University of Iowa President Barbara Wilson is advocating for more federal financial aid for Hawkeys as debt forgiveness remains a hot topic throughout the U.S.

President Joe Biden announced a loan forgiveness program for college students in August to forgive up to $20,000 for select borrowers. The application went live on Oct. 17, and over 22 million people filled out the form.

The program was temporarily blocked by the Federal Appeals Court on Oct. 21, which could impact the roll-out of loan forgiveness. The injunction is expected to be appealed to the Supreme Court.

In an interview with The Daily Iowan on Oct. 21, Wilson said even if relief from the program is rolled out, it will not serve students long-term.

The National Center for Education Statistics reported 19 percent of UI students received a Pell Grant in 2020-21.

“We’ve been pushing to double the Pell Grants and that kind of activity coming out of Washington [D.C.],” Wilson said. “It would be hugely helpful and would have more of a long-term effect on student affordability.”

Wilson said the UI is not the only school in favor of increasing Pell Grant aid and other federal grants. The UI is a member of the American Association of Universities (AAU) and the Association of Public Land-grant Universities. Both organizations signed a letter in February in support of doubling the amount of Pell Grant aid.

There are 65 universities in the AAU that are pushing for an increase in the Pell Grant.

Iowa State University President Wendy Wintersteen told Iowa PBS last week that doubling the Pell Grant will prevent students from needing to take out significant loans.

Jeneane Beck, UI assistant vice president for external relations, wrote in an email statement to The Daily Iowan that signing the AAU letter is not the only step the UI is taking toward increasing Pell Grant aid.

“The University of Iowa has included the request to double Pell Grants as part of our annual federal appropriations request,” she wrote.

Beck wrote Wilson is also making efforts to offset costs for students by increasing scholarships and financial aid help at the local level.

“President Wilson frequently meets with Iowa alumni, friends, and donors to discuss the university and request support for key initiatives, and she’s made student financial aid a primary topic of conversation,” Beck wrote.

Undergraduate debt at the UI falls below the national level of $37,693. At the UI, 55 percent of undergraduate Iowa residents graduated in 2020-21 with an average of $26,196 in debt, according to a state Board of Regents 2022 financial aid report.

Wilson said an increase in the Pell Grant aid — and other federal loans — will help the UI make school more accessible for students regardless of income.

“Our tuition is the third lowest in the Big Ten for in-state, so we’ve done a really good job of keeping costs down, but it’s still unaffordable for a lot of families,” Wilson said. “With a little more federal help, we can continue to ensure that school is affordable.”