University of Redlands
Dear University Community,
As University President, one of my key responsibilities is to advocate for our students, their families, and the University of Redlands. I often do this without sharing that work, but I wanted to provide you with an update on a matter that directly impacts our University and the hundreds of students who rely on federal financial aid to pursue their higher education degrees. The U.S. House of Representatives recently unveiled a preliminary budget proposal, which includes the elimination of two programs critical to higher education: the Federal Work-Study (FWS) and Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG). The Senate’s preliminary budget includes a $10,000,000 decrease to both programs.
Last week, I contacted our federal elected representatives, including Senators Laphonza Butler and Alex Padilla, as well as Congressmen Pete Aguilar, Jared Huffman, and Jay Obernolte, to advocate against any proposed cuts or eliminations. Thank you to the offices of Enrollment, Student Financial Services, and the Student Work-Study office in Human Resources for their invaluable assistance in gathering research and information for our correspondence.
I encourage you to review the attached letter and consider ways to join advocacy efforts, including contacting your congressional representatives. You may reach out to the individuals listed above and/or the individual representing your home district, which you can find at this link: https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative.
Thank you for your attention to this important matter.
Sincerely,
Krista L. Newkirk
President
