Under immense pressure from student lobbyists, the United States Senate approved an amendment last week which eliminated several budget cuts to federal student aid programs, but student lobbyists said the battle has only begun.
The reconciliation bill, supported by many of the same individuals who created various cuts in student aid, eliminated three provisions made in the Senate's first budget proposal which amounted to a $5.8 billion difference in the amount of student aid that may be eliminated.
The bill cut the .85 percent tax on all student loans (which would be paid by the university), restored the six month grace period on loan interest after graduation and overruled an increase on PLUS loans.
The victory came after many student groups spent a tremendous amount of time making phone calls, writing letters, e-mailing decision makers, and personally speaking with influential senators, said Marc Ross, director of legislative affairs for the National Association of Students for Higher Education.
"If it wasn't for the large amount of effort we put forth, it (the cut) probably never would have been changed," Ross said. "Lobbying is very important."
Although the 99-0 vote in the Senate is a major gain in the fight to keep student aid, Ross said the battle is far from over.
Under the Senate budget proposal, the relatively new Direct Lending Program will be capped at 20 percent, while under the House's budget proposal the program will be eliminated completely.
UK implemented the Direct Loan Program last year and has found the program to be extremely beneficial to students
"It's a good program," said Judy Marshall, assistant vice chancellor for Administration. "It's more work for us, but it's such a good deal for students that we entered it in its second year."
If the program is capped at 20 percent, Marshall said UK could lose the program and would have to go back to the older, more complicated system.
"Telling people who are in the program to get out of the program is devastating," said Jack Blanton, vice chancellor for Administration.
Although the Direct Loan Program is still at risk some say that the elimination of some cuts is at least a small step.
"It's not a victory, but it's a big step," said Ross. "We're definitely moving in the right direction."
The budget bill now must go to a conference committee in the Senate and then will go to the President for consideration.
President Bill Clinton has promised that he will veto any budget that calls for cuts in education or health care; therefore, some say that the real fight will come after the bill is considered and refused by the President.
"We're acting out a drama and the script calls for Republicans to reconcile their budget and send it to the president," Blanton said. "Then the script calls for the the President to veto the budget. It's meaningful playacting. It's a political dance."