FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Edie Irons
May 26, 2009
510/883-7302
Gretchen Wright
202/371-1999
Governor Proposes Eliminating Cal Grants
for More Than 200,000 Students this Fall
Reverses California’s Historic Commitment to College Opportunity
Berkeley, CA – In direct contrast to federal efforts to increase college access during the current recession,
today Governor Schwarzenegger proposed eliminating all new Cal Grants, along with deep cuts to public
university systems and other essential state programs and services. The Cal Grant program has been an
integral part of California’s commitment to college access and affordability for more than 50 years. Since
2001, all qualified graduating high school students have been guaranteed a Cal Grant.
“The Governor’s alarming threat to eliminate Cal Grants sends a discouraging signal about college
affordability to all Californians,” said Lauren Asher, acting president of the Institute for College Access
& Success. “Students and families are counting on Cal Grants in these tough times, and the proposed cuts
will wreak havoc with college plans for this fall.”
The Governor seeks to cut approximately $250 million from the state budget by:
• Eliminating all new Cal Grants for students at both public and private colleges; and
• Reducing the value of renewal Cal Grants for all returning University of California (UC) and
California State University (CSU) recipients by lowering the share of enrollment fees their grants
will cover. (Renewal Cal Grant recipients at other colleges would not experience cuts.)
The Institute estimates that more than 200,000 students statewide – over two-thirds of all current
students offered Cal Grants – would lose all or part of the Cal Grant they were counting on to help
pay for college this fall. These students will see their financial aid packages reduced by between
$576 and $9,708. Based on the Institute’s analysis, here is a snapshot of these high-achieving, f