Legislative Action Network helps students and advocates be heard
The Minnesota Private College Council (MPCC) has long advocated for a strong program of need-based aid for low- and middle-income college students. In Minnesota, this aid is distributed through the State Grant Program, which benefits 71,000 students a year. In the last five years, the average State Grant award has fallen 14 percent in inflation-adjusted dollars. In 2007, MPCC is asking policymakers to increase need-based aid; this is the most efficient way to target limited state funds and help keep college affordable to those who need assistance.
One of the ways we reach policymakers is through the Legislative Action Network, an online tool that makes it easy to contact your legislators. Those who sign up for the network receive periodic “Action Alert” e-mails during the legislative session, asking them to send a letter to their legislators requesting support for our agenda.
In response to a December Action Alert, more than 200 people contacted Governor Pawlenty to urge increased funding for the State Grant Program. Here are excerpts from a handful:
“I am a senior at Concordia College in Moorhead. I have personally had a difficult time paying for college this year because the financial support I received from the government was not as much as in the past. In order to make ends meet, my father has gotten a second job in addition to his full-time county financial work job."
—Kristle Moen, Concordia College
"Contributions to my own education at St. Olaf College from the Minnesota State Grant Program were essential to my completing my college education and beginning a promising career in education and computer science."
—David Wenzel ’72, St. Olaf College
“I attend Macalester College in Saint Paul and I receive financial aid from this Grant Program. My education would not be possible without this grant, and I truly believe that investing in the future is the only way for the United States to remain the world leader it is today. In recent years, rising tuition has made it more and more difficult for students to receive the education that they deserve.… I believe that investing in human capital development is the single best way to improve future living standards for all of Minnesota.”
—Katherine Lim, Macalester College
Sign up to participate in the Legislative Action Network, which enables you to find out more about the issues and share your views with legislators.