Almost twice as many students have applied for Trent bursaries this year compared to last year. Luckily, the university's bursary and award fund has more than doubled this year, too.

      This year, 2,355 full- and part-time needy students have applied for and 1,148 have received Trent bursaries. Last year, 1,314 applied and 633 received them.

      The number of students seeking bursaries has burgeoned this year because of increased tuition fees and a higher awareness of the bursary program, says financial aid co-ordinator Joyce Sutton.

      Trent has more than double the funds to aid these needy students this year compared to last year. This is largely due to the province requiring universities to set aside 30 per cent of tuition increases for bursaries beginning in 1996-97. Trent went from having about $70,000 from interest on endowed funds to having more than $600,000 in endowed fund interest and the 30-per-cent portion of tuition-fee increases to give to students.

      In 1996-97, for instance, Trent's bursary fund swelled to $287,652 with $225,000 from the tuition-fee portion and $62,652 in endowed funds. This year, it totalled $616,843 with $532,000 from the tuition-fee portion and $84,843 in endowed funding. Every year the 30-per-cent portion of tuition fee increases since 1996-97 will be set aside for bursaries.

      Trent was also able to offer 24 students new awards totalling $12,600 this year. (Unlike bursaries, such awards are presented based on academic achievement first and need second.) These resulted from Trent's fund-raising efforts in 1996-97 to qualify for matching grants under the Ontario Student Opportunities Trust Fund (osotf). The 24 awards are funded from interest generated from the City of Peterborough pledge of $535,200 and the $650,000 Bagnani bequest, and matching osotf dollars.

      Of Trent's approximately 3,900 full-time undergraduates, 2,040 received Ontario student loans averaging $6,998 this year -- just out of range of loan forgiveness (see Booklets below). Fifty-five part-time undergraduates -- taking fewer than three courses -- received Canada student loans averaging $1,820.

Raised $2,300
A recent appeal to faculty and staff has raised $2,300 for student bursaries.

      Former Otonabee College master Gordon Johnston and financial aid administrator Joyce Sutton led the appeal to boost the Trent University Faculty Association and the Trent University Social and Athletic bursaries. They said "it's rewarding to see Trent's employees support our students when they are in need."