Students fear Pell Grant cuts, Solomon Syed,Your News Story (Syracuse)

The Pell program gives up to $5,550 to underprivileged college students to help pay for tuition, books and other academic needs. Best of all, it's not a loan and it doesn't have to be repaid. "Any dollar decrease in the financial aid they're receiving could have an impact on their access to attending a college," said Mary Lawyer, the associate vice president for Enrollment Management at Siena College. Lawyer estimates 600 Siena students receive Pell Grants, about 20 percent of the student body. Yet Congress is weighing possible cuts to Pell funding as it negotiates next year's budget. Among various proposals, one possibility is to reduce the maximum amount of aid to each student by more than $800, putting their degree opportunities at risk.