Public colleges and universities can be doing more to help low-income students afford a college education, according to a report by the Education Trust, an organization that advocates for low-income students.
According to the report, only five colleges or universities met criteria based on affordability, access and quality: Baruch College, City University of New York; California State University, Fullerton; California State University, Long Beach; Queens College, City University of New York; and University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
Mamie Lynch, a higher education research and policy analyst for Education Trust and one of the authors of the report, said she was surprised by the findings because the criteria used were pretty conservative.
Based on the criteria, low-income students should pay no more than $4,600 in loans or out-of-pocket. This figure was proportional to what middle-income students pay, she said.
She said quality was based on graduation rate and that low-income students should have a one in two shot at graduating.
Accessibility was measured through the percentage of students who receive federally funded Pell Grants, Lynch said. The report set that at 30 percent, she said.
Lynch said this report is important because of recent proposals to cut back Pell Grant programs or adjust eligibility requirements.
"We know these grants are essential for low-income students to attend college," she said.
Lynch said studies have shown that people who earn a bachelor's degree earn more money overall and going to college gives low-income students a chance to move up to the middle class.
"From an equality standpoint, all students should have an equal chance of going to college and achieving their dreams," she said.
None of the colleges or universities in Nebraska made the list.
Craig Munier, director of scholarship and financial aid at UNL, said that the report does not reflect how well UNL helps low-income students.
"I think we are having success (in helping low-income students)," he said. "Could we do better? Sure."
He said 25 percent of students at UNL received Pell Grants, a form of federal aid for need-based students that doesn't need to be paid back.
However, according to the Education Trust, only 16 percent of UNL students receive Pell Grants. Low-income students also paid about $8,000, according to the Education Trust, almost twice as many as recommended by the criteria.
However, Lynch said low-income students at UNL had a 63 percent chance of graduating, higher than the criteria and the national average.
Pell Grants are given to a percentage of people who fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, something UNL recommends to all students.
Munier said more students from UNL received grant money by filling out the FAFSA at this point in time than last year.
The state of Nebraska also offers programs like Collegebound Nebraska, which offers a tuition assistance program.
"Collegebound Nebraska is a simple way of expressing that we are committed to making college accessible to (low-income students)," Munier said.
There are several reasons why only five colleges made the Education Trust's list.
Lynch said federal money given to help low-income students afford college has decreased while tuition has increased at the state level.
She said universities could also disperse of grant money more wisely.
One of the challenges of helping low-income students afford a higher education is competing purposes, Munier said.
"We all want to keep college costs low," he said. "We want to keep taxes low, but we want to keep the quality of higher education high."
Money to keep the quality of education high at UNL comes in the form of state appropriations and tuition, Munier said, adding that the university tries to mitigate tuition increases for low-income students.
"Whatever percentage in tuition is raised, we raise the budgeted amount for need-based grants," Munier said. "For a Big Ten university, we are doing a pretty good job."
kimbuckley@
dailynebraskan.com
is a member of the 
Be the first to comment on this article!