Out goes the GTEG
by Joy Ugi
Issue date: 2/8/10 Section: News
Piedmont undergraduate students may have less grant money coming their way next semester.
According to a Jan. 19 press release, Governor Sonny Purdue has proposed eliminating five educational state grants for 2010-11 including the Georgia Tuition Equalization Grant.
David McMillion, assistant financial aid director, says this would mean a loss of $300 a semester for most students.
According to the Georgia Student Finance Commission, the state established the GTEG "to encourage Georgia residents to attend eligible private colleges in Georgia by providing grant assistance."
More specifically, you have to be a Georgia resident and fulltime student at a private college in the state to receive the grant.
The TEG also helps Georgia residents living near the state border who go to out-of-state, four-year public colleges within 50 miles of their homes.
For fall semester at Piedmont, 977 students received the GTEG grant for a total of $293,151. For spring semester, the GTEG was applied to 994 students' tuitions for a total of $470, 250.
Although the governor has suggested these changes, they aren't law yet. Representatives will vote on the changes at the next general assembly.
Students aren't voiceless in this situation; they can write their representatives letters.
McMillion says students should include information about how the GTEG has made college affordable at a private school and how much they appreciate it.
From Feb. 1-12, students can bring their letters to financial aid on the Demorest campus and to the student services office on the Athens campus.
These offices will individually mail the letters to representatives.
Megan Day, financial aid advisor, will attend a conference at the end of Feb. where Georgia Student Finance Commissioner Tim Cornell will provide an update about the GTEG.
McMillion says Piedmont should know the state's decision by May. He says the state is in a budget crunch, and the governor wants to cut these programs to save money.
McMillion says the college has no plan in place to replace the GTEG for students right now, but that they will deal with the situation as the need arises. The administration declined to comment about the situation at this time.
"It definitely is a benefit for our students," says McMillion. "It helps them a lot when it comes to education."
According to a Jan. 19 press release, Governor Sonny Purdue has proposed eliminating five educational state grants for 2010-11 including the Georgia Tuition Equalization Grant.
David McMillion, assistant financial aid director, says this would mean a loss of $300 a semester for most students.
According to the Georgia Student Finance Commission, the state established the GTEG "to encourage Georgia residents to attend eligible private colleges in Georgia by providing grant assistance."
More specifically, you have to be a Georgia resident and fulltime student at a private college in the state to receive the grant.
The TEG also helps Georgia residents living near the state border who go to out-of-state, four-year public colleges within 50 miles of their homes.
For fall semester at Piedmont, 977 students received the GTEG grant for a total of $293,151. For spring semester, the GTEG was applied to 994 students' tuitions for a total of $470, 250.
Although the governor has suggested these changes, they aren't law yet. Representatives will vote on the changes at the next general assembly.
Students aren't voiceless in this situation; they can write their representatives letters.
McMillion says students should include information about how the GTEG has made college affordable at a private school and how much they appreciate it.
From Feb. 1-12, students can bring their letters to financial aid on the Demorest campus and to the student services office on the Athens campus.
These offices will individually mail the letters to representatives.
Megan Day, financial aid advisor, will attend a conference at the end of Feb. where Georgia Student Finance Commissioner Tim Cornell will provide an update about the GTEG.
McMillion says Piedmont should know the state's decision by May. He says the state is in a budget crunch, and the governor wants to cut these programs to save money.
McMillion says the college has no plan in place to replace the GTEG for students right now, but that they will deal with the situation as the need arises. The administration declined to comment about the situation at this time.
"It definitely is a benefit for our students," says McMillion. "It helps them a lot when it comes to education."
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