U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal visited Southern Connecticut State University to promote a bill that would restore federal student loans for part-time students. As of July 1, part-time college and university students can only receive direct student loans proportional to their enrollment.
Impact on Part-Time Students
Blumenthal described the new rule as “students lose and billionaires win.” The problem with the change, he said, is that “part-time students have full-time costs,” including financial pressures such as childcare. Many students enroll part-time because they have to work to support themselves and their families and need the full federal loan to make their education feasible.
Other leaders in higher education have leveled the same criticism at the new rule. Blumenthal introduced the Restoring College Access and Affordability Act to undo this and other changes made to federal financial aid. The bill has seven cosponsors, all Democrats.
Nilvio Perez, interim associate vice president for enrollment management at Southern, said 22% of students there are enrolled part-time. Perez expressed concern about what will happen to students who start a semester full-time but then have to scale back their enrollment. Under the new rule, dropping a class will also trigger a change in their loan eligibility.
Original reporting: The Connecticut Mirror — read the source article.
