Western Washington University students receiving federal financial aid will be able to receive the same amount of aid if the sequester occurs, as the school has pledged to use reserve funds to offset any possible cuts.
The automatic, across-the-board spending cuts known as the sequester could go into effect Friday, March 1. For college students using federal financial aid, that could mean less money for school.
The school will draw on its reserves to keep students at their current aid levels through the end of this year and for 2013-14.
Here’s what WWU President Bruce Shepard had to say in a news release:
“The increasing likelihood of federal budget cuts is occurring at a time critical to our students and their families. Western students – those continuing and those anticipating coming — and their families are making financial plans for the next academic year. Western is also in the midst of awarding financial aid. Western is acting today to seek to lessen some of the uncertainty students and families may be feeling,” Shepard said. “This is the right thing to do. The university is strongly committed to our students’ success, and is constantly looking for ways to enhance access and affordability.”
I’m working on a more detailed story about this issue and whether other local colleges will be doing the same for their students.
That’s a great thing they are doing. If there was a donation drive I would donate a few bucks. <>