2008 Woodie Awards
Lack of interest kills 3 scholarships
Patrick Larkin - The Daily Iowan
Issue date: 9/5/07 Section: Metro
- Page 1 of 1
Three scholarships are no longer available to students this semester because of a lack of applicants, said Barrett Anderson, the president of the UI Student Government.
The scholarships included an "earn while you learn" scholarship for students who work 15 hours a week or more, a scholarship for students with children to be used toward daycare costs, and an "earn while you learn" scholarship for international students.
In total, the three scholarships would have provided $17,000 last year.
Maison Bleam, the head of the Student Assembly Budget and Allocating Committee, which allocates funds to university-registered student organizations, pointed out that many students were eligible for the scholarships.
"I don't understand why someone wouldn't apply for [the earn while you learn scholarship]," he said, pointing out that many full-time students work at least 15 hours a week and would be eligible.
Although the UISG had allocated $17,000 for the scholarships for the 2006-07 academic year, it gave out only $7,200.
The $17,000 that had previously been allocated for the scholarships will go toward funding student organizations this year.
Bleam said the reason for the death of applicants lay in advertising. The Office of Student Services was responsible for advertising, he said, while noting that UISG was expected to advertise as well but has not done so during the three terms he has served.
Phillip Jones, the vice president for Student Services, said UISG was responsible for advertising.
Information about the scholarships was available on the UI Financial Aid website as well as the UISG website until the scholarships were zero-funded.
Robert Upmeyer, an assistant director of UI Student Financial Aid, said that the scholarships had roughly a dozen applicants each and that approximately half of the applicants were granted scholarship money. The Financial Aid Office determined whether applicants were eligible and referred eligible applicants to UISG, which made the final decision about who would receive aid, said Upmeyer.
Bleam said the funds were allocated by UISG but were handled by Student Services.
Recipients of the scholarships had to wait two semesters before they were allowed to reapply.
UISG is funded by student activity fees. Each student pays the fees, which Anderson estimates to be approximately $58 year, though students can request to have the fee waived.
Altogether, UISG collects around $1.4 million in student fees, Anderson said. Of this amount, $800,000 is divided among nearly 400 student organizations.
E-mail DI reporter Patrick Larkin at:
patrick-larkin@uiowa.edu
The scholarships included an "earn while you learn" scholarship for students who work 15 hours a week or more, a scholarship for students with children to be used toward daycare costs, and an "earn while you learn" scholarship for international students.
In total, the three scholarships would have provided $17,000 last year.
Maison Bleam, the head of the Student Assembly Budget and Allocating Committee, which allocates funds to university-registered student organizations, pointed out that many students were eligible for the scholarships.
"I don't understand why someone wouldn't apply for [the earn while you learn scholarship]," he said, pointing out that many full-time students work at least 15 hours a week and would be eligible.
Although the UISG had allocated $17,000 for the scholarships for the 2006-07 academic year, it gave out only $7,200.
The $17,000 that had previously been allocated for the scholarships will go toward funding student organizations this year.
Bleam said the reason for the death of applicants lay in advertising. The Office of Student Services was responsible for advertising, he said, while noting that UISG was expected to advertise as well but has not done so during the three terms he has served.
Phillip Jones, the vice president for Student Services, said UISG was responsible for advertising.
Information about the scholarships was available on the UI Financial Aid website as well as the UISG website until the scholarships were zero-funded.
Robert Upmeyer, an assistant director of UI Student Financial Aid, said that the scholarships had roughly a dozen applicants each and that approximately half of the applicants were granted scholarship money. The Financial Aid Office determined whether applicants were eligible and referred eligible applicants to UISG, which made the final decision about who would receive aid, said Upmeyer.
Bleam said the funds were allocated by UISG but were handled by Student Services.
Recipients of the scholarships had to wait two semesters before they were allowed to reapply.
UISG is funded by student activity fees. Each student pays the fees, which Anderson estimates to be approximately $58 year, though students can request to have the fee waived.
Altogether, UISG collects around $1.4 million in student fees, Anderson said. Of this amount, $800,000 is divided among nearly 400 student organizations.
E-mail DI reporter Patrick Larkin at:
patrick-larkin@uiowa.edu
Viewing Comments 1 - 4 of 4
JW Haga
posted 9/05/07 @ 8:01 AM EST
Sounds like UISG didn't really wish to give the money away so they sat on the advertising of same.
And you all said UISG wasn't the brightest pennies when it came to assisting students. (Continued…)
Kat
posted 9/05/07 @ 9:13 AM EST
This is pathetic. How were these advertised? Were they advertised at all???
The need for scholarships for students with families is immense and I never heard about this even once through the Students with Families list-serve or when I went to the UISG office. (Continued…)
Tim
posted 9/05/07 @ 1:47 PM EST
Does anyone think it odd that they do not advertise scholarships but the USIG sure is on the forefront of making sure underage students can get into bars. (Continued…)
Maison B. Bleam
posted 9/13/07 @ 4:21 PM EST
If anybody wishes to have these scholarships reinstated, I encourage you to contact me via e-mail.
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