Six weeks into fiscal year 1998, Congress has finally completed action on legislation that will boost funding for historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), TRIO, and many student-aid programs through next year.
The House and Senate passed the bills by overwhelming margins after resolving a series of thorny disputes with the White House - primarily on K-12 issues. Because the government's new fiscal year began October 1, higher education programs were operating with only temporary funds during these talks.
Funding for HBCUs would increase by $9.5 million to $118.5 million next year. HBCU graduate institutions also would receive a $5.3 million increase, for a total funding of $25 million in fiscal 1998. Hispanic-serving institutions (HSIs) would get $12 million from the spending bill, up from $10.8 million in 1997. Grantees in these programs could use the funds to help build endowments.
The approved funding follows guidelines in the existing Higher Education Act, which is due to be reauthorized in 1998 (see Black Issues, November 13, for a full discussion of proposed changes.)
TRIO programs to recruit disadvantaged, first-generation college students would receive $529 million, an increase of nearly $30 million, thanks to an agreement which also includes $210 million for Howard University, $14 million more than in fiscal 1997.
As expected, the measure would increase the maximum Pell Grant from $2,700 to $3,000 next year. House/Senate conferees also allotted $286 million to help address eligibility problems for independent students and dependent students who work. Advocates have said working students begin to lose their eligibility for Pell Grants even if they earn small amounts of money.
Currently, independent students can earn only $3,000 a year and dependent students $1,750 a year before they begin to lose eligibility for Pell Grants Student groups have said the government will need about $700 million, nearly three times the funding in the bill, to raise these income eligibility standards to a more reasonable level.
