As students at of one of the most expensive universities in the country, those at Tufts may be familiar with numerous out-of-the-ordinary scholarships with unique qualification requirements. But an unprecedented scholarship from Bridgewater State College will address a serious new concern affecting campuses: gay students cut off financially from their disappointed parents.
The Frank-Tremblay Safe College Scholarship, named after gay Congressman Barney Frank (D-MA) and Lucie Blue Tremblay, a lesbian French-Canadian singer and songwriter, will provide $500 scholarships to gay and lesbian students who find themselves in the position of paying for college themselves after coming out to their parents.
While the scholarship is not the only assistance of its kind provided to students whose parents, for whatever reason, refuse to pay for college, it is the first to address the hardship specific to some gay students.
Two faculty members created the scholarship after speaking with a number of students who were having trouble making enough money to afford school, according to a Sept. 11 Boston Globe article. It will be offered for the first time next semester.
While Coordinator of Tufts' Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Center Judith Brown is unaware of any Tufts students who may have been cut off financially from their parents in the past, she said that such incidences are common.
"I think it's something a lot of schools have considered, since many students, when they come out to their parents, are cut off financially," Brown said. "It makes people aware of what risks students have to take [in coming out]."
Bridgewater State's comparatively small in-state tuition of $970 means the scholarship has the potential to make a significant difference in paying for college. The award would essentially provide half-tuition assistance to Massachusetts residents, enabling them to go to school more and work less.
However, if such a situation were to occur at Tufts, Brown believes any assistance would have to be significantly more than the amount of the Frank-Tremblay scholarship, given that Tufts' yearly tuition, not including room, board, and fees, is $26,313.
While Director of Financial Aid William Eastwood is sympathetic to students who may lose their parents' funding for any other reason, he says that his office's policy is to gauge families' ability to pay, not their willingness.
Sometimes students who have been cut off work things out with their parents, said Eastwood. Otherwise, he encourages upperclassmen to take out loans for the duration of their education. But he's not too hopeful for underclassmen who remain cut off financially from their parents, especially at a school with such a large price tag.
"At that point, they could switch their educational plans," including enrolling in a less-expensive university, said Eastwood. But he hopes that students in this situation can reconcile with their parents or get the money from another family member or relative. "Don't get me wrong - the last thing we want is for matriculated students to leave," he said.
If Tufts started supporting gay students cut off from family finances, says Eastwood, it would have to be ready to support all students who have become isolated from their parents. It's not a situation that the school is financially able to address.
This would also create a potential for some parents claim to have cut off financial support to their children to net them a larger aid package.
"There are absolutely families that would try to do that," said Eastwood. "I've been doing this long enough to know that."
In addition to fundraising to enlarge the scholarship pool, which currently totals $8,200, Bridgewater State said it would seek matching funds from Massachusetts. The school hopes to set up an agreement where the state would give 50 cents for every dollar raised, up to a $400,000 limit as reported by the Boston Globe on Sept. 11.
Obtaining matching state funds may not be easy, though. In a country still struggling with issues of gay partnerships, and in a state recently considered a bill that would specifically outlaw gay marriage, taxpayers would be contributing to a cause they may be strongly against - and scholarship recipients' parents could be some of these taxpayers.
However, there is no distinction between gay students receiving specific assistance and any other needy students, according to Frank, whose congressional district includes Bridgewater State.
"Scholarships are based on need - this doesn't change any of that," Frank said. "Over and above, there are some people who want to provide for students who have been discriminated in this way."
"Public universities help numerous students in numerous ways; it's just another way of supporting the well-being of its students," Brown said.
The founders want the scholarship to eventually reach the $10,000 mark to create an endowed fund. While Frank was "honored" to be named in the award, he will not be soliciting funds to support the scholarship because he sees that as a conflict of interest. Tremblay, however, will fundraise.
"There are inherent problems in members of Congress voting for all sorts of things and then going out and fundraising," Frank said.
Dr. Susan Holton, professor of communication studies and co-chair of the Frank-Tremblay Scholarship Committee, said the award does not just benefit the college's gay population.
"This is not a problem for only the gay and lesbian faculty and staff and alumni of the college. It is of concern to everyone who cares about students," Holton wrote in a statement posted on Bridgewater State's website. "It is our responsibility, as members of the Bridgewater State College community, to respond,"
@s:College supports gay students cut off from parents
