UNA will lose an estimated $6,141 in opportunity grant money as result of sequestration in 2014, according to the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators. NASFAA indicated that UNA will not be losing any funding to the federal work-study program, according to current estimates.

“There is no change to funding for the current award year that we are in (2012-2013),” said Ben Baker, director of Student Financial Services. “The federal Pell Grant program is not changed. There is no change for student eligibility for loans (or) to the loan limits.”

Baker said the cuts were determined and administered by the U.S. Department of Education, with most of the grant money being provided by Congress. Although the amount awarded by the grant will not decrease, the number of students who receive opportunity grants will decrease by approximately 25, starting fall of 2013, Baker said.

“We pay (opportunity grants) to students with the highest need, that come from the lower income segments of society,” Baker said. “We pay $300 to (each student who receives the grant). That’s $150 in the fall and $150 in the spring. Right now we have paid 546 students that grant.”

The grant, which assists students in paying tuition and other possible university fees, is the only program currently anticipating a sequestration cut at UNA, he said.

“I think it’s fortunate that it only amounts to $6,000-7,000,” Baker said. “That’s not final yet; that is the preliminary notification that we have received from the Department of Education. These cuts are applicable for next school year, but I don’t know about any further.”

Baker said the grants are distributed on a first-come, first-served basis that is determined by which students file their FAFSA the quickest. He said he knows the loss of opportunity grant money could have an impact on the campus, but it is fortunate that the work-study program has yet to receive a cut.

“All across the campus of UNA, we depend on our student employees to fill in many offices across campus,” Baker said. “It would be very difficult for the university to make the substantial cuts (in jobs) if we had cuts to the federal work study program.”

Meggin Major, a senior at UNA who receives the opportunity grant, said it is better for these grants to be cut than Pell Grants, although the opportunity grant still helps. She said students should be sure to file for their FAFSA as soon as possible.

“Also (students in need should) go talk to the people at Financial Aid,” Major said. “There are so many scholarships and stuff that people don’t even know about because they are busy. There are so many opportunities out there if you will just take the time to talk to somebody.”