Pell Grant Fraudulent Acts at Local Georgia College

Pamela Lewis is a 4.0 GPA homeless student at Griffin Technical College that have not received her Pell Grant funds from the Financial Aid Department, only the award letter. She is now in the 7th week of the quarter without all of her books for class and uniforms for clinicals. Ms. Lewis received an email last week from Mrs. Gina Byrd stating that she needed to pick up her "refund check" from the business office at the college and was asked to contact Mrs. Miriam Byrd for a date to pick up the check. She had tried to contact Mrs. M. Byrd and have yet to get a response from her or anyone else for that matter.

Of note, Ms. Lewis have not taken less than 6 quarterly hours or more than 8 quarterly hours since attending Griffin Technical College for the last 3-quarters. It is to my understanding that anything at 6 quarterly hours or more is considered full-time at Griffin Technical College or any other college that function on quarterly hours. However, Mrs. Gina Byrd, Financial Aid Director, had informed Ms. Lewis that 6-11 quarterly hours is only part-time. Noted in the past, Ms. Lewis had only received a Pell Grant check for the amount of a part-time student. Again, she has never taken anything less than 6 quarterly hours at Griffin Technical College.

Final note, She received an email from Mrs. Gina Byrd stating that she will need to pick up her "refund check" from Mrs. Miriam Byrd in the business office. What we do not understand is why she is referring to the Pell Grant check as a "refund"? Could it be possible that she had lied to Ms. Lewis for the past 3-quarters about her Pell Grant entitlement since she have gotten the government involved?

Saxby Chambliss Office wrote:

Dear Ms. Lewis :

Thank you for contacting me regarding your concerns about Federal Pell Grants and federal financial aid programs. It is good to hear from you.

The Federal Pell Grant program, authorized by the Higher Education Act (HEA), is the single largest source of grant aid for postsecondary education attendance funded by the Federal governm ent. H.R. 3043, the " Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for 2008, " includes $1 4 . 5 billion for Pell Grants , which is $ 826 . 3 million more than was appropriated in fiscal year 2007 , where the maximum amount an individual is allowed to receive has increased to $4,310 . On October 23, 2007, the Senate passed H.R. 3043, with my support.

On July 20, 2007, the Senate passed H.R. 2669, the "College Cost Reduction Act of 2007," with my support, by a vote of 78-18. This bill includes language to reauthorize the Pell Grant program through fiscal year 2013. It also increases the maximum Pell Grant amount to $7,600 for academic year 2008-2009, and by $1,000 increments each academic year until 2012-2013, when it will stand at $11,600. On September 27, 2007, the President signed the bill into law (P.L. 110-84).

If you would like to receive timely email alerts regarding the latest congressional action and my weekly e-newsletter, please sign up via my website at: www.chambliss.senate.gov . Please let me know whenever I may be of assistance.