Students granted one-year financial aid reprieve

 
            For a majority of students who lost their financial aid after UB's policy change this year, a reprieve is in sight – for now.

 
            After months of debate, conversations and threats of legal action from SBI Legal, a committee of UB officials has reached a decision.

 
            'All students who would have been eligible for financial aid this year under the 2008 to 2009 rules will receive financial aid on a one-year probationary period,' said Michael Ryan, vice provost and dean of Undergraduate Education.

 
            The only students who are no longer receiving financial aid are those who did not meet the requirements of the old policy and were on probation last year.

 

            On June 13, UB changed its financial aid policy, leaving an estimated 2,000 students without the option of financial aid. Estimates state that students lost $360,000 to $380,000 in aid due to the policy change.

 
            The policy was changed after UB completed a self-audit and was found to be noncompliant with federal guidelines.

 

         The new financial aid policy makes it harder for students to be eligible for federal aid. Students now need a 70 percent completion rate, as opposed to the previous rate of 65 percent, and must have within 150 percent of the institution's required credits for graduation, which is 180 hours at UB.

 

         Also, the calculated number of credits is now cumulative. Previously, only completed credits were taken into consideration for financial aid. Now incompletes, resignations, withdrawals and failures count against the student when calculations are made as to whether to award aid.

 
            Currently, Ryan and a committee of UB officials are working to create a list of all students who will receive financial aid probation and will notify them directly as soon as the list is complete.

 
            Student Association President Ernesto Alvarado was vocal about giving the students back their money.

 
            'It affects a lot of undergraduate students, so SA felt we had to step in,' Alvarado said. 'We laid everything out on the table with [Ryan] and came to the decision that, since these students were advised under the old system, that they would receive one year of probation in order to become compliant with the new policy.'

 
            Students who need more than the probation period to change their academic standing for financial aid purposes may be out of luck.

 
            'The committee is still looking into certain issues,' Ryan said.

 
            Ryan contends that the policy change is federally based and that the new policy is the one that is, and will continue to be, in place.

 
            'The students will receive one year of financial aid and will be put on probation. Beginning next year, everyone will have to comply with the new policy,' Ryan said.

 
            Brendan James Gilbert, director of SBI Legal, was looking into pressing legal action against UB if a compromise wasn't reached. He is mostly happy with the outcome.

 
            'I stand behind [Alvarado's] work with Mr. Ryan. I think this is a good solution to the issue,' Gilbert said.

 
            However, he hopes the committee is able to iron out a more clearly stated and 'meaningful' appeal process.

 
            'Students were told they couldn't appeal, so I hope that this can be changed. Students have every right to appeal a financial aid decision and should not have been turned away,' Gilbert said.

 
            UB officials say the appeal process and the confusion surrounding the issue were a misunderstanding stemming from the fact that academic advisers weren't given ample notice of the change in policy.

 
            'Due to the surrounding issues, I'm happy with the decision [to grant students financial aid probation under the old policy],' Alvarado said. 'It should help out a lot of undergraduate students, and that's what the SA is here to do.'

 
 

 
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