Wisconsin Lawmakers Consider Eliminating Race as Factor in College-Grant Program

Wisconsin lawmakers are debating a controversial plan to remove race as a factor that can qualify students for a state program that provides grants for college. The proposal received preliminary approval on Wednesday from the Wisconsin State Assembly.

{snip} Supporters of the proposal said that race should not influence who is eligible for need-based financial aid. Democrats who opposed the plan called it “an affront to minority rights,” the AP reported.

The legislation would make changes in the Talent Incentive Program Grant, a $4.4-million program that awards $600 to $1,800 grants to students from low-income and nontraditional backgrounds who attend college in Wisconsin. Nontraditional students include students who are black, Hispanic, Hmong, or American Indian; who are among the first generation of their families to attend college; or who have been in prison. {snip}

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