Previous Story
SHEFA suspends incentive award for Framingham students
|
Posted on Dec 01 2011
After months of discussions, the Saipan Higher Education Financial Assistance board of directors decided yesterday to suspend the awarding of $1,000 incentive grants to 13 post-graduate students of Framingham State University this fall semester.
Limited funding for the scholarship programs was cited as the prime reason for the decision, said board chair Jose Mafnas.
The incentive grant is given to students who achieve a 3.5 grade point average or higher every semester. Scholars are not required to apply for this award because they automatically get it based on their GPA records. Incentive awards are provided on top of the grant-in-aid and field of study grants.
SHEFA administrator Henry Hofschneider said that Framingham students used to get all three awards every semester. Each Framingham scholar used to receive a total of $4,700 every academic term. Last fall 2010 semester, this cost SHEFA $75,000 in total disbursements. In the spring 2011 semester, the board cut these awards to only $2,800 for all three programs.
Prior to voting yesterday, board members Vina Saures and John Tenorio expressed concern that suspending the incentive award would be unfair to affected Framingham scholars. The two later voted yes to the award’s suspension.
Framingham students complete their program through online courses. Saipan Tribune learned that all of these students are full-time employees in both private and government sectors.
Hofschneider pointed out that Framingham students are still eligible to receive the grant-in-aid award of $800 and field of study grant amounting to $1,000.
Mafnas said the suspension will last until SHEFA’s funding status improves.
“Anytime you cut something…is not fair…but what can we do? The funding for it is almost not there and we have to maintain this suspension until we get [additional] monies,” Mafnas said.
