Grant program for higher degree students may be stopped—Mafnas

The cash-strapped government is not capable right now of sustaining second priority programs that need to be suspended immediately, according to Jose Mafnas, chairman of the Saipan Higher Education Financial Assistance on Friday.

Mafnas said the suspension or abolition of second priority programs will be tackled at their meeting this week so a decision can be made prior to the opening of the new semester in September.

Mafnas specifically identified programs for scholars seeking master’s degrees and advanced studies under SHEFA for possible suspension. Qualified students get all three financial awards: grant in aid, field of study, and incentive grants.

The SHEFA program provides a $1,200 grant to master’s degree students under grant in aid program; $1,000 for field of study; and $1,500 under the incentive program.

“Definitely, there will be some adjustments to be made, first in our master’s and advanced studies [recipients]. The board may either lower the amount for them or suspend two of the three programs. It will depend on the board, but the intention is to cut the scholarship assistance to those second priorities,” Mafnas said.

He revealed that the reduction of the financial awards in spring 2011 semester was not enough to ensure that SHEFA will continue serve its purpose of providing scholarship grants to qualified students.

In his personal view, Mafnas believes that master’s students or those seeking advanced studies should not continue to receive the same assistance as what undergraduates get from SHEFA. He said they are less priority recipients who could be excluded from the awards.

Based on the projected revenue from poker fees and licenses, Mafnas is convinced that SHEFA is not fully guaranteed that it will get the $3 million appropriated under the budget law.

“We have to adjust immediately based on the funding for SHEFA. There’s no way we can sustain the program if we will continue to provide assistance to second-priority recipients. A tough decision has to be made,” he said.

Mafnas said a decision on this matter may not come out this week because the board may refer it to the awards committee for evaluation and assessment.

It is also important to know the total amount that has been awarded by the government to these second-priority students since 2004, the inception of the SHEFA program, he added.

The CNMI government has already spent a total of $17.7 million for SHEFA scholars from 2004 through 2010.