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Late-enrolling students plead for release of scholarship checks
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Posted on Jul 08 2011
Scholars of the Saipan Higher Education Financial Assistance are becoming desperate, resorting to pleas for the release of their delayed checks so they could enroll for the new semester.
SHEFA administrator Henry Hofschneider said yesterday that his office is being bombarded with calls and messages from students or their parents, begging for help and consideration.
Saipan Tribune learned that 92 scholars have yet to get their checks for the spring 2011 semester.
“The students are pleading and begging for their checks because they want to use it for enrollment in fall 2011 and I truly understand their situation. But I have no choice but to explain to the scholars the government’s situation,” said Hofschneider.
He said he had already emailed Finance Secretary Larrisa Larson on Wednesday to convey these students’ pleas. He has yet to receive a response on the matter as of press time yesterday.
SHEFA records indicate that the 92 checks amount to $137,200.
The Finance Department last disbursed SHEFA scholarship checks on June 20 amounting to $587,700, covering 596 checks: 320 for grant-in-aid recipients; 135 for field of study awards; and 141 for incentive scholars.
Hofschneider appealed again to parents and students for their continued patience and understanding with the government’s situation as poker collection and related revenues continue to decline. The Finance Department, he said, is doing its best to fulfill these obligations.
The Legislature provides SHEFA $3 million every year for its scholarship programs. In the fall 2010 semester, SHEFA gave out $2.3 million, leaving just $906,900 for spring 2011 semester scholars.
Hofscheider is hopeful that the last batch of pending checks for spring scholars would be out soon.
SHEFA officials earlier disclosed that two scholarship programs—field of study and the incentive programs—may be suspended next semester due to the lack of funds. The board’s decision is expected at its next meeting.
