Gov. Joe Manchin withdrew his proposal to make the Promise scholarship a loan program Wednesday, citing a need for more information.

The governor has appointed Brian Noland, chancellor of the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission, to spearhead a committee to study a work requirement for the scholarship, as well as the program's academic requirements and funding needs.

"The main point in introducing Promise legislation this year was to raise awareness of the issues that we're facing both now and in the future with Promise to a level that would at the very least start a substantive discussion about the program and how best to move forward with it," Manchin said in a written release. "It is clear that this discussion has begun and what is now needed is more information."

Manchin caught some lawmakers, educators and students off guard when he made a proposal in his Jan. 9 State of the State address to require Promise scholars to stay in West Virginia upon graduation or pay the money back.

Critics of the proposal have said the state doesn't necessarily have jobs to keep students employed in West Virginia and that many college students leave the state after graduation to continue their education.

Lawmakers struggle each year to find sufficient funds for Promise, which is paid out of video lottery revenues. Costs of the program have risen since 2002 from about $27 million to more than $40 million. Lawmakers often bemoan higher tuition at the state's public colleges and university for the funding increase.

"As tuition costs increase, we're going to continue to have challenges with funding levels for Promise," said Lara Ramsburg, Manchin's spokeswoman.

About 9,200 students benefited from the merit-based scholarship during the 2007-08 school year.

Noland said the governor has not completely abandoned his proposal, and once the committee has concluded its study the governor will re-address the issue.

"The governor really believed that we needed to have a public policy discussion on Promise, and all the facets of Promise," Ramsburg said. "His introducing the bill was the way to get into that discussion."

Gov. Joe Manchin withdrew his proposal to make the Promise scholarship a loan program Wednesday, citing a need for more information.

The governor has appointed Brian Noland, chancellor of the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission, to spearhead a committee to study a work requirement for the scholarship, as well as the program's academic requirements and funding needs.

"The main point in introducing Promise legislation this year was to raise awareness of the issues that we're facing both now and in the future with Promise to a level that would at the very least start a substantive discussion about the program and how best to move forward with it," Manchin said in a written release. "It is clear that this discussion has begun and what is now needed is more information."

Manchin caught some lawmakers, educators and students off guard when he made a proposal in his Jan. 9 State of the State address to require Promise scholars to stay in West Virginia upon graduation or pay the money back.

Critics of the proposal have said the state doesn't necessarily have jobs to keep students employed in West Virginia and that many college students leave the state after graduation to continue their education.

Lawmakers struggle each year to find sufficient funds for Promise, which is paid out of video lottery revenues. Costs of the program have risen since 2002 from about $27 million to more than $40 million. Lawmakers often bemoan higher tuition at the state's public colleges and university for the funding increase.

"As tuition costs increase, we're going to continue to have challenges with funding levels for Promise," said Lara Ramsburg, Manchin's spokeswoman.

About 9,200 students benefited from the merit-based scholarship during the 2007-08 school year.

Noland said the governor has not completely abandoned his proposal, and once the committee has concluded its study the governor will re-address the issue.

"The governor really believed that we needed to have a public policy discussion on Promise, and all the facets of Promise," Ramsburg said. "His introducing the bill was the way to get into that discussion."

Noland agreed, "[The scholarship] has truly changed the dinner table conversation in this state."

Ramsburg noted that the bill would have required the Promise Board to come up with proposed legislative rules for a forgivable loan program, something that would not have been addressed by the Legislature until 2009, anyway.

"It wasn't something that was going to change overnight to begin with," she said.

Noland said he has not formally selected members to the committee, but it will be made up of members of the House and Senate, college presidents, financial aid and student affairs representatives and high school counselors.

 "The hope is we're able to bring a group together that represents each of the constituents impacted by the policy," he said. "The committee as a whole is going to look at where Promise has been and where Promise is going based on the data."

Noland said he hopes to have a recommendation for the scholarship board and the governor in the fall.

"We really needed to bring a group of experts together to answer those questions and try to get their arms around some of the questions raised about the proposal," he said.

Former Gov. Bob Wise introduced the merit-based scholarship in 2002. It allowed students with a 3.0 or "B" grade point average in high school and a composite score of at 22 on the ACT to attend public in-state colleges and universities tuition-free.

Staff writer Phil Kabler contributed to this report.

To contact staff writer Veronica Nett, use e-mail or call 348-5113.