UO E-clips, Jan. 3
Top stories for January 3, 2008: Multiple media coverage today on Wednesday's UO announcement about Pathway Oregon, a new program for low-income freshmen that begins in the fall
New UO program for needy freshman (Oregonian): About 400 low-income freshmen will attend the University of Oregon for free this fall under a new program aiming to help them succeed financially, academically and socially. The university's new PathwayOregon program guarantees that eligible students will not pay any tuition and fees for four years through a combination of federal, state and university grants and scholarships. Students also will be assigned an adviser to guide them academically and will be given opportunities to interact socially. About 30 students with the highest financial need and academic achievement in high school also will be given free room and board.
University of Oregon details tuition plan for low-income students (Associated Press from Seattle Post Intelligencer): The University of Oregon rolled out new details Wednesday of its ambitious plan to cover the costs of tuition and fees for lower-income students, starting with next year's freshman class. Under the plan, the university will pick up tuition costs not covered by state and federal financial aid for students from poorer families. To qualify, students will have to be eligible for the Pell Grant, a federal program designed for low-income college students, and apply for a scholarship offered to Oregon students.
UO reveals details of tuition aid program (Register-Guard): A financial aid program at the University of Oregon will effectively eliminate tuition and fees for lower-income Oregonians who qualify for admission. The program is called PathwayOregon and will be offered to freshmen only beginning this fall. The UO expects about 200 freshmen to qualify initially with the total number of recipients swelling with each subsequent year’s new enrollments. The aid will cover all tuition and fee expenses that aren’t met by federal and state grants, and recipients will get extra academic help to keep them on the path to a degree. University officials said the grant program in part is a response to a 2006 report that faulted flagship universities for spending more on financial aid for students from well-off families than those from low-income families.