My letter is in response to the article “Sequester cuts could hit grants” from the Oct. 31 issue of The Minnesota Daily.

As one of those nearly 12,000 students who received a Pell Grant this school year, I am highly upset and unsettled by the funding cuts.

Financial aid is a large part of why I am able to continue my education here at the University of Minnesota. I know this is the same for many students here.

The funding I received here also played a role in my decision to stay in the state for school. With this funding at risk, instead of focusing on my studies, I am now worried about how I will be paying for them in the 2014-15 school year.

What upsets me the most is that the University does not have a plan to make up for these cuts. It upsets me that in this time of budget and funding cuts, the University is continuing with multimillion-dollar renovations and an unnecessary bronze Goldy statue.

Although these projects may have outside funding, I believe it is the University’s responsibility to reach out to generous donors with pleas for things that will actually benefit students at this time.

I’d like to see an increase in the number of scholarships offered for students, especially those who will be affected by these cuts.

Although a few thousand dollars may not seem like a hardship to some, attempting to come up with that extra money could mean a semester off for others.