Students at Sam Houston State University who rely on financial aid have expressed concerns as the federal government begins a partial shutdown. However, important financial aid services are set to continue.
A partial shutdown of the government went into effect Wednesday morning at 12:01 a.m. ET after Congress failed to pass spending legislation. According to the U.S. Department of Education, the government will furlough roughly 87% of its employees, but Pell Grants, federal loans and Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) processing will continue.
The majority of the Office of Federal Student Aid, which oversees the $1.6 trillion student loan portfolio in the U.S., is expected to be included in the furloughs.
While state and local governments provide most of the funding for American schools, the Education Department acts as an outlet for billions of dollars in federal assistance, according to Annie Ma of the Associated Press. The agency will suspend new grant-making and withdraw from certain advising and regulatory functions during the closure. However, it is anticipated that programs like student loans and Pell Grants would continue.
The Financial Aid and Scholarships office at SHSU stated that it was unable to comment on the shutdown’s possible effects. A spokesperson from the university’s Integrated Marketing Communications team provided the following statement on Monday:
“The federal government shutdown should not affect the university or our students. Federal aid has already been awarded, and as a state entity, the university will continue normal operations.”
For Trinity Douglas, a junior pre-nursing major, the shutdown is concerning. Douglas says she would be unable to enroll in required classes if her FAFSA processing was delayed. She also suggested that students from low-income families could be more at risk.
“It has a significant impact on students who need to pay for their education because we depend on that,” she said.
As of Friday afternoon, lawmakers had yet to reach an agreement to end the shutdown.
