NASFAA President Dr. Phil Day and the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) President Dr. George Boggs sent a joint letter to Secretary Arne Duncan yesterday urging him to offer year-round Pell Grants to part-time students. "We believe that Congress intended to allow all Pell Grant recipients the opportunity to accelerate their academic advancement by making available a second Pell Grant in a given award year," the letter states. "We read the statutory language as including part-time students."

During negotiated rulemaking, federal negotiators argued that "acceleration" was meant to facilitate earlier graduation for full-time students. Under the Department's interpretation, students would need to complete one full academic year's worth of work before becoming eligible to draw on a second scheduled Pell award within the same year.

NASFAA and the AACC see two problems with that interpretation. First, the Department's interpretation would disadvantage thousands of students who begin the award year by enrolling in a summer term on a part-time basis. Second, the Department's interpretation would be highly discriminatory to those students who receive disproportionately fewer postsecondary degrees and who are most in need of Pell Grant funds.

"The Department's interpretation runs contrary to the very proposals and pro-education statements the Obama Administration has championed since assuming office in January," the letter states. "It is irrational to deny a student who is making satisfactory academic progress a full Pell Grant for the summer term, but then permit that same student to receive the full Pell Grant the following fall."

Posted 06/11/09 to www.NASFAA.org. Redistribution to non-NASFAA institutions is prohibited. Please submit Web site questions or comments to Web@NASFAA.org.