Skip to main content
University of Wisconsin–Madison
Poverty-related issues in the news, from the Institute for Research on Poverty

States and Cuts to College Financial Aid

States cut aid to college students as demand booms, By Ryan J. Foley (AP), August 12, 2009, Chicago Tribune: “Struggling with budget shortfalls that reach into the billions, several states are making deep cuts in college financial aid programs, including those that provide a vital source of cash for students who most need the money. At least a dozen states are reducing award sizes, eliminating grants and tightening eligibility guidelines because of a lack of money. At the same time, the number of students seeking aid is rising sharply as more people seek a college education and need help paying the tuition bill because they or their parents lost jobs and savings during the recession. Many of the affected programs are need-based grants that provide money that complements financial aid offered by schools and the federal government…”