In December, ’09, the Oregon Student Assistance Commission (OSAC) notified Oregon colleges that they were cancelling or reducing some 09/10 Estimated Oregon Opportunity Grant (OOG) awards due to budget shortfalls. The three categories of students that were impacted are as follows:
- Students who did not receive OOG funds for ’09 Fall by 12/15/09 are not eligible for any 09/10 OOG awards.
- The Winter and Spring OOG awards of students who received only part-time OOG funds in ’09 Fall will be limited to the ’09 Fall term amount, even if enrolled full-time.
- ’10 Spring OOG awards will be reduced by $120 if based on full-time enrollment and by $60 if limited to part-time.
Notification letter to students
The hope was to be able to fully fund year-round applicants. However, several factors contributed to this not being possible, such as:
- more students than ever are attending college and
- our economy is experiencing significant challenges.
RCC and OSAC staff deeply regrets this situation. If your remaining aid is insufficient to meet your needs, consider the following:
- RCC offers an installment plan for any balance that isn’t otherwise covered by financial aid. Visit Rogue Central by the 1/15/10 ’10 Winter term payment deadline to avoid late fees.
- While RCC cautions you about debt, if you have not exhausted your annual student loan eligibility, this may be an option to carefully consider. If you do not have a 09/10 student loan, visit the financial aid website. If you already have a 09/10 student loan but want to check to see if you have additional eligibility as a result of this change, contact Rogue Central.
To apply for maximum aid in 10/11, complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) early in January, 2010 at www.fafsa.gov and take advantage of scholarship opportunities at sites such as www.rccfoundation.org, www.getcollgefunds.org and www.fastweb.com.
