Oregon higher education officials weigh how to deal with grant shortage | OregonLive.com

Oregon higher education officials weigh how to deal with grant shortage | OregonLive.com

Oregon higher education officials weigh how to deal with grant shortage

By Bill Graves, The Oregonian

April 02, 2010, 7:11PM

SALEM – Higher education officials today reviewed options for dealing with a shortage of money for need-based state college scholarships next year, the results of miscalculations that led to too many grants this year.

The Oregon Student Assistance Commission reported last week that its overcommitment in the scholarships known as Oregon Opportunity Grants has swollen to as much as $19 million, nearly twice what it reported to the Legislature in February. The overcommitment will mean thousands of eligible students will not get the scholarships next year.

In a stern letter last week, an exasperated Gov. Ted Kulongoski asked the commission to rebalance its budget, review its management practices and prepare a report for his office.

The Shared Responsibility Model Steering Committee that advises the commission met today at Chemeketa Community College in Salem and delved into many features of the complex grant program, such as scholarship disbursement deadlines, awards for halftime students, timing on data reports, late awards and setting up a reserve.

The commission expects to have about $32 million to $37 million for the grants next year, about half what it is awarding this year. The steering committee discussed how the state agency might change the way it