Pell Grant Tuition Sensitivity

Whereas, The Federal Pell Grant, authorized by the Higher Education Act of 1965 provides financial assistance for students, including tuition and fees, books and supplies, transportation, room and board, child care and miscellaneous personal expense;

Whereas, The Higher Education Act includes a provision entitled “tuition sensitivity” that prevents community college students from receiving the maximum Pell Grant award when fees are low;

Whereas, The student enrollment fees for California community colleges were recently reduced from $26 to $20 per unit, effective January 2007, which may result in a reduction of Pell grant awards affecting more than 260,000 community college students with an approximate loss of $17 million as a result of the “tuition sensitivity” provision; and

Whereas, The House of Representatives has passed H.R.990, the Pell Grant Equity Act to eliminate the sensitivity provision for 2007-08 and the Senate must pass S707 in order for it to be ultimately signed by the President of the United States;

Resolved, That the Student Senate for California Community Colleges strongly support S707 and other comparable legislation to eliminate tuition-sensitivity; and

Resolved, That the Student Senate for California Community Colleges support the permanent removal of the tuition sensitivity provision in the House and Senate Higher Education Act (HEA) reauthorization bills and will work with other constituent groups to that end.