Protecting Pell Grants, advancing FIU’s research agenda remain top priorities for FIU D.C. team


In Washington this week, FIU President Mark B. Rosenberg and the FIU D.C. team had a busy week advocating to protect Pell Grants, advance the university’s research agenda, and honor FIU’s own in the nation’s capital.

 

With the debate on potential reductions to maximum Pell Grants shifting to the Senate, FIU’s advocacy visits to U.S. Senators Marco Rubio and Bill Nelson emphasized how these cuts would impact American competitiveness, Florida’s economy and, disproportionately, FIU. More than 50 percent of FIU’s Pell recipients (8,752) currently receive the maximum amount, and FIU has the fourth most Pell recipients amongst the 25 largest universities in the United States.

The U.S. House has sent a budget package to the Senate that would reduce the maximum award by $845 (15.2 percent) to $4,705 from the current maximum of $5,550. Also being considered is the elimination of year-round Pell, which would also disproportionately impact FIU, which has such a high percentage of year-round students. Nationally, proposed House cuts would effectively “kick-out” 1.7 million students and lowers grants for a remaining 7.5 million.

“The time is now for students and our university community to make their voices also known on this issue,” said Carlos Becerra, FIU’s director of federal relations. “We’re encouraging everyone — contact your legislators.”

In addition to advocating for Pell Grants, Rosenberg presented the university’s 2011 federal agenda to members of the South Florida delegation and took the time to visit with the director of the National Science Foundation and the assistant secretary for post-secondary education in the Department of Education. During both visits, he emphasized the important advancements FIU is making in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education, especially in increasing the diverse pipeline of scientists and engineers and STEM teachers.

FIU’s D.C. Capital Panthers alumni chapter also hosted a reception to welcome the 112th Congress and honor one of its own, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, ’75, ’87, on her appointment as chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs. More than 50 alumni and friends who serve in key roles on Capitol Hill, federal agencies and international embassies were also in attendance.

Other FIU visitors to D.C. this week included:

* College of Law Dean Alex Acosta, who testified before the House Energy and Commerce committee on “Waste, Fraud, and Abuse: A Continuing Threat to Medicare and Medicaid”

* Richard Olson, chair of FIU’s Department of Politics and International Relations, who presented his research findings from earthquakes in Haiti and Chile to reduce global risk at the National Academy of Sciences’ “Disasters Roundtable Workshop”

For more information about these items, including Pell Grants, contact FIU’s Washington, D.C., Office, visit the university’s Governmental Relations website or follow @FIUdc on Twitter. To view photos of FIU advocates in action, click here.

Pell Grant sources: Federal Student Aid Data Center & National Center for Education Statistics.