Latest news with #SEOG
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
BCC: Federal cuts part of budget review
May 14—The Barton Community College Board of Trustees reviewed preliminary numbers for next year's budget on Tuesday, with Vice President of Administration Mark Dean noting they will have more information in a month. That isn't unusual for this time of year but this year Kansas community colleges also have questions about cuts to federal programs. The college hopes to receive $180,000 more from tuition than was budgeted in Fiscal Year 2025, based on a 5% growth rate, tuition increase, and tuition from Senate Bill 155, which allows high school students to qualify for state-funded college tuition in approved technical courses. The FY 26 budget is for $13.272 million in tuition. Revenue from taxes is expected to stay the same at $10.869 million. Miscellaneous revenue from interest, refunds and reimbursement are expected to be $861,200, or $128,000 more than last year. However, total revenue in the FY 26 budget is $36.9 million, or $732,338 less than was budgeted last year, due to cuts in state aid. About $208,000 of the cuts are based on a three-year formula but another $832,562 in cuts are tentative, Dean said. These are in areas such as capital outlay, apprenticeships, student support and deferred maintenance. Expenses are also expected to increase in all areas except salaries, where changes in positions will cost $159,504 less than last year. The budget for salaries is $20.7 million. "Based on what we know today," Dean said, the college is "approximately $1.4 million short of having a balanced budget based on last year." Barton President Dr. Marcus Garstecki said TRIO and federal workstudy could be hit by federal budget cuts. TRIO are federal outreach and student services programs designed to identify and provide services for individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds. The Trump Administration wants to eliminate the program. President Trump's proposed FY 26 budget includes significant cuts to the U.S. Department of Education. In addition to TRIO, it could eliminate Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (SEOG). The president's "skinny budget" for FY 26, released this month, is considered a policy blueprint. "A lot in the skinny budget affects higher education," Garstecki said. "This is a piece that Congress has to pass. It would ultimately defund TRIO and Adult Ed. The intent would be for the State to pick up the Adult Ed piece." Garstecki said he's been reaching out to legislative staffers to share the long-term impact these cuts will have on students and on workforce development. Board Chairman Mike Johnson said that based on what he's seen, "there will be no appetite at the state level to pick up any of this." He expects more state budget cuts next year. Garstecki said TRIO "has a strong national group and there's a lot of advocating going on." Vice President Angie Maddy agreed, adding, "They've been very successful. A couple of members of Congress are Trio alumni. It's had bipartisan support." Garstecki concluded, "Our staff continue to push forward and do what they can."
Yahoo
12-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
How Rep. Burgess Owens hopes to ‘modernize' distance education funding policies at for-profit colleges
Pursuing a college education has traditionally meant gathering with professors and fellow students in classrooms and labs at brick-and mortar-campuses. Those times have changed — and it's time to 'level the playing field' and reward higher education institutions of all ilks that are responding to such changes, said Utah Rep. Burgess Owens. Owens is a fan of for-profit colleges. He believes they can offer innovative, flexible options for would-be students who might not otherwise have access to higher education. Much of America's traditional higher education system, he added in a conversation with the Deseret News, is outdated and not meeting student needs — particularly the needs of non-traditional students such as veterans, older adults or working parents. Not everyone shares the congressman's enthusiasm for for-profit or proprietary colleges, arguing that they prioritize profits over students. Like any college, they are not all created equal. But Owens counters that traditional non-profit colleges are also in the 'profit' business — and that students benefit when all forms of higher education can compete for students. Students, he added, are also consumers searching for the best return on their investment. 'It doesn't matter what the institution is — as long as it's getting results and is merit-based, we should be supporting it,' he said. In an effort to 'level the playing field', the former pro athlete is pushing legislation that would 'modernize' restrictions placed on for-profit schools by the so-called 90/10 Rule. Established by the Department of Education, the 90/10 Rule mandates that for-profit colleges derive at least 10% of their revenue from sources other than federal financial aid programs such as Pell Grants and Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (SEOG). Allowable non-federal revenue sources currently in play at for-profit colleges to meet the 10% requirement include out-of-pocket student tuition and private scholarships. The 90/10 Rule is designed to keep a for-profit college from becoming overly reliant upon federal dollars — and it's a measure of a for-profit school's quality and viability. But non-federal revenue generated by a for-profit college's distance education programs — including hybrid distance education programs — cannot be included in the 10 side of the 90/10 calculation, according to the Department of Education. Owens wants to 'modernize' that 90/10 exclusion, arguing that distance education at for-profit schools opens another door to higher education — and that the current restriction is inequitable. 'That's something that public schools don't have to go through — it's only the for-profit schools,' said Owens. 'There should be a level playing field. Many would-be students, he added, can benefit from distance education programs offered at for-profit institutions — including older veterans that are coming out of the service and are unable to study at traditional college campuses. 'They want to be able to have their jobs and still progress with education,' said Owens. 'These are the kinds of things that we can do to make sure that's being accomplished.' Eliminating the distance education exemption from the 90/10 Rule will likely be considered in the coming months by Congress as part of the College Cost Reduction Act (CCRA). But if the provision to include distance education revenue in 90/10 is not included in the CCRA, Owens intends to introduce a stand-alone bill amending the policy. Such an amendment, he noted, 'would allow for-profit schools to count distance education revenue toward 90/10,' he said. The pandemic proved that distance education can be effective, said Owens, adding that for-profit colleges should be incentivized for maximizing distance education opportunities. 'As long as (for-profit colleges) are doing their job… they should be part of this equation and not excluded from it.' Education, both locally and nationally, is being upended in ways not seen in decades. In Utah, lawmakers just passed a 'strategic reinvestment' bill that requires the state's public higher education institutions to increase efficiencies by reallocating a chunk of their budget to programs that best align with industry needs. And federally, President Donald Trump hopes to shutter the Department of Education — which established the 90/10 Rule now being targeted by Owens Meanwhile, roughly half of the agency's workforce has been sliced out since Trump's inauguration. Today's uncertainty in American education troubles many — but not Owens. 'I have never been more excited about where we are,' he said. 'The whole purpose of education is to make sure our kids are the best prepared in the entire world. But for the last 40 or 50 years, the Department of Education has failed us.' Modifying the way the country manages its education system, he added, will depend upon taking the decision- and rule-making out of Washington, D.C. — and allowing each state to compete for the best practices. 'We're gonna be in a position where we can start exporting talent for the rest of the world,' said Owens. 'We're going to have so many good, smart kids here that are ready to go out and produce.'
Yahoo
12-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
How Rep. Burgess Owens hopes to ‘modernize' distance education funding policies at for-profit colleges
Pursuing a college education has traditionally meant gathering with professors and fellow students in classrooms and labs at brick-and mortar-campuses. Those times have changed — and it's time to 'level the playing field' and reward higher education institutions of all ilks that are responding to such changes, said Utah Rep. Burgess Owens. Owens is a fan of for-profit colleges. He believes they can offer innovative, flexible options for would-be students who might not otherwise have access to higher education. Much of America's traditional higher education system, he added in a conversation with the Deseret News, is outdated and not meeting student needs — particularly the needs of non-traditional students such as veterans, older adults or working parents. Not everyone shares the congressman's enthusiasm for for-profit or proprietary colleges, arguing that they prioritize profits over students. Like any college, they are not all created equal. But Owens counters that traditional non-profit colleges are also in the 'profit' business — and that students benefit when all forms of higher education can compete for students. Students, he added, are also consumers searching for the best return on their investment. 'It doesn't matter what the institution is — as long as it's getting results and is merit-based, we should be supporting it,' he said. In an effort to 'level the playing field', the former pro athlete is pushing legislation that would 'modernize' restrictions placed on for-profit schools by the so-called 90/10 Rule. Established by the Department of Education, the 90/10 Rule mandates that for-profit colleges derive at least 10% of their revenue from sources other than federal financial aid programs such as Pell Grants and Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (SEOG). Allowable non-federal revenue sources currently in play at for-profit colleges to meet the 10% requirement include out-of-pocket student tuition and private scholarships. The 90/10 Rule is designed to keep a for-profit college from becoming overly reliant upon federal dollars — and it's a measure of a for-profit school's quality and viability. But non-federal revenue generated by a for-profit college's distance education programs — including hybrid distance education programs — cannot be included in the 10 side of the 90/10 calculation, according to the Department of Education. Owens wants to 'modernize' that 90/10 exclusion, arguing that distance education at for-profit schools opens another door to higher education — and that the current restriction is inequitable. 'That's something that public schools don't have to go through — it's only the for-profit schools,' said Owens. 'There should be a level playing field. Many would-be students, he added, can benefit from distance education programs offered at for-profit institutions — including older veterans that are coming out of the service and are unable to study at traditional college campuses. 'They want to be able to have their jobs and still progress with education,' said Owens. 'These are the kinds of things that we can do to make sure that's being accomplished.' Eliminating the distance education exemption from the 90/10 Rule will likely be considered in the coming months by Congress as part of the College Cost Reduction Act (CCRA). But if the provision to include distance education revenue in 90/10 is not included in the CCRA, Owens intends to introduce a stand-alone bill amending the policy. Such an amendment, he noted, 'would allow for-profit schools to count distance education revenue toward 90/10,' he said. The pandemic proved that distance education can be effective, said Owens, adding that for-profit colleges should be incentivized for maximizing distance education opportunities. 'As long as (for-profit colleges) are doing their job… they should be part of this equation and not excluded from it.' Education, both locally and nationally, is being upended in ways not seen in decades. In Utah, lawmakers just passed a 'strategic reinvestment' bill that requires the state's public higher education institutions to increase efficiencies by reallocating a chunk of their budget to programs that best align with industry needs. And federally, President Donald Trump hopes to shutter the Department of Education — which established the 90/10 Rule now being targeted by Owens Meanwhile, roughly half of the agency's workforce has been sliced out since Trump's inauguration. Today's uncertainty in American education troubles many — but not Owens. 'I have never been more excited about where we are,' he said. 'The whole purpose of education is to make sure our kids are the best prepared in the entire world. But for the last 40 or 50 years, the Department of Education has failed us.' Modifying the way the country manages its education system, he added, will depend upon taking the decision- and rule-making out of Washington, D.C. — and allowing each state to compete for the best practices. 'We're gonna be in a position where we can start exporting talent for the rest of the world,' said Owens. 'We're going to have so many good, smart kids here that are ready to go out and produce.'
