New financial aid raises questions
Beth Sharb
Issue date: 4/23/09 Section: News
"We will ask department chairs to justify or re-justify expenses in
the following budget areas: contract services, miscellaneous, social,
assessment, and software purchases," Ashbrook said. Most of these can
be evaluated without eroding the quality of student life, however. If
a social event needs refreshments, pretzels are cheaper than eggrolls.
"That doesn't take away from the academic experience," Ashbrook said.
Assistant dean of the College of Humanities, David Summers, used the English department's budget as an example, noting that it was comprised primarily of salaries. Their below-line budget (that is, budget not used for staff) is approximately $5,500.
"We're all looking for areas to cut back on," Summers said. Assistant dean of the Center for Lifelong Learning, Andrew Carlson, echoed Summers.
"[In the CLL], we are searching through the budget and all our operations for efficiencies and cost savings." Carlson said. "We were already at a point where we were spending less than half our social budget. Now we purchase only what is absolutely necessary. The biggest sacrifice we have made so far is that we have not replaced one full-time staff position that was vacated in January."
2.6 million dollars divided equally among approximately 3,000 students is just over $860 per student. How the money will be allotted per student has not yet been determined. For many students, $640 or $860 is nearly useless compared to the cost of college.
Junior economics major Mark Fuller said that "I don't even notice $640 when Capital costs so much. Losing that money, or getting slightly more than that, wouldn't make a difference for me."
Other students, however, appreciate whatever assistant they can get. Junior professional writing major Hannah Parsley said that "the grant has been very helpful throughout my three years here at Capital. Grants and scholarships are what enable me to attend Capital because I do not have help from parents to pay tuition; it all comes out of my pocket."
The 2.6 million dollars is only for the '09-'10 school year. "While we hope...the recession releases its hold on credit and the State of Ohio returns to its previous level of support for students attending private colleges, we also realize that greater amounts of financial aid likely will be necessary beyond next academic year," Ashbrook said.
Definitive cuts for the new budget are approved by the Board of Trustees, whose next meeting is in June.
bsharb@capital.edu
the following budget areas: contract services, miscellaneous, social,
assessment, and software purchases," Ashbrook said. Most of these can
be evaluated without eroding the quality of student life, however. If
a social event needs refreshments, pretzels are cheaper than eggrolls.
"That doesn't take away from the academic experience," Ashbrook said.
Assistant dean of the College of Humanities, David Summers, used the English department's budget as an example, noting that it was comprised primarily of salaries. Their below-line budget (that is, budget not used for staff) is approximately $5,500.
"We're all looking for areas to cut back on," Summers said. Assistant dean of the Center for Lifelong Learning, Andrew Carlson, echoed Summers.
"[In the CLL], we are searching through the budget and all our operations for efficiencies and cost savings." Carlson said. "We were already at a point where we were spending less than half our social budget. Now we purchase only what is absolutely necessary. The biggest sacrifice we have made so far is that we have not replaced one full-time staff position that was vacated in January."
2.6 million dollars divided equally among approximately 3,000 students is just over $860 per student. How the money will be allotted per student has not yet been determined. For many students, $640 or $860 is nearly useless compared to the cost of college.
Junior economics major Mark Fuller said that "I don't even notice $640 when Capital costs so much. Losing that money, or getting slightly more than that, wouldn't make a difference for me."
Other students, however, appreciate whatever assistant they can get. Junior professional writing major Hannah Parsley said that "the grant has been very helpful throughout my three years here at Capital. Grants and scholarships are what enable me to attend Capital because I do not have help from parents to pay tuition; it all comes out of my pocket."
The 2.6 million dollars is only for the '09-'10 school year. "While we hope...the recession releases its hold on credit and the State of Ohio returns to its previous level of support for students attending private colleges, we also realize that greater amounts of financial aid likely will be necessary beyond next academic year," Ashbrook said.
Definitive cuts for the new budget are approved by the Board of Trustees, whose next meeting is in June.
bsharb@capital.edu
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