Budget cuts slice through Ohio College Opportunity Grant - Janet Okoben, The Plain Dealer

The significant reduction of the Ohio College Opportunity Grant in the recently approved state budget seems to have been the biggest surprise for local public colleges and universities. Everyone was prepared for a tough budget year, but the OCOG cuts actually took away money that universities and needy students assumed they were getting. Students at the state's community colleges and regional campuses will no longer be eligible for up to $2,496 in state aid through OCOG. Qualifying students at four-year public universities can only get $1,008 annually now. Students at private, nonprofit colleges are still eligible for the full $2,496.