Michigan State University Nursing Students
Testify on Senate Bills 792 and 793
For the Senate Appropriations Committee, Higher Education
Tuesday, February 12, 2002
Submitted by the Nursing Students at Michigan State University
BSN Program
Courtenay Beattie, Andrea Boerre, Sarah Denham, Melissa
Erber, LoRon Higgs, Albert Mammah and Megan Swenson
Good afternoon. We are senior nursing students graduating
from Michigan State University in May of this year. As nursing
students, many of us have taken advantage of scholarships, student
loans, grants and other financial aid sources to assist with
the high cost of pursuing a nursing degree. Through our four
years at MSU we have become accustomed to the perils of obtaining
funding for our education. As nursing students, we appreciate
your consideration of our financial needs within Senate Bill
793. However, after reviewing this bill we have many concerns,
the most prominent being the five-year, full-time service agreement.
A scholarship is a gift of money or an incentive that will
benefit the recipient in some way. This "scholarship"
requires an repayment through service for the nominal amount
of money being offered. The money offered through this scholarship
is not equal to the amount of time, commitment, or dedication
that is expected in return. There are many scholarships currently
available that do not require a commitment of service and yet
provide substantially more money. With the other appealing offers
available, many students may not consider this scholarship as
an option. We believe that this scholarship is not an incentive
that would entice people to enter the profession, thus defeating
the purpose of this scholarship.
The five-year time commitment identified within this bill minimizes
available options for further educational and career advancements
for the new graduate. Students accepting this scholarship would
be expected to commit to full-time employment in health facilities
at the discretion of the State. The potential recipient of this
scholarship would be forced to plan their life nearly eight
years in advance. When considering the dynamics of nursing and
the health care system, making major life decisions and career
choices at this point in life is requesting the unattainable.
The concerns that we have expressed to you today are reflective
of the discussions that we have had with our peers. If offered,
we believe that this scholarship would not be utilized as intended
because of the constraining factors. As current students who
understand the financial burdens of nursing education, we thank-you
for creating a nursing scholarship bill, but there are some
areas that need to be addressed. We hope that you will consider
our concerns.
|
