Financial Aid Office prepares for proposed state budget cuts that could impact more than 150 students
State financial aid in the state of Indiana is set to change soon — and not in favor of students. January 8 marked the first day of Indiana’s 2025 budget writing session, and the docket includes cuts to the Frank O’Bannon Grants. The proposed cuts would be capable of impacting over 150 Wabash students, along with approximately 30,000 other recipients across the state. However, the Wabash Financial Aid Offices have already begun preparations for the potential storm — a luxury they haven’t had in the past.
“It’s a bit unnerving,” said Dean for Enrollment Management and Director of Admissions Chip Timmons ’96. “[The cuts] are going to impact the students with the greatest need on this campus and others across the state of Indiana. We’re going to have changes moving forward, but we can adjust for that.”
But with uncertainty being at the forefront of the cuts, the office of Financial Aid has decided to begin preparing with the expectation that the cuts will go through when the Indiana state budget is passed in about four months.
“We’re working under the assumption that this is the final answer,” said Interim Director of Financial Aid Laura Frye. “We continue to work with our lobbyists, but we’re working under the assumption that the cuts are a done deal.”
Accepting the reality of the budget cuts may be unnerving to students — particularly those directly impacted by it — but Wabash students can do their own part to help those impacted most by the cuts.
“The deadline to file the FAFSA [Free Application for Federal Student Aid] for state grant recipients is April 15, but it is imperative that students file now,” said Frye. “We need a critical mass of data not only to ensure that students qualify, but to analyze where we’re going to be sitting [financially].”
Financial aid data is critical for the Financial Aid Office’s response to the proposed cuts. Having data allows them to run accurate predictions on how Wabash students might be impacted — and the sooner they can make predictions, the better the financial aid fortifications.
While the Financial Aid Office is focused on overcoming the proposed cuts, the admissions office is in a state of business as usual, because their usual has been unusual for the past four years.
“I don’t think [the cuts] will be a roadblock for [admissions],” said Timmons. “Every recruiting year for the last four years has been covered with uncertainty — pandemic, FAFSA not coming out on time, state grant cuts. We’re small enough and well resourced enough to manage through crises like this.”
So while the Admissions Office is used to boarding up the hatches, the Financial Aid Office is still in a state of uncertainty. Without data, they are unable to make accurate predictions just yet. But the resources at their disposal have their confidence in finding a solution to the proposed cuts high.
“I think we are well positioned to be able to weather the storm,” said Frye. “We continually weather storms every year. I think we will be fine.”
Students that are Indiana residents are encouraged to fill out their FAFSA application as soon as possible. The deadline for state grant recipients is April 15.