By: Julia Duba/Contributing Writer 

The Summer Pell Grant program, or Pell Grant 2, was eliminated, rendering summer classes unattainable for some students.

During summer of 2011, Congress decided to preserve the maximum Pell award for students in the fall and spring while cutting the summer award, in addition to making changes to eligibility for financial aid.

Having already seen a decrease in award amount from the Bright Futures Scholarships, the decision to preserve the maximum award may have saved some students from paying out of pocket for the majority of the academic year.

However, with tuition increasing, the University has been able to collect more tuition differential to give back to students to help pay for classes.

Last year, the University collected $5 million in tuition differentials, and this year, Francisco Valines, director of financial aid, estimates they will collect $8 million.

“What we’ve done is try to save a little bit of it for summer, because we know Pell 2 has gone away,” said Valines.

This will amount to an estimated $3 million for University students to pay for summer classes this year, in comparison to the $10 million that the Pell Grant gave to FIU students last summer.

The University has developed a system of preferences for apportioning the funds over the summer to particular populations.

“Our approach is graduating seniors get first crack at that tuition differential for the summer. They’ve got to take those credits to graduate,” Valines said.

After those students get their share, juniors are next, and the University will go down the line until funds run out.

This year’s financial aid will be awarded by April 1, provided students submit their FAFSA by the priority deadline, March 1.

“It’s going to be a little more difficult, but the up-side of it is, if you don’t get the tuition differential, and you want to go to summer school, you still can,” said Valines. “But you may have to borrow some additional Stafford loan to do it.”

That is exactly what junior communications major, Jessica Soler, plans to do for the coming summer.

“I can just wait until spring to graduate, but I want to graduate this fall,” said Soler. “Unfortunately, I’ll have to graduate owing money.”

This concern resonates with most students whose financial aid is in jeopardy.

Currently, the amount of money University students owe after graduation is approximately $7,000 below the national average.

Higher education costs have become an issue not only at FIU, but at a national level.

President Barack Obama touched upon tuition costs in his State of the Union address last week stating, “Let me put colleges and universities on notice. If you can’t stop tuition from going up, the funding you get from taxpayers will go down.”

Political figures claim that this sets universities up for failure.

“We’re concerned about any punitive measures that would penalize schools for tuition increases given that many of the things that contribute to tuition increases, such as cuts to state appropriations or increases in operating costs, are out of a college’s hands,” said Justin Draeger, president of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators.

“…I want to see the cost of college go down, too,” said Virginia Foxx, Republican representative from North Carolina. “But…the fact that the federal government has been so involved is what has driven up the cost.”

It is projected that 1,110 FIU students will completely lose eligibility and 1,500 student awards will be reduced.

Also, the maximum award will now only be awarded to students whose family income is at most $23,000 instead of $30,000.

The Federal Relations team at FIU has been working to uphold the Pell Grant.

Student Government Association presidents Denise Halpin and Patrick O’Keefe also brought up the issue to the Congressional Delegation.

“Our students, as a whole, do graduate on time and do maintain good GPAs and fortunately, we’re in a state where our tuition is lower than the national average,” said Carlos Becerra, FIU’s director of governmental relations. “So, our students do a very good job at paying back their loans.”

Federal Relations has been in the process of breaking down Obama’s “blueprint” for college affordability, as was mentioned in State of the Union address.

Becerra adds that students themselves can make a difference as well.

“I think it’s important that students remain engaged with their elected officials, not only at the federal level, but at the state level,” said Becerra.

“Through their own stories and examples, students can make these issues known to their leaders and Congress.”