Study abroad program changed by student concern

Each semester, Point Park University sends up to 15 students to study in Paris, Rome and London with its Study Abroad Program. At each meeting, Dean of Students Keith Paylo stresses that studying abroad is an "opportunity" for students, not a requirement, and then tells potential travelers all the exciting oppurtunites about studying abroad and how much success Point Park has had with students in the past. The meeting makes everyone hopeful and excited, but this year's meeting had a few announcements that left me slightly confused and very angry.

In previous semesters, to study abroad, each student had to write a letter to the Office of Financial Aid asking if they could keep their aid while studying abroad. Naturally, if a person needs the aid here in the United States, he or she would especially need it abroad with other expenses like plane tickets and the simple fact that to buy anything in Europe it takes more than $1 US Dollar to equal a Euro. Students were told that they are usually able to keep their aid, and why wouldn't they? To study abroad, students have to be in good standing with the school, so the question of scholarships and aid should not be an issue. I learned then at the September meeting that financial aid policies for studying abroad have changed. There is now a cap on the amount of aid a study abroad student receives from Point Park, including scholarships, which takes a lot of students out of the running to even consider going.

Here's the gist of it: students in the Conservatory of Performing Arts (COPA) can claim up to $5,000 of their institutional aid to study abroad, while non-COPA students can claim up to $1,500. Naturally, COPA students can claim more because they pay more in tuition.What struck me was the fact that I could only claim $1,500 of my $6,700 in scholarships that I receive in scholarships each semester as my institutional aid, and my roommate loses even more. Due to this new cap on institutional aid, both my roommate and I are in Pittsburgh next semester, and we don't want to be.Instead of living in a suite or an apartment, my roommate and I stayed in a dorm this semester. My roommate worked three jobs this summer so she could have money in an account to use.

We both started reading up on things to do in London and different places to visit, no matter how cliche they may be. We started planning, and all we had to do was begin our application process- we were ready. When the financial changes were explained to me at the meeting, however, all those plans went down the drain.I find it hard to understand how Point Park stresses studying abroad as an opportunity for students, but now restricts what opportunity means.It used to mean some extra money for traveling, sight seeing, plane and rail tickets, groceries and the little every day expenses to live in a different country for over four months. The door was open to most students.

It now means students who can afford to forfeit money they earned and are able to make up for that difference, plus all the extra costs, can go. We're paying Point Park tuition anyway, why does our aid have to be restricted just because we want to study in a different place? It seems as though Point Park is taking away the opportunity for students to study abroad instead of leaving the option open to anyone who has the ambition to go.Where is the money going that students forfeit for the semester? Does the money we earned go to other students? Does Point Park get to keep it? The only question I have is: why? Why did this policy even get put into effect? Why do students with financial aid have to suffer because they have the ambition to travel overseas and immerse themselves in another culture?Both my roommate and I would have to take out a loan to study abroad with this new policy. Students should not have to take out loans to make up for forfeit of money they earned.I am sure this new policy was enacted for a reason, but I cannot find it. The only thing I see is my roommate and I being prevented from studying abroad, and I'm sure we're not the only ones affected by this.Students should not be penalized for having the ambition to go study abroad. And in general, students should not have to forfeit money they worked hard to earn and are rightfully entitled to.