A new policy for financial aid for studying abroad was put into effect last fall. Students can now only be awarded up to $2,500 from Olivet, according to Greg Bruner, financial aid director.

In previous years, students were not given a limit on the amount of Olivet scholarships and grants they could use toward their trips. Now, because of the economy, Bruner said the limit was needed.

The alternative for this policy change would have been to allow only a small amount of students to study abroad with unlimited funding, while no one else received any help. By giving this amount to any student who wishes to study abroad, all students have an equal opportunity.

“The decision was made to still allow as many students as possible to study abroad, instead of limiting it to 10 to 20 students. The only way to make that work was to limit the amount of ONU funds to $2,500,” Bruner said.

Bruner does not see this as a cause of concern for students.

Awarding students money for study abroad trips is much different than awarding them scholarships to attend this school, according to Bruner. When a student is awarded money to come to Olivet, it is as if their total bill is discounted by that much. For students studying abroad, Olivet actually has come up with that money to send to another school.

“We not only lose the tuition for the student but we compound it by sending real funds to another school,” Bruner said.“We are still far more generous than many other CCCU schools.”

The new rule could be affecting fewer people than it would have years ago, as William Dean, chairman of the department of history and political science, has noticed a decrease in the number of study-abroad alumni willing to speak to Western and World Civilization classes.

“I have less than half of the usual responses … so it appears that the numbers are down considerably,” he said.

Dean also said he does not have figures to illustrate a decline in students studying abroad.

Although the funds are not as plentiful anymore, Dean still encourages everyone to study abroad.

“Studying abroad is an open door to understanding the world we live in, and the experience cannot be duplicated by any combination of classroom courses and internships. Not even close,” he said.