Editorial: Publicizing aid options

To its credit, the University has done much to reduce the salience of money on those choices that may come with additional expenses not funded by financial aid awards. For example, the Office of Financial Aid will allow students to modify their work-study award to work more hours than allowed or to request a waiver of their summer savings requirement if the student has outstanding expenses. There are even sources of funding for students with financial need to participate in dues-based extracurricular activities or trips: For these students, the Vice President of Student Life’s website lists a multitude of entities that will provide funding for extra expenses, including those associated with extracurricular activities and events.

But many of these efforts and initiatives go on under the radar and are therefore unknown to some low-income students (or more generally around campus). Equally as important as the University providing these funds is that it publicizes their availability, both officially and through informal advising relationships. Low-income students may be reluctant to join certain clubs or activities since they know that membership comes with a price tag. Providing funds to assist these students makes the financial aspect less of a barrier to participation; but this can only work if the students are aware that the funding is available.

Efforts geared toward disseminating this information include the USG’s “Princeton on a Shoestring” working committee, which aims to produce a guide to living frugally at Princeton. This is a good start, but the committee should expand its goals to include helping students seek out these opportunities and find creative funding sources on campus. The University could also arrange a freshman week seminar or a similar meeting publicizing funding opportunities and strategies for paying for expenses at Princeton.

While institutions within the USG and the University can take “official” routes to reduce the limiting effect of money on student life at Princeton, socioeconomic status at Princeton is, above all, a social issue. It is a question of culture: No one at Princeton should feel alienated because of his or her income. Students should be aware of the way income factors into life on campus and bring this awareness to bear on the way they run clubs and groups and interact with others. Some student groups have taken concrete steps by waiving or reducing dues for members unable to pay the full amount. Giving students plenty of notice about upcoming fees would also allow them to effectively budget in advance. When planning social events, students should try to organize low-cost activities so that all students can afford to participate. The advisory group that Ana Gonzalez ’11 proposed in Monday’s article may be helpful, but it is necessary for the entire campus community — not just those affected — to be cognizant of the challenges low-income students face in order for the University community to act effectively on this knowledge.