After the Republican Party rode a wave of anti-incumbency fervor to take the House of Representatives last week, colleges and universities are trying to determine how the change will affect higher education at a time when many institutions are facing financial hardship.
Although major changes to funding and policy are unlikely, Pell Grants, which provide need-based awards to students, could face cuts in the coming session, as the program currently faces a $6 billion shortfall.
"The Pell Grant could be impacted, but we're not sure what the new Education and Labor Committee is going to do," said Scott Miller, associate director of Student Financial Services. The Pell Grant, which is funded by discretionary spending in Congress, he said, could be affected if Republicans decide to roll back discretionary spending. During the last fiscal year, the federal government spent $25 billion on Pell Grants for students, up from $13.7 billion in 2007-08, as the economy has forced more and more students to seek aid to alleviate the strain of tuition bills.
Additionally, if the Republicans follow through on their "Pledge to America" to reduce federal spending by overturning Democratic policies such as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, Education Prof. Peg Miller said she believes "some of President Obama's educational measures will be blocked."
In July, Obama pledged to give $12 billion in federal money to community colleges during the next 10 years. That plan could be in danger with a new Republican House majority.
Still, a Republican Congress has produced positive changes for higher education in the past, Prof. Miller said. The Spellings Commission, a 2005 federal committee that explored reforming higher education, took place when Republicans controlled both the legislature and presidency.
Any changes in Washington will not affect the full tuition of students at the University, however, as the tuition is determined at the state level and not at the federal level, said Kirsten Nelson, director of communications and government relations for the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia.
"There may be some subtle differences, but I don't see this having a direct bearing on the tuition that University of Virginia students are paying anytime soon," she said.
Prof. Miller said many public and private universities are facing difficulties in the current economy, and their poor financial health will constrain plans for the future.
"Everybody's under the gun," she said. "Private resources, such as donors, are getting smaller and less generous."
Ultimately, it is not certain how the new Congress will legislate higher education in the coming years, as government and educational leaders work together to move forward for higher education in a different political environment.
"No matter who's in power, budgetary problems will continue," Prof. Miller said. "We will all have to find ways to do more and do better with less"
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