TALLAHASSEE - An estimated 22,000 undergraduates in Florida's 11 public universities passed up at least $24 million in Pell Grants in 2005 because they didn't apply, according to a report presented to Florida's Board of Governors Thursday.
The report found that about 23 percent of eligible students failed to file a Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, form.
"All they have to do is fill out the paperwork," said Bill Edmonds, board spokesman.
Pell Grants are a type of federal need-based aid. The maximum award for 2009-2010 is scheduled to be $4,850, but the economic stimulus package passed by the U.S. House of Representatives Wednesday would increase that to $5,350.
The board's study counted any student whose family made $40,000 or less per year as eligible for a grant.
The report noted these students were probably eligible for millions of dollars in other aid as well.
With an average family income of about $105,000, most students are not eligible for Pell Grants, UF's Director of Student Financial Affairs Karen Fooks said.
Though the board didn't vote on the matter, its staff of about 50 will begin reaching out to high school guidance counselors, financial aid directors at universities and the media so they can spread the word, Edmonds said.
"We're gonna tell 'em, 'Look, this is so easy for these people to do,'" he said.
Edmonds said staff will also advocate a simpler application process.
Even so, Fooks said she thinks students who are eligible for aid know to apply.
"I don't think you're going to school here if you don't have any money and you haven't applied for financial aid," she said.
In the 2007-2008 school year, about 7,800 UF students received Pell Grants, she said.
She said she's concerned that some students in high school may decide to opt out of college because they're not aware of financial aid options like Pell Grants.
The grants could also help students struggling to balance work and school, allowing them to drop their jobs or cut back on hours and focus on their studies, said Dan Cohen-Vogel, assistant vice chancellor at the Board of Governors.
Cohen-Vogel said the reasons students aren't applying for aid are mainly that they don't know it exists or that the application process is too confusing.
In addition to financial aid, the board discussed a textbook adoption regulation that closely mirrors a state law passed last year requiring textbooks to be posted on a university's Web site at least 30 days before the start of classes.
The regulation will be voted on at the February board meeting.
UF has a few issues with the proposed regulation, said UF Provost Joe Glover, who filled in at the meeting for UF President Bernie Machen.
Machen was in Washington discussing the economic stimulus package with lawmakers.
Glover said UF will try to amend a provision that requires professors to determine the value of switching to a newer version of a textbook.
He said he wants to make sure faculty maintain their academic freedom to choose the best books.
"Sometimes old versions are better than new versions. Sometimes new versions are better than old versions," he said. "So I think there are a number of concerns that we have about that."
