Iowa State Daily Editorial Board: Troy McCullough, Tim Davis, Jennifer Holland, Kathleen Carlson and Jenny Hykes.

Every year it seems the men and women on the State Board of Regents increase tuition. It may not be a ghastly number, but it puts a dent in everyone’s budget.

Scholarships and federal grants help out thousands of people with the financial burden of college, but State Sen. Maggie Tinsman, who is running for the GOP U.S. Senate nomination, wants to give full Pell Grant scholarships to students attending public colleges and universities who maintain a “B” average, avoid drug convictions and have high attendance rates.

Pell Grants are based on a student’s family income, assets and college cost, said Earl Dowling, Iowa State director of financial aid.

The existing program has been a success for all he said.

The success of many college students would be upset by the proposed changes by Tinsman. Not only would all those attending private colleges be stripped of funds, but so would those in public colleges who float below a 3.00 GPA, not to mention a student trying to live beyond an altercation with the law or drugs.

The government created the Pell Grant program, but has never fully funded it. Dowling suggested increasing the allocations of dollars to help the program, not restricting applicants.

Although Tinsman said the proposal is not in its final version, let’s hope it includes those who need it the most.