[nfbmi-talk] Should Students Participate in College Costs?

[Elizabeth]

Thanks to all of you who have commented on my revisions to the college policy either on or off the list. However, as I have thought about some things a bit more, I am wondering weather or not college students should help with the cost of going to college. In a previous version I submitted to the Consumer Involvement Committee Chair, I included a section on students contributing financially to the costs of their college education based on the dollar amount awarded to those who receive Supplemental Security Income. I did not include it in this draft simply because it sounded a bit confusing to me, and I was not quite sure how to write it so that it would be less confusing. I will post it below for your comments and suggestions. 
 
But I guess what I am really wondering is weather or not students should be responsible for contributing financially to the costs of their college education. I am currently not a consumer of the agency, nor do I live on campus, so I cannot comment on whether or not this is currently the procedure. However, from what little I have heard about the new DELEG form is that it would require all students to write down all their current expenses and sources of income to determine how much a student's family, not the individual student, can financially contribute towards their college education. 
 
Personally, I am not in favor of this new system for a couple of reasons. The first one being that I don’t think it is the Commission’s business to know every detail of how a student chooses to spend, save, and use every cent of their income. Second, I don’t think that it is right for the Commission to consider the income of student's parents when they are serving the individual and not the family. The last time I checked, the income of someone’s parent, especially for someone over the age of eighteen, was not a source of comparable benefits. And finally, looking at a students income as a way to determine vocational services is basically saying that you have to pay to play, or in this case to receive an education. And since the income of the student’s parents is considered as part of the equation, the amount the student has to pay could very well be beyond what the student can afford. 
 
So, I don’t know, should students be required to help pay for their college education, and if so, how exactly do we create a system that is simple and fair to all students? I mean, after all, the client of the Commission is the student and not the student’s parents. And even though the financial aid system may include the parent’s income, does that mean that the Commission needs to do the same as well even though they are serving the student and not the parents? Anyways, who the heck knows, maybe I’m just making a mountain out of a mole hill, but I’m just a little ticked off that the Commission has been working on this thing for almost two years now, and still has yet to have a discussion about this new DELEG form that appears to be magically hidden into the policy. I don’t know, I guess I’m just pissed off about the whole process in general, and the fact that the college policy is on the agenda when I was told that it would not be ready in time for this meeting.
 
Elizabeth
 
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Student Contribution:
 
Students requesting sponsorship from the Michigan Commission for the Blind will be required to make a small contribution to their college or vocational training. The purpose of this contribution is to prepare students for financial responsibility after graduation. Before a student can receive sponsorship from the Michigan Commission for the Blind, they must complete and sign a copy of the Student Contribution form indicating their level of contribution. Students giving a financial contribution shall be responsible for making payments directly to the college or university. If students cannot make the payment all at once, they are encouraged to ask the college or university about monthly payment plans.
 
All students who choose to live on campus and subscribe to a dining program will be required to pay the register’s office one-half the current amount awarded to Supplemental Security Income (SSI) beneficiaries. All students who choose to live on campus, but do not subscribe to a dining service will be required to pay the register’s office one-third the amount awarded to Supplemental Security Income (SSI) beneficiaries. Any student who does not live on campus will be responsible for all expenses associated with off-campus housing. It will be expected that all students will be responsible for making this contribution regardless of their level of income. 
  		 	   		  
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