As part of an effort to encourage the study of increasingly high-demand subjects, $790 million has been set aside for two new federal grants by the U.S. Department of Education. The Office of Financial Aid, however, is still working to determine Brown students' eligibility for the grants, according to Susan Farnum, interim director of financial aid.
The "Academic Competitiveness Grants" and "The National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent Grant," or "SMART Grant," are part of an effort to encourage students to take on more challenging course loads and pursue subjects that are deemed increasingly relevant for study of the global economy, according to the DOE's site.
These new grants differ from other federal grants administered by the financial aid office in that "these are the only awards that are based on a higher academic standing and history rather than minimum satisfactory academic progress," Farnum said in a written statement sent to The Herald.
The grants were signed into law by President George W. Bush on Feb. 8 and are funded by the Higher Education Reconciliation Act of 2005.
"Academic Competitiveness Grants" are reserved for underclassmen. First-year students who graduated from high school after Jan. 1, 2006, completed a "rigorous secondary school program of study as established by a state or local education agency" and are "enrolled or accepted in a two-year or four-year degree-granting institution" can receive up to $750 per year in aid, according to the DOE's Web site.
Students entering their second year of college who graduated from high school after Jan. 1, 2005, and have a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 are eligible to receive up to $1,300 per year in aid.
"SMART" grants award up to $4,000 each to students in their third and fourth year of college who have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 and are concentrating in mathematics, science, technology, engineering or a critical foreign language. Critical foreign languages include everything from Russian to Bengali.
To be eligible for these grants, students must be able to prove U.S. citizenship, full-time student status and eligibility for Federal Pell Grants.
According to the DOE's Web site, potentially eligible students should have been notified of their status via e-mail and regular mail on July 1. "Fall 2006" was slated as the time that colleges and universities would verify student eligibility so that aid would be dispersed.
Farnum said her office is currently working with the Registrar's Office and the Office of the General Counsel in order "to determine the most accurate and appropriate way to verify a student's eligibility for either grant." She cited in particular "our need to confirm that a student has pursued a rigorous high school curriculum."
Farnum continued: "We would anticipate that funds will be disbursed to students toward the end of this semester and if the process is not completed by that time, the funds will be awarded retroactively based on the student's Fall eligibility."
When asked how the new grants might affect Brown students' financial aid packages, Farnum said, "The ACG and SMART grants are required to be incorporated into students' financial aid package the same way a Federal Pell Grant currently affects the aid package. As current Brown financial aid awards meet 100% of demonstrated financial need and because the ACG and SMART grants will be treated the same as a Pell Grant entitlement, these grants will replace previously awarded Brown Scholarship money dollar for dollar."
As for the future of the grants, she said, "Because there was an immediacy to implement the changes of the HERA this year, I would not be surprised if updated regulations were forthcoming governing future award years."
