Previous Story
So far, 82 SHEFA applicants found ineligible
|
Posted on Aug 04 2011
So far, 82 students who applied for grants with the Saipan Higher Education Financial Assistance program have been found ineligible for financial assistance because they failed to comply with the program’s requirements, according to a senior SHEFA official.
SHEFA administrator Henry Hofschneider expects the number of ineligible students to increase in the next few weeks after the full review is completed.
Hofschneider disclosed that a total of 776 applications were turned in for the fall 2011 semester, comprising walk-in applicants, online, and applications received through mail. The deadline for applications was on July 1. He said 55 percent of applicants are from on island students while the rest are from off-island ones.
Of the 776 applications, Hofschneider disclosed that 82 have so far been denied, mostly due to the lack of the required number of credits and failure to meet the grade point average required by the program.
Hofschneider said he has already completed reviewing about 20 percent of total applications as of yesterday.
“We’re now working on the notice of ineligibility to be issued to those who were found noncompliant with the requirements,” he said.
SHEFA expects to find only about 500 students eligible for financial awards in the fall 2011 semester.
Hofschneider said the program will cap the total scholarships amount it will issue this semester at $1.5 million—half of the $3 million appropriated for SHEFA this fiscal year. Hofschneider is convinced that the new ceiling will help ensure the continued viability of the program, which relies on the government collections on poker fees and licenses.
SHEFA gave away $2.3 million in the previous fall 2010 semester, resulting in only about $900,000 left over for the spring 2010 semester.
Due to budget shortfall, the board has implemented an across-the-board cut in financial awards for the spring 2011 semester, ranging from 25 percent to 50 percent reduction. Another adjustment is expected this new semester with the termination or suspension of the incentive grants. Incentive is given to scholars, on top of their grant-in-aid assistance, if they have 3.5 grade point average per academic term.
