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For undergraduate students receiving federal financial aid, year-round availability of funds may become a viable option in the future.

The Congressional Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions gathered in a hearing last week to address the benefits of year-round college and how the federal government can adjust its financial aid policies to encourage students dependent on federal aid to partake in a 12-month calendar of instruction.

The hearing’s panel members are those expected to initiate legislation reauthorizing the Higher Education Act, which currently authorizes a majority of federal student funding programs.

A significant alteration to the act, lobbied for by the University of California at the hearing, would allot Pell Grant and Stafford Loan eligibility year-round.

Pell Grants, primarily bestowed on undergraduate students demonstrating exceptional financial need, are usually exhausted during the nine-month academic year.

The proposed change would increase the annual amount of aid a student is eligible to receive. This change does not mean students will receive a greater total amount of aid for the full duration of their education, but that they may be able to receive their funds earlier.

The UC system currently enrolls nearly 50,000 students who receive Pell Grants, about one-third of all undergraduates at the eight UC campuses that are currently open. UCLA has approximately 9,000 students receiving Pell grants.

Margaret Heisel, associate to the vice president and executive director of admissions and outreach at the UC Office of the President, was the UC spokeswoman at the hearing. She testified in favor of year-round Pell Grants, citing benefits to both students and taxpayers.

Heisel said increased year-round enrollment is one way the UC could respond to the phenomenal growth in postsecondary education, known as “Tidal Wave II.” More access to summer classes would help alleviate the rising strain on instruction during the traditional academic year.

Since 2001, when UC summer instruction started receiving state subsidies equivalent to the subsidies given during the regular academic year, summer enrollment doubled. A third of UC students took summer courses during the summer of 2003.

But Heisel said that while the UC system offers state and institutional financial aid during the summer, disadvantaged students experience difficulty enrolling in summer courses without federal assistance.

According to Heisel, the UC currently “enrolls a higher percentage of low-income students in proportion to its overall enrollment than any other flagship university.”

UCLA has greatest percentage of low-income students of all the UC campuses, said Ronald Johnson, UCLA director of financial aid.

The UC feels that giving earlier access to federal funds facilitates a student’s ability to complete a degree in three years, which would lessen housing and transportation costs incurred from an additional school year and allow students to start their careers more quickly.

Johnson said year-round Pell Grants would be very positive for students. UCLA has sought year-round Pell Grants ever since the university started offering a year-round schedule to students. Otherwise, students run short of their academic funds for a portion of the year.

“It is very essential to have year-round Pell Grants as not to put students at a disadvantage,” said Johnson. He added that year-round Pell Grants would “optimize both campus resources and physical resources.”

Fourth-year history student and Pell Grant recipient Fernando Villasenor said he thinks students will gain from year-round Pell Grants.

“I think it will be beneficial for those students that are in a situation in which taking the grants and finishing earlier will greatly help them financially,” Villasenor said.

Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., a member of the committee who headed the hearing, supports investigating the benefits of a year-round college calendar and the role of the federal government to support the transition.

“Higher education is America’s secret weapon for job growth. This hearing is to make sure we are using our secret weapon most efficiently so that it operates with the highest possible number of qualified students,” said Alexander in his opening statement.

Michelle Rodriguez, a representative of Alexander, said the committee and the senator are still in the preliminary states of reviewing the issues presented to the panel.