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MILLIGAN COLLEGE, TN (Feb. 27, 2003) – Parents hoping to send their children to a Tennessee college or university may have to foot more of the bill than expected if the Tennessee Education Lottery bill goes through as currently proposed. The proposal offers a $4,000 grant to those choosing a public university and only $2,000 for a student choosing a Tennessee private college or a two-year public community college.
Presidents at several area colleges are lobbying to make the scholarship awards equal for all Tennessee students, regardless of where they decide to attend college. The presidents claim that the current proposal is unfair and fiscally unwise.
“Last fall, advocates for the lottery in Tennessee stressed to the voters that Tennessee students desiring to go to college would benefit from the scholarship program underwritten by the lottery,” said Milligan College President Don Jeanes in a letter to Northeast Tennessee legislators. “Many parents were led to believe that the money would be fairly awarded to all Tennessee students choosing to attend a Tennessee college.”
Now, explained Jeanes, parents have learned that the Lottery Scholarship Proposal will discriminate against students choosing to attend private Tennessee colleges.
Jeanes, King College President Greg Jordan, and Tusculum College Dolphus Henry are all supportive of recommendations made by the Tennessee Independent Colleges and Universities Association (TICUA), which maintain that the lottery funds should be used with the goal of increasing the state’s higher education attainment rate and blending both merit-based and need-based aid.
Jeanes said the financial need is just as great for students at private institutions as those attending public schools. Several recent surveys from the Council for Independent Colleges report that the family income at Tennessee’s private colleges is generally lower than family income at the state’s public institutions. According to data from the TICUA, the percentage of Tennessee students at private institutions who qualify for need-based Pell Grants is actually higher than those at public institutions.
The presidents claim that the current proposal is also fiscally irresponsible and will ultimately cost the taxpayers more money.
Jordan explained that the current proposal would put more pressure on public schools by enlarging their enrollments at a time when these institutions are under-funded and overcrowded.
“The current proposal will result in a burgeoning enrollment for public institutions which are not equipped to handle them. Consequently, this will cause a tremendous demand on the General Assembly to appropriate more general funds to the colleges as well as additional capital funds,” said Jordan.
Private colleges, on the other hand, have existing and anticipated capacity to serve these students and will cost the state’s taxpayers much less.
“By educating over 27,000 Tennessee residents, private colleges annually save the state over $168 million in operating expenses,” said Jordan, who pointed out that private schools award over $220 million in financial aid. “We believe an equitable scholarship reduces the tax burden on Tennessee taxpayers.”
“The scholarships should encourage the best and brightest Tennesseeans to remain in-state to attend the college of their choice, while maximizing existing and anticipated institutional capacity,” said Jeanes.
TICUA president Claude Presnell believes the issue is one of listening to the voice of the voters and treating all Tennesseans equally.
“Whatever scholarship program is ultimately adopted, it should treat all Tennesseans equally. This is consistent with the amendment language adopted by the voters of Tennessee. Students should be allowed to select the institution that best fits their vocational and personal goals.”
With a decision expected to be made on the proposal within the next few weeks, Jeanes, Jordan and Henry encourage Tennessee students and their parents, as well as faculty, staff and board members of Tennessee institutions, to voice their support for fairness and wise fiscal management in the Tennessee Education Lottery Scholarship proposal. Tennessee residents may write or email their legislators about this issue by visiting www.ticua.org <http://www.ticua.org> and clicking on “Action Center.”