Laura Hutton
Co-Editor in Chief
McDaniel students joined their peers from Maryland’s independent colleges and universities on February 12 in Annapolis to save state funding of their institutions.
The Sellinger State Aid Program, named for Reverend Joseph A. Sellinger, a former President of Loyola College for nearly 30 years, has provided funds from the state of Maryland to students attending its private institutions since the 1970’s. In the current economic climate, it has been subject to cuts and more could be on the way.
To save this funding, students from Maryland’s 18 independent institutions attended MICUA Day (Maryland Independent College and University Association) to lobby state representatives in their respective districts.
Throughout the day, students attended meetings with their representatives and were able to express how the Sellinger program has been personally important to them in their college careers. The students conveyed their determination to protect the state funding by sharing the impact of Sellinger on their college career, thanking legislators for support, and encouraging their continued maintenance of the program.
Senior Stuart Clarke explains, “the majority of Sellinger funds received by McDaniel go to scholarships, and I am here on a scholarship, otherwise I wouldn’t be able to afford a private college. I’m starting law school in the fall, an opportunity I only have because of the McDaniel education I received thanks to the Sellinger formula.”
Clarke attended MICUA Day in 2008 and 2009. His dedication branches from the fact that he is only able to attend McDaniel College because of the Sellinger program. “Largely because of misconceptions about private colleges, there tends to be the idea that students attending private colleges come from wealthy families, and that’s not true at all.
However, if one accepts that premise, they’re going to be much less likely to support funding private schools, especially during a recession with a budget deficit,” observes Clarke.
Thus, by talking to their legislators, students are able to relay how important it is for students to have the option of attending a private school and show the importance of supporting Sellinger.
Established in 1971, MICUA’s goal was to make private education more affordable to students and their families. These funds were acquired through the Sellinger formula and continue to be of high importance to students today as over 15,000 grants use its funds to provide support to students, according to “The Faces of Sellinger 2009.”
“Tina (Bajarekull, president of MICUA) often observes that the primary purpose of MICUA Day is to put human faces on the Sellinger Formula and academic building bond bill ? and legislators are there to serve their constituents. MICUA Day and responsive democracy go together,” explains Dr. Herbert Smith, political science professor.
Supporting Sellinger is more cost efficient to the state then providing aid to public institutions. Reducing the funds independent schools receive would cause cuts to other projects on campus.
“If we did not get this money from the state, we would need an enormous amount more in our endowment to generate the amount of money we get from Sellinger. The college would try to make up the difference in financial aid between the amount we would lose from Sellinger, but that would mean that some of out other priorities would slow down, like our residence hall renovation and our hope to renovate Decker in the near future,” said President Joan Coley.
Although students in previous years had received mixed feedback, Clarke was pleased to report that the legislators seemed to understand the importance of Sellinger and he feels more confident in their support.
Smith explains, “Its been my experience after almost forty years in Maryland politics, that members of the General Assembly are generally extroverted ‘people’ persons. They enjoy meeting and talking with voters …that’s the inescapable essence of politics in its purest sense.”
McDaniel College attended the event with 6 students, 2 professors Smith and Dr. Gretchen McKay, associate professor of art history and assistant to the president for special projects, and President Coley.
“MICUA Day will be one of my most memorable experiences I had here at McDaniel College, not just because of the experience with my Senator and District Delegate but because I sent the majority of the day with President Coley, which was a great honor,” explains senior Torreka Jordan.
MICUA Day itself has been held for about 10 years, according to Smith. McDaniel has been in attendance from the start and shows nothing but growing support for a program that allows students a range of educational options through state funds.