Spring Break
Merit aid can be used for study abroad
by Jillian Wagner
News Editor
Budget Central | 2/24/09
Posted online at 7:45 AM EST on 2/24/09
The University reversed its Jan. 16 decision to make merit-based scholarships nontransferable for students studying abroad, according to a Feb. 10 e-mail sent to first-year and sophomore students, as well as to students on the study abroad listserv, by Assistant Dean of Academic Services and Director of Study Abroad J. Scott Van Der Meid and Dean of Student Financial Services Peter Giumette.
According to the e-mail, "After careful review and deliberation, the decision has been made to make merit aid portable for study abroad for sophomores and first year students."
"It's my understanding that we would not restrict incoming students either," Giumette said in a Feb. 10 interview with the Justice. "That wasn't part of the [Feb. 10] decision simply because we aren't speaking to that population."
The merit aid scholarship policy change was initially made in order to address the study abroad program's $800,000 budget gap from "what we have spent this year for study abroad in operating the program versus what we have for next year," Van Der Meid explained in an interview with the Justice.
Giumette told the Justice in a Jan. 22 interview that Student Union President Jason Gray '10 made senior administrators aware of the fact that merit scholar letters for the Justice Brandeis Scholarship, Dean's Award and Presidential Scholarship clearly stated that these three scholarships could be applied toward study abroad programs.
"Senior administration felt that that the letters represented a promise we would honor," Giumette told the Justice Feb. 10.
"It's fair to say that the administration agreed that it was not something they wanted to do to recruit someone on campus under one premise and then remove their ability to study abroad," Gray said.
"I'm really glad the decision was overturned," Gray added. "I think it's a necessary reversal. I think it's a strong action."
"I am overjoyed [about the reversal]," said Laura Hand '11, a recipient of a Presidential Scholarship. "I really appreciated that they said that they recognized that they made a promise in our merit scholarship letters and that they are fulfilling their agreement in the contract," she said.
According to the e-mail, "After careful review and deliberation, the decision has been made to make merit aid portable for study abroad for sophomores and first year students."
"It's my understanding that we would not restrict incoming students either," Giumette said in a Feb. 10 interview with the Justice. "That wasn't part of the [Feb. 10] decision simply because we aren't speaking to that population."
The merit aid scholarship policy change was initially made in order to address the study abroad program's $800,000 budget gap from "what we have spent this year for study abroad in operating the program versus what we have for next year," Van Der Meid explained in an interview with the Justice.
Giumette told the Justice in a Jan. 22 interview that Student Union President Jason Gray '10 made senior administrators aware of the fact that merit scholar letters for the Justice Brandeis Scholarship, Dean's Award and Presidential Scholarship clearly stated that these three scholarships could be applied toward study abroad programs.
"Senior administration felt that that the letters represented a promise we would honor," Giumette told the Justice Feb. 10.
"It's fair to say that the administration agreed that it was not something they wanted to do to recruit someone on campus under one premise and then remove their ability to study abroad," Gray said.
"I'm really glad the decision was overturned," Gray added. "I think it's a necessary reversal. I think it's a strong action."
"I am overjoyed [about the reversal]," said Laura Hand '11, a recipient of a Presidential Scholarship. "I really appreciated that they said that they recognized that they made a promise in our merit scholarship letters and that they are fulfilling their agreement in the contract," she said.
Be the first to comment on this story