Student Government President Cassie Alsfeld awarded tuition waivers to two members of her Executive Staff. The scholarships are possible because of Alsfeld’s position on the LSU Board of Supervisors. Each Board member is afforded 20 tuition waiver scholarships per year. The scholarships, to be awarded based on “academic excellence, special talent, and financial need” can be granted to eligible applicants at the Board member’s discretion. Alsfeld has already awarded seven of her 20 scholarships, including one to SG Vice President Josh King and another to SG Executive Advisor Micah Davies. “I will stick by that decision until the day I die,” Alsfeld said. Alsfeld said the selections were deserved. “I have a staff that works day-in and day-out for this University, under the radar of public criticism, without pay, making this a better place for everyone who walks these halls,” Alsfeld said. “They work for free. For zero dollars.” With full-time undergraduate tuition at $1,496 per semester, every Board member has the potential to grant $59,840 in scholarships each year. Applications for these funds must pass a multi-step approval process. The application must first be approved by the Office of Student Financial Aid at the applicant’s school. Next, it must undergo review by the LSU System Office. After System approval, Board members may review the applications and award scholarships. In most cases, applicants for the scholarship must have a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5 to be approved. Students with a cumulative GPA of 2.3 or higher may be approved if they meet rising GPA requirements and “are making satisfactory progress toward earning a degree.” Eligibility requirements for post-graduate students and entering freshmen vary slightly. There are some restrictions. Students with TOPS scholarships or students in “specialized, self-supported educational programs” like the Executive MBA Program are ineligible for a Board scholarship. The other five scholarships Alsfeld already awarded have gone to applicants recommended by other SG presidents within the System or to previous recipients who re-applied. Alsfeld’s seat on the Board is a position which she owes, in part, to other SG presidents within the LSU System. The Louisiana Council of Student Body Presidents comprises SG presidents from each school in the LSU System. Every year, these presidents elect one on their council to serve on the Board. Alsfeld was selected this year. “I chose to take on those added responsibilities because it gave me greater resources and greater opportunities to help out the students,” Alsfeld said. Alsfeld met with the council Tuesday afternoon. SG Director of Communications Will Harris said the council planned to discuss recommendations by other SG presidents to allocate the remaining 13 scholarships.
—-Contact Daniel McBride at [email protected]