational schools that qualify to offer their students MAP funding?

And CapnCrunch - you are right, but may actually be high on the percentage going from the State to my Alma Mater. I was thinking it was actually in the single digits, but could be mistaken.

Comment by illini Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 4:27 pm
===Are there any “FOR PROFIT” private trade/vocational schools that qualify to offer their students MAP funding?===

Yes. Almost all of them I believe.

Comment by 47th Ward Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 4:33 pm
I always thought whether the building trades were accepting apprentices was a semi-good barometer of how the economy was doing. I sometimes wish I went into a trade and also got a degree.
www.chicagobuildingtrades.com

Comment by Been There Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 5:13 pm
First, let it be said that 47th Ward is almost ALWAYS right when the topic is financial aid. But now that that’s out of the way, the comment from 4:33 isn’t accurate.

Last I checked, there were way more than 100 for-profits in IL, but I think the survey brief says 9 are currently in the MAP program. (47th, were you thinking of the federal Pell grant, which IS available at almost all of these schools?)

To get into the MAP pool, the law says that a for-profit has to have its HQ in Illinois, offer associate’s degrees or “above,” have most of its students in associate’s degree (or above) programs, and have at least 3 years’ worth of approval from the Board of Higher Education under its belt.

(You can get good voc/tech/trade training at a community college using MAP, though. They’re all in the program.)

Comment by Fan of 47th Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 5:34 pm
==- 47th Ward - Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 1:30 pm:==

Workers for the Rauner moat–to keep responsible governin’ away!

Comment by Precinct Captain Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 6:25 pm
“That’s how it was originally envisioned, but state funding has shrunk a lot over the years, and has been a year behind in payments. This year of the Rauner non-budget, there has been no payments from the state at all.”

Right, that was my point. It’s far more painful to lose 1/3 rather than just 12% of your budget funding.  

Comment by CapnCrunch Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 7:06 pm
Who needs college when you have the Right to Work?

Comment by burbanite Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 7:31 pm
Thanks Fan, I happily stand corrected. Well, sit, but you know what I mean.

Comment by 47th Ward Thursday, Jan 7, 16 @ 9:17 pm
Joe M @3:14 pm- Thanks for the data link:)

Comment by Anon221 Friday, Jan 8, 16 @ 7:56 am
Not only are for-profits receiving these funds but work tirelessly to make sure that all their students apply and are approved for it the first week of January causing a shortage to state school students. Students coming in also are told that MAP grant will always be there and now will have to drop out with heavy debt.

Comment by Former For-Profit Admin Friday, Jan 8, 16 @ 11:37 am