College Aid Crunch // State Puts More Than 10,000 Students on Hold

Swamped with requests from needy college students for tuitiongrants, the state put 10,797 applications on hold this summer. Thenumber is expected to grow dramatically before classes resume nextmonth.

The grant suspensions followed a record 12.7 percentrecession-driven increase in requests for state aid from the IllinoisStudent Assistance Commission, which may be forced to stop aidingstudents altogether by the end of the year.

Those hardest hit by such a cutoff will be minority students whorely on state aid to attend community colleges and many privatefour-year institutions.

Next week, commission Vice Chairman David Eisenman said he willpropose lifting the suspension immediately to allow every eligiblestudent to get the full fall award of $1,750. This would use abouttwo-thirds of the program's funds, creating a problem in the spring.

"We should send a letter to every kid, saying, `Consider this adepression. Start saving any money you can because you will need itin the spring,' " Eisenman said. "I do think some people have theability to economize and live below the average cost for theircampus. Some will have to pass up the pop machine and go to thedrinking fountain. It's down to that."

Spokesman Robert Clement said the commission will meet nextMonday to decide whether to lift the suspension, which membersapproved June 20.

"It could turn into a permanent cutoff," Clement said. "It's atough year."

If the suspension continues or becomes permanent, the number ofstudents affected will rise sharply as fall sessions open, especiallyat community colleges and private four-year schools such as Columbiaand Robert Morris in Chicago where students tend to register in latesummer or early fall.

Richard Pickett, president of Robert Morris, said up to 500students there could be denied grants.

The state commission originally said it would accept fall grantapplications for new freshmen until Oct. 1. Continuing students wereexpected to apply by June 1.

"I'm really concerned for students for whom this makes thedifference between attending and not attending college," said JohnOlino, financial aid director for Columbia College.

Pickett said he will ask commission members to reduce the sizeof the maximum grant, $3,500 a year, and spread the money to alleligible students.

Last February, the commission sharply reduced spring grants,creating an uproar at schools throughout the state.

In the last two years, Eisenman said, grant applications fromeligible students have risen 25 percent.

"We have a few months to try to decide how to ration our limiteddollars," he said. "My goal would be to make sure we don't makeanyone drop out."