The New Mexico Lottery Success Scholarship's financial surplus came under fire Wednesday from state officials looking to dip into the program's funds to strengthen other programs, officials say.
The lottery scholarship's surplus is at about $50 million, said Jennifer Onuska, president of ASUNM.
The Commission on Higher Education has been considering the financial aid situation in New Mexico for several months and announced Wednesday it wants to take $2 million of that money and put it toward other, need-based financial aid programs in the state.
The Lottery Scholarship is not a need-based system; the only requirement is the upkeep of a C-plus average. Onuska said the state should be proud the current system does not discriminate against any student based on race, age, sex or social status.
ASUNM, as well as state and University officials, are wary of allowing people to take money from the scholarship's funding source.
"We support the need-based financial aid programs in place, and we know they are essential to higher education in the state," Onuska said. "We just don't think those programs' funding should come from money designed for the Lottery Scholarship."
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Other state officials are not so reserved in their opinion of the proposed cut of the scholarship's surplus.
Bob Cornelius, director of the Associated Students of New Mexico, the organization representing all college students in the state, said the proposed shift of money to need-based programs is an attack on higher education.
He said if the proposed funding shift is approved by the state Legislature when it votes on it this month, eventually less people will be able to attend college.
"A free education provides anyone looking to attend college the opportunity to do so," Cornelius said.
Cornelius also said he was appalled at Gov. Richardson's stance on the issue, saying he thinks the governor will use this as a way to gain access to the scholarship's money and use it to satisfy his own agenda.
Marsha Catron, a spokeswoman for the governor, acknowledged that he had a stance on the subject but declined to elaborate on it.
The commission also announced during the meeting Wednesday that it wants to organize an in-depth study to be conducted this year on the workings of the Lottery Scholarship to see if it is operating to the best of its abilities, Onuska said.
Ron Martinez, director of UNM's Financial Aid Department, said he understands the importance of having many healthy financial aid programs in the state, but warned of using one program's surplus to fund another.
"Just because the Lottery Scholarship has a surplus right now, doesn't mean it always will," Martinez said. "That money is there for a reason and should be dealt with carefully."
