The Advocacy Day meeting had to be held online due to the inclement storm.
COSTIN THAMPIKUTTY/ COURTESY
By Maizy Swift, Production Editor/Asst. A&E Editor
The Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities in New York held an online meeting discussing changes to the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) as well as other financial aid programs on Tuesday, Feb. 13.
Manhattan College students who receive financial aid such as TAP, Collegiate Science and Technology Entry Program (CSTEP), Liberty Partnership Program (LPP) and Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP) joined along with students who attend college in the greater New York area to speak with senators and representatives in order to prevent decreases financial aid as well as increase some benefits offered by these programs.
According to the Student Advocacy Day Agenda, the meeting aimed to address changes such as a proposed cut to Bundy Aid, increasing the TAP award and income limit and restoring funding to opportunity programs and Grad TAP.
Daniel Gomez, a business analytics major, receives TAP financial aid and gave some background as to what his group’s main goal was in the Advocacy Day meeting.
“We were lobbying to make it easier to give out more financial aid awards and also to raise and increase the threshold for TAP recipients from $80,000 to $110,000, so that more students who want to go to college or are struggling can receive that,” Gomez said.
Costin Thampikutty, assistant director of CSTEP, brought together students from MC who are a part of CSTEP and TAP to attend the Advocacy Day meeting. Thampikutty said the goal of this meeting is not only to achieve what is in the outline, but to also aid students.
“So there’s the overarching goal to advocate for financial aid, but there’s kind of a micro goal of leadership development or developing confidence or being able to tell your story,” Thampikutty said.
The meeting, which normally takes place in Albany, was online due to the inclement weather.
“Last minute, it got all changed [to] virtual, which I will say is not the same feeling,” Thampikutty said. “When the students go to Albany for the Capitol building and they see thousands of other students, they feel that sense of unity.”
However, students were still able to meet with legislators and representatives in order to share their stories and promote the benefits of these programs.
“We got to meet with a wide variety of people, so yes, sometimes the actual legislators showed up, sometimes it was their aides, sometimes it was student interns,” Thampikutty said. “I’m not a law expert, but sometimes the aides and the student interns are the people who really have the legislators ears.”
Like the students he advises, Thampikutty was a part of opportunity programs himself.
“I’m a first generation college student and so the TAP grant and other financial aid really helped me afford an education,” Thampikutty said. “I just think of it as, kind of paying it forward and it pushes me knowing that the students are going to feel so much more confident by the end of the day. That’s why we do what we do.”
Leobardo Rivera, a sophomore mechanical engineering major at MC and a part of CSTEP, explained why this program is special to him.
“It depends on the student, but your advisor will have meetings with you every other week, to make sure to check in with you [on] how you’re doing,” Rivera said. “That’s something I haven’t really seen in other programs, so that’s kind of special.”
Rivera consistently mentioned how CSTEP advisors are there to help students within the program in a multitude of ways.
“My advisor actually helped me get a scholarship, which I probably wouldn’t have been able to do if I didn’t have that support,” Rivera said. “I also like my advisor, he guides me through a lot of things so if I need to know about something he’ll tell me, if I have any questions he gives me advice which is really helpful.”
Rivera also explained how beneficial CSTEP is when it comes to maintaining good grades.
“If you’re failing a class, they have your professor write you a notice of what you can do to improve your grade,” Rivero said. “I’m not sure if that’s something normal that happens in the other groups, but I do know that’s part of this group.”
Another important aspect of the meeting was representation within TAP, and the clarity and uplifting nature that accompanied student’s stories.
“I was representing myself because I am a TAP recipient, and so I wasn’t a part of CSTEP like the other students, but since I received TAP financial aid, I wanted to participate and share my story,” Gomez said. “So I went to a lot of these meetings, sharing my story and asking for a call of action to increase TAP and continue resources for TAP and other programs like CSTEP and HEOP.”
TAP is a resource that has helped Gomez attend college.
“Without TAP, I wouldn’t be able to go to college,” Gomez said. “I’m a first generation student and TAP helps me and my twin sister go to college, so I mentioned that in my story. I mentioned how it enabled me to participate in internships, because of the financial security that TAP enables for us. I don’t have to work full time at a grocery store, [so] I can do an internship. Even though it doesn’t pay quite enough, it gives me experience so I can afford to get a job afterwards.”
The Advocacy Day is an example of how important financial aid programs such as CSTEP and TAP are to college students, and are vital to continuing aiding students in flourishing at MC.