Senator Rahman Votes to Support Student Scholarships

Senator MD Rahman, voted Wednesday to pass Senate Bill 5 – An Act Concerning Higher Education Affordability and Accountability. This legislation makes college more affordable by ensuring that the state’s Roberta B. Willis Scholarship Foundation functions as intended by providing financial relief on a needs-basis for Connecticut students attending four-year colleges and universities in Connecticut.

Currently, Roberta B. Willis Scholarships are on average between $4,500 and $5,200.These scholarships are intended to help incentivize Connecticut’s students to stay in-state in their pursuit of higher education.

A hallmark of the bill is the requirement for the Office of Higher Education to notify institutions by Nov. 1 of each year of the amount of funds allocated to each institution for need-based grants for the following fiscal year. This means that institutions can notify students of their full aid package at the time of admission, which will help students weigh the benefits of enrolling in-state accurately.

“Higher education is a great way to build opportunities and open doors but its price tag should not be a barrier that keeps Connecticut students from pursuing their goals,” Senator Rahman said. “This bill strengthens our scholarship program so more families can afford in-state colleges and students can focus on learning instead of worrying about how to pay for it.”

With the future of federal funding for financial aid programs in question, this legislation seeks to invest in Connecticut students, schools and our workforce.

Currently, Connecticut’s investment into needs-based scholarships is among the lowest in the country. According to a NASSGAP survey, forty-three other states spend a greater percentage of state funding for higher education on student aid than Connecticut does. Connecticut also loses 40-percent of its young adults to colleges and universities in other states.

“The cost of higher education continues to grow, and our underfunded state scholarship program encourages students to seek education elsewhere,” said Senate President Martin Looney. “By investing in our students, we are allowing Connecticut students to stay in this state to receive their education, enter the workforce, grow our economy and enjoy the high-quality life we have built here in Connecticut.”

“Right now, the federal government is taking aim at higher education,” said Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff. “In Connecticut, we know that a highly skilled workforce is the lifeblood of a strong economy. This legislation ensures not only that we are retaining talent, but that we are providing some relief to hardworking students and their families when it comes to the rising cost of higher education.”Over the last several years Democrat led legislation has expanded access to higher education through debt-free community college, Connecticut Automatic Admission Program (CAAP) and expanding access to lower interest CHESLA loans.