CLU Students head to State Capitol in Support of Cal Grants

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. – Two California Lutheran University students will head to Sacramento on Wednesday, March 9, to urge legislators to support higher education funding and to advocate the fair treatment of financially needy students who attend independent colleges. The CLU students will join more than 20 college students who will meet with their respective legislators from throughout the state.

Cal Grants, which were established to recognize financial need and academic merit, are currently available to students at state and private institutions. Since 2000, approximately 25,000 students per year who attend an independent college or university have received a Cal Grant. According to the Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities (AICCU), it costs California more than $13,000 per Cal Grant recipient at University of California, $9,000 at Cal State University, and less than $8,330 at an independent college.

The Governor’s budget proposes cutting Cal Grants for needy students attending independent colleges 10.5 percent. This is in addition to last year’s 14.5 percent reduction that followed four years of flat funding. Even though Cal Grant students who attend independent colleges tend to have lower family incomes on average than those at public colleges, only students at independent schools are being targeted for cuts. Cal Grant students at the public institutions are getting an increase in aid.

The reduction in Cal Grants for independent schools hampers the institutions from providing quality education to all students, including financially needy students and underrepresented students which make up 39 percent of independent school student populations.

During meetings with state senators and assembly members and their staffs, the students will request support for the restoration of Cal Grants funds and lobby for passage of AB 358. This bill would reestablish a Cal Grant award policy for California students who attend an independent college and allow students and parents to financially plan for college. A press conference will be held to discuss AB 358 in the Governor’s Press Room at 11:15 a.m. *

Currently, 377 CLU students have Cal Grants totaling $3,348,789. The two CLU students attending the Cal Grant Day in Sacramento are: Matthew Broussard and Colter Fleming. Broussard, a Moorpark High School graduate, who is studying mathematics. As a junior, he participates in Men’s Varsity Track and Field and holds leadership roles in student programs while maintaining a very high GPA. Fleming, a graduate of St. Margaret’s Episcopal School in San Juan Capistrano, is majoring in business. The junior from Newport Beach is a Peer Mentor and a Presidential Host as well as a participant in intramural sports.

MEDIA NOTE: For more information about the students or the AICCU Cal Grant Student Day, please contact Lynda Fulford, CLU Director of Communications, at (805) 493–3839 or Veronica Villalobos of AICCU at (916) 446–7626.

*Assembly member Carol Liu (44th District) and AICCU will conduct a press conference from 11:15 a.m. to noon on March 9, 2005, to discuss AB 358 and Cal Grant funding. The press conference will be held in the Governor’s Press Room – 1190.