To ease the financial burden to those students expecting to receive assistance through the Ohio College Opportunity Grants (OCOG), Kent State University Stark has identified funds to help them with their summer tuition.

In May, numerous students enrolled in summer courses at Kent State University Stark, the university's largest regional campus, received financial aid award letters that included estimated OCOG amounts. However, due to a statewide budget cut of $224 million, assistance to students at regional campuses was eliminated, forcing officials to creatively find funding for affected students.

STARK CAMPUS REACTS
"Given the late notice of the decision, it was critical for us to ensure that this setback didn't cause a financial burden for these students or derail them from their academic goals," says Kent State Stark Interim Dean Ruth C. Capasso.  In 2004, Kent State Stark established a low-income grant fund to help students who were ineligible for federal assistance and to contribute to students' technological needs. The campus will distribute money from this fund for students who were awarded summer OCOG funds to offset their tuition.

More than 200 students enrolled in summer classes who were OCOG-eligible will be contacted and informed of the amount of support they will receive, according to a Kent State Stark financial aid staff member. Affected students will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

"Although regional campus tuition can be covered by assistance from the Pell Grant and other federal aid for most qualifying students, there are those who are still left owing a balance that they have to find a way to pay," says Assistant Dean of Enrollment Services Mary Southards.

SIGNIFICANT IMPACT
"It's a significant impact for our students. More than 60 percent receive some type of financial assistance and each OCOG grant recipient averaged $1,000, which can be a monumental obstacle to some," says Southards. "It was important to us that these students entered the fall semester with a zero balance. This will give them the time to financially prepare for their fall semester tuition." The OCOG grant provided nearly $1 million dollars annually for Kent State Stark students.