(April 14, 2016) In support of the broader higher education community, EDUCAUSE joined a letter to Congress led by the American Council on Education in which the participating associations argued against proposals to reallocate the anticipated FY 2017 surplus in the federal Pell Grant program to other spending priorities. The associations noted that the pending surplus is largely the result of changes in the program to address previous funding shortfalls, and that those changes negatively impacted significant federal goals for higher education, such as improving time-to-degree through the availability of Pell Grants year-round. With the funding issues that forced restrictions on Pell Grant availability now resolved, the higher education community advocates that Congress use the surplus to restore broader access to Pell Grants to advance student retention and success.
Jarret Cummings is director of policy and external relations at EDUCAUSE.