Gov. Jay Nixon announced that the Missouri Department of Higher Education will increase scholarship amounts for students under the Access Missouri program for a combined total of about $58.7 million.

In order to settle the current battle regarding the distribution of scholarship money in the Access Missouri program, officials from 10 universities have gathered to try to reach a consensus on the issue.

A group of private colleges and universities in Missouri that includes Washington University is distraught over Gov. Jay Nixon’s proposal to lower the maximum award private college students can receive from the Access Missouri grant program.