Federal cutbacks to Pell Grants may threaten summer classes - Kevin Simpson, The Denver Post

After a brief period when low-income students could access Pell Grants year round to fast-track their post-secondary education, recent federal budget cutbacks are expected to slam on the brakes. Those who already received year-round Pell money during the spring semester may still be able to pursue summer classes. The real crunch looms in 2012, when the cutbacks that go into effect July 1 could curb some students' ability to continue a year-round schedule. "We don't have a complete sense of how it will affect enrollment," said Evan Icolari, interim director of financial aid at the University of Colorado Denver and the Anschutz Medical Campus. "But we're certainly talking about it having an impact on low-income students' abilities to attend school during the summer." The year-round grant was designed to help students complete college more quickly. It was a casualty of budget cuts as an alternative to trimming the maximum $5,550 annual grant.