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Campaign for Financial Aid Reform
The UOC considers Yale's financial aid policy to be an indispensable part of the University's commitment to diversity and fair access. Fair financial aid is central to the UOC's own pursuance of economic justice. In October 2004, UOC members canvassed 300 Yale undergrads about their financial aid experiences and thoughts on economic diversity at Yale. On Oct. 20th, we sponsored a forum discussion with undergrads and four Student Financial Services representatives.
Together, we identified problems, proposed solutions, and developed them into a platform of changes. We've achieved some of these reforms, and we're still working for others. We have a larger vision of equality of access, experience, and opportunity for all students. We're asking for specific changes in three areas – increased economic diversity, a decreased burden on students and their families, and increased transparency and accountability of the financial aid office – to put this vision into practice. Read our complete financial aid platform, adopted Oct. 27th, here.
Background
Recent sweeping changes in financial aid at other schools make this an especially appropriate time for financial aid reform at Yale. In 2001, Princeton effectively eliminated the loan portion of all financial aid packages. In early 2004, Harvard eliminated the family contribution for students whose family income is less than $40,000 and drastically reduced the family contribution for students whose family income lies between $40,000 and $60,000.
We believe that Yale's current policy reinforces two disparate notions of the Yale student: the financial aid student, who is encouraged to spend time "developing a work ethic" by working many hours a week, or else "developing a sense of responsibility" by taking out large loans; and the non-financial aid student, who is encouraged to spend time "taking on a leadership role" in multiple extracurricular activities. Yale's financial aid structure, both for undergrads and for professional students, limits the career paths of graduates, forcing financial aid students to pursue careers that allow them to pay back tens of thousands of dollars worth of loans, and in many cases not allowing them to pursue non-profit work or work in their own communities. As things currently stand, Yale students graduate, on average, around $16,000 in debt, compared to $8,000 in debt at Harvard and less than $4,000 in debt at Princeton [more info]. The current financial aid system is also a threat to good union jobs for Yale and New Haven, with financial aid students filling an increasing number of casualized positions.
History
On Nov. 9th, 2004, UOC members delivered our platform to President Levin, Dean Salovey, Provost Hamilton, University Directory of Financial Aid Myra Smith, and Dean of Admission Richard Shaw. On Dec. 2nd, having not received any responses, we sent another copy of the platform to President Levin. In a letter accompanying the platform, we asked Levin to meet with us by Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Jan. 17th, 2005. Also in November and December, we began an intensive campaign of talking with students about the platform [leaflet, photos here and here].
Levin responded on Dec. 7th, refusing to meet with us and asserting that "Yale remains committed to the fundamental idea that an undergraduate education should be available to all admitted students through a partnership of investment by the University, the student's family, and the student." The UOC replied to Levin on Jan. 7th, 2005, renewing our request for a meeting by Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
The UOC launched an online petition in support of the financial aid reform platform. Over 1,100 undergrads and supporters have signed on to date. On Jan. 11th, the Yale College Council unanimously passed a resolution strongly echoing our platform.
On Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, 125 students gathered in Woolsey Rotunda to rally for financial aid reform [photos]. UOC members Rebecca Livengood '07, Gloria Alday '07, Chris Ashley '05, and Lauren Burke '05 spoke about various pieces of the platform. Steven Syverud '06 of the Yale College Council and Jay Driskell of GESO also spoke in support. Many of those present wrote personal comments about their reasons for supporting financial aid reform, which were delivered to Levin along with the petition. Levin refused our final invitation to speak at the rally but announced that he would devote half of a YCC open forum on Feb. 22nd to financial aid issues.
On Feb. 1st, the UOC sent a letter to several hundred parents and alumnae/i, informing them of the campaign for financial aid reform and asking them to get in touch with Levin. Meanwhile, about 200 students submitted the questions they wanted to ask Levin at the open forum. These were emailed to Levin and displayed on Cross Campus in valentines to Levin, part of the Road to Financial Aid Reform on Valentine's Day [photos].
At the forum on Feb. 22nd, President Levin had the opportunity to discuss concrete plans for substantial reform. Instead, he made no commitments and addressed financial aid for a total of merely 20 minutes, not the hour that was promised. Levin took up much of this time reiterating his incorrect understandings of the UOC platform, the YCC resolution, and the Yale financial aid process itself. Levin asked students to make a hypothetical choice between a reduction to the self-help contribution and a reduction to the family contribution without committing to either. This was despite numerous students standing up and telling personal stories of how these contributions are, in reality, inseparable. Levin either dismissed these stories as exceptions affecting only "a couple hundred students" or questioned their truth, leaving students overwhelmingly dissatisfied, disappointed, and angry. Around 50 students met immediately following the forum to discuss possible next steps.
The Sit-In and Yale's Subsequent Reform
At 10:30 am on Feb. 24th, 15 undergrads walked into the Office of Undergraduate Admissions and sat down in the lobby, committed to remaining there until President Levin met with them and agreed to substantial reform to both the family and self-help contributions [photos from inside]. Shortly afterward, the office was locked down for the remainder of the day. Read the live updates from the sit-in and stories from the day (in addition to other news, testimonies, etc.) on the Financial Aid Reform Blog.
Several hundred students and supporters, including faculty, Yale workers, and community members, joined the rallies outside throughout the day. At noon, 150 students marched from Cross Campus to the Admissions Office for a rally featuring American Studies Prof. Matt Jacobson, GESO Chair Mary Reynolds, and many undergrads who shared their own experiences with financial aid. Many of those outside had conversations with prospective students and their families, who were excited about our campaign for economic diversity and equality. President Levin received dozens of calls from students, alumnae/i, parents, and faculty asking him to meet with the students inside. A delegation of students visited Levin's office at the Betts House, and another group discussed the sit-in with Yale Corporation member Margaret Marshall at a master's tea.
At around 4 pm, 150 students again gathered outside, chanting, dancing, and singing in the frostbite-inducing weather as Yale stalled closing the building for nearly three hours [photos]. At around 7 pm, Yale arrested the students inside and led them out into the snow. A crowd of more than 100 people remained outside.
Exactly a week after the sit-in, on Mar. 3rd, President Levin announced major financial aid reform at Yale: an elimination of the parent contribution for families making less than $45,000 and a reduction for families making between $45,000 and $60,000, increased recruiting of low-income students, and aid for yearly trips home for international students [UOC press release]. As well, Levin had announced a month earlier a new program waiving the summer contribution for students on financial aid participating in Yale summer study-abroad programs.
This was a major victory for students brought about by several months of pressure, but the fight is by no means over. We are still organizing for a decrease in the self-help, increased transparency, and the other supports for students and their families outlined in our platform. The victory on Mar. 3rd was, we hope, the first in a series of victories for diversity and true equality of access, experience, and opportunity at Yale.
Financial Aid Resources and Information
UOC financial aid platform
Financial Aid Reform at Yale Petition
UOC leaflet: financial aid facts
UOC leaflet: financial aid campaign
UOC response to Yale's announcement
UOC letter to President Levin, 12/2/04
UOC email to President Levin, 1/7/05
UOC letter to parents, 2/1/05
Yale University Student Financial Services
Harvard College Financial Aid Office
Princeton University Undergraduate Financial Aid
President Levin discussing financial aid in Yale Alumni Magazine
UOC financial aid press
Photos: campaign for financial aid reform
Platform distribution, 11/9/04
Speak-out, 12/2/04
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day rally, 1/17/05
Road to Financial Aid Reform, 2/14/05
Sit-in, inside, 2/24/05
Sit-in, outside, 2/24/05
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