Bright Flight students in Missouri could see their scholarships cut by nearly 10 percent next semester.
The Missouri Department of Higher Education is appealing to the state legislature for a supplemental appropriation of $1.5 million, which would allow them to pay the 7000 Missouri Bright Flight students the full $3000 they were promised.
The department contacted universities across the state in early Oct. 5 to allow universities to begin notifying students. MU sent out an email informing students of the potential cut on Oct. 19.
According to Liz Coleman, a spokesperson for the department of higher education, there were more students who were eligible for Bright Flight support and who utilized the funds than projected last fall. Because of the need to get appropriation of funds approved by the state legislature, the department has to make projections over a year in advance.
“We have to make the projections much earlier than April and May,” Coleman said. “We have to make them in the fall, like, the previous August or September.”
MU Director of Financial Aid Nick Prewett says the financial aid office reached out to students despite not knowing whether the supplemental appropriation will be approved. He says transparency with students was the main priority.
“I would much rather warn students that there might be an issue than have students be surprised when January rolls around and their scholarship check is less than in previous semesters,” he said.
Coleman said that, because of the lengthy process of the legislature approving appropriation of funds, no clear time table can be set. This means students might not know whether they will be receiving the full scholarship, or nearly $300 less, until April or May 2017. Coleman says that universities should be understanding of this and work with students as needed.