Dominican: Map Grant

Students Face Large Financial Setbacks in Upcoming MAP Grant Legislation
By Angela Romano and Danielle Nicholson

The financial fate of many DU students will be heavily affected on October 14-16 and 28-30 at the General Assembly of our Illinois legislatures. Decisions will be made to either revise or eliminate the MAP grant, a source of financial aid that is used by over 138,000 students in Illinois.
Map stands for Monetary Award Program, and is a resource of the Illinois Student Assistance Commission, ISAC, which is a state financial assistance agency that relies on our Ill. budget. Students apply for the MAP grant when sending in FAFSA applications at the start of the New Year. Information on SaveIllinoisMapGrants.org states that the Map grant used to have a maximum award amount of $4,968 per school year, which several student’s were awarded.
However, this past July, due to a deficit in the state budget, the MAP grant has been revised, and has only been effective for the current fall semester, cutting the aid in half. According to www.dom.edu, 98 percent of all freshmen receive some form of financial aid, with an average award of $17,570 a year. Although financial aid is one of our University’s strengths, one third of our student body receives MAP grant funding. Without legislation in favor of the MAP, the grant will be eliminated from state funding after January 1, 2010. Cutting the MAP means a large portion of our student body will be left to find other ways to pay for their education.
Junior Elizabeth Blackwell is well aware of the issues and simply having her on and off campus job won’t cut it if these cuts happen. Blackwell said: “I wouldn’t be able to attend Dominican if it wasn’t for student loans. Tuition for college is getting too expensive for students to pay for on their own or with help from parents, especially if they have more than one child at college. If they want to cut funding, they need to cut tuition as well to make it so everyone has a chance at getting an education.”
Sophomore Ericka Acevedo would also be affected. She said: “College would definitely not be an option for me. I think mostly everyone I know at Dominican gets financial aid, so it seems like if this grant gets canceled it would have a huge affect on the student body. I also know my dreams of being a nurse would be over.”
In order to save the MAP, action needs to be taken quickly. If you are interested in joining the fight to save the Map grant, look no further than DU. According to Michael Shields, Director of Financial Aid, Our University will be hosting an “email-a-thon” to flood our state representatives with emails concerning the MAP grant. The “email-a-thon” will take place in the Parmer Atrium and Grill Area from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., October 13 and 14. Shields encourages all members of the DU family to help the cause. Shields said, “We hope that all DU students, faculty, and staff participate on the 13th or 14th, sending an email to their state representatives indicating their support in restoring funding for the MAP.”
Aside from the email-a-thon, DU hopes to send two or more charter buses of students to the capital building in Springfield on October 15, for participation in rallying to save the MAP grant. Dozens of other Illinois colleges will also be sending their own to fight for the cause. Countless voices will come together to communicate one single message: the Illinois MAP grant plays a crucial role in accessing education.
DU recently launched a new educational campaign entitled “What makes an Inspired Mind?” There are many answers to this question, perhaps endless possibilities; however, students might find that part of the answer lies in the fight for the MAP grant. Without proper funding, thousands of students could be left without access to education. Access and affordability are two main components of an inspired mind, and Dominican’s participation in the MAP protest is both appropriate and necessary.
SGA President Anthony Alequin and the rest of the Student Government are taking great measures to support the fight for the MAP grant. Our student government has teamed up with the Financial Aid department and Professor David Dolence to both communicate awareness of the MAP crisis to the student body, and make sure each student voice is heard by encouraging students to participate in both the “email-a-thon” and Lobby Day.
Alequin said: “It is absolutely vital that if students are unable to make the Lobby Day on the 15th, that they write an e-mail to their representative on either the 13th or 14th. We need the student body to participate in these events because they are the epitome of what Dominican stands for. Without this funding, thousands of students across the state may never be able to return to college.”
Although Dominican is making a strong effort to become a voice in this cause, some students are upset they have heard nothing about it. Sophomore Samantha Dennison said: “I haven’t really heard much about the map grant and student loan issues, and it frustrates me that I haven’t been informed, since I would be greatly affected by the loss of this grant. The only way I was kind of informed was from a facebook group invite telling me to go to some sort of rally.”
The MAP grant may be saved if enough student voices are heard. Alequin urges students to come together. He said: “This is our moment to stand up not just for yourself, or for Dominican, but for every student in the state. I challenge any student who goes with us on October 15th to lay their head to rest that night without a feeling of accomplishment, community, and citizenship. I challenge you to be active.”
As concerned individuals, we are advised to contact our state representatives and demand reconsideration of the state budget and the MAP grant. One way to do this is by signing a petition. Saveillinoismapgrants.org is a great website with detailed information for students, parents, communities, and educators, with its most powerful tool being a petition that contains over 6,000 signatures and counting. The petition deadlines on October 14, the day the Illinois General Assembly will meet for legislation. Saveillinoismapgrants.org also has pages on Facebook, LinkedIN, Twitter, and even has a “student coalition” site for students who want more concentrated involvement.