As a possible government shutdown looms, Colorado Springs-area colleges are left wondering if parts of their military student populations will lose money.

If Congress can’t pass a short-term funding measure by 10 p.m. Tuesday, the government will shut down. Military members will not receive pay until the shutdown ends.

For schools like Pikes Peak State College, a shutdown means active-duty students may temporarily or permanently lose their Department of Defense Tuition Assistance funding, representing more than $25,000 in education benefits for the college.

About 28 students enrolled in classes that start in the middle of the semester could lose their assistance if the shutdown lasts, said Gail Bicknell, the assistant director of the Military and Veterans Program.

Starting Wednesday, a shutdown will freeze their tuition assistance on a day-to-day basis until the government operations resume or until Oct. 12. After that, the students will lose their assistance for the rest of the term, regardless, because funds will not be reinstated retroactively.

“A lot of our active-duty population will fill out a FAFSA for a Pell Grant, which helps them cover things other than tuition,” Bicknell said. “TA only covers tuition, (but) paying for a class is a pretty healthy thing for their budget. It is pretty important to them.”

In response, PPSC has prepared to allocate institutional scholarship funds that are reserved for “extenuating circumstances” such as these to cover their tuition, Bicknell said.

Bicknell said there are no concerns that the allocated funds will significantly impact the college financially.

“At PPSC, we believe that actions matter when it comes to being truly military-friendly,” said Paul DeCecco, director of the Military and Veterans Programs.

If a shutdown happens, the program has identified students enrolled in upcoming terms who could be affected and will contact them starting Wednesday.

The University of Colorado Colorado Springs is also bracing for a potential shutdown that could affect its military students, which is 27% of the university’s population.

If stipends or housing allowances are delayed, military-affiliated students will be impacted, said university spokesperson Jenna Press. She noted UCCS’s Department of Veterans and Military Affairs will, however, prioritize payment for education benefits.

To make up for any losses, the university will offer up to $700 interest-free loans that are payable by mid-November unless an extension is needed for affected students.

The VA Education Call Center, which answers questions about VA benefits and services, will also cease operations. The center will also stop processing enrollment certifications until the shutdown ends.

“The call center is a main point of contact for veterans,” Press said.

Paychecks that are given to active-duty and reserve members may also be delayed regardless of a furlough if Congress doesn’t pass legislation to guarantee military pay, Press said.

A partial shutdown could also have impacts for both schools, but it depends on which departments lose funding, Press said.

The government would experience a partial shutdown if Congress could only pass some but not all of the 12 appropriations bills required to fund the next fiscal year by Oct. 1.

Do shutdowns typically impact state universities?

Since 1980, there have been 14 shutdowns, according to the Bipartisan Policy Center. The longest government shutdown lasted five weeks during the Trump administration in 2018 amid disagreements over funding the president’s border wall with Mexico. 

Historically, state colleges and universities feel ripple effects, especially around money and research, when shutdowns happen, but they typically experience few negative effects from a short-term pause, according to the American Council on Education.

Immigration services that close could also impact international students coming in for school because the U.S. Department of Homeland Security may not process applications for changes in status in a timely manner, according to ACE. One such example is the 2013 shutdown, when H-1B visa applications weren’t reviewed.

Timing is a “key variable” when it comes to measuring impacts, ACE says. Shutdowns in July when universities are gearing up for the start of the year typically impact schools more than when they happen mid-semester.

Since federal financial aid is processed a year in advance, shutdowns usually have “minimal” impacts, according to Colorado State University. Though people filing for aid may experience some temporary delays.

For research and federal grant funding, institutions that have already received funds shouldn’t face any impacts, but they can’t act on any pending proposals or file for new grants until the shutdown ends, ACE says.

Many Colorado campuses have cited in the past that potential impacts to research are one of the main concerns of a short-term shutdown. Several of them have issued statements saying the universities have been planning to mitigate risks ahead of Wednesday.

While short-term pauses typically don’t cause lasting impacts, ACE says more issues start to “pile up” the longer the shutdown continues, which leads to a greater risk of a crisis due to lack of government support.

Outside of universities, shutdowns do significantly impact other facets of government. This year, a shutdown could trigger furloughs in Colorado Springs and close Rocky Mountain National Park as well as at Mesa Verde, Great Sand Dunes and Black Canyon of the Gunnison national parks in Colorado.