SLIPPERY ROCK — While college students await the start of a new school year, college financial aid offices across the state are making sure students do not have to worry about a delay in grants because of the state budget holdup.

That is true at Slippery Rock University and at Butler County Community College.

Patty Hladio, SRU director of financial aid, said because the 2009-10 state budget has not been passed, students receiving Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency grants would miss a large amount of their funding for the school year.

"For the students who are supposed to be receiving state grants, we will be crediting their accounts with the value of those grants so that these students do not have concerns or issues starting their school year," Hladio said.

"We have expectations that the budget will be passed and the funding will be released to the schools, just not at the beginning of the semester."

Hladio said about 2,800 students at SRU are expecting to receive a total of $7 million in state grants this year.

"A lot of students need these grants for books, food and other things and we did not want this to impact them," Hladio said.

If the grants are reduced this year, Hladio said the university would make adjustments for the students later this year.

"If there is a reduction, we would make that reduction in their record and work with them through our flexible payment plan and look at other options if they need it," Hladio said. "We will be flexible with our internal process because this is out of their control."

The financial aid office is updating students on the status of the state budget problem at www.sru.edu/finaid.

SRU begins classes on Aug. 31.

The community college will experience similar problems at the start of this school year because of a lack of a state budget, even though students there do not rely so much on PHEAA grants.

Julianne Louttit, director of financial aid at BC3, said 800 students at the college are eligible for the grants this year. BC3 does not give out any money until the funds are actually received by the college. Those funds are usually distributed in mid-September.

But, as long as students shows eligibility for the grant, they are not required to pay that portion of a bill up front. BC3 students usually receive about $400 a semester through an individual PHEAA grant, Louttit said.

"We will work with them until the money comes in," Louttit said.

BC3 President Nick Neupauer said there are other grant programs at the college funded by the state.

Those programs, including Act 101 for disadvantaged students, New Choices/New Options for students who have lost their jobs, and enrollment of high school students, pay for the education of students and the salaries of the staff.

Neupauer said the college will continue enrolling those students and retain that staff.

BC3 started classes today.