PORTLAND, Maine - The University of Maine at Presque Isle may have another chance at federal funding for a program that helps low-income first generation students go to college.
The U.S. Department of Education rejected UMPI's application for TRIO Upward Bound funding, along with the applications of at least 48 other institutions in 17 states, based on a formatting error.
Maine's congressional delegation and others have urged the department to reverse that decision; and now the federal budget released Sunday includes language that "strongly encourages" the department to allow schools to submit a corrected application.
Darylen Cote is the director of the program at UMPI. She says the language is good news, but the program is "still in limbo."
The program serves 129 students a year, and helps them prepare for the practicalities of getting ready for college, and college life: "If your family hasn't been to college, just knowing what the application process is, and how important it is to stick with deadlines," Cote says, "and how to manage time so you can get your schoolwork and your work done, and all those practical kinds of things."
The budget also directs the department to increase the grant award to all grantees, and to avoid imposing additional requirements to get the funds.
