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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (March 1, 1976)
monday, march 1, 1976 daily nebraskan page 5 enf io says aid mtormation misleading Stud bby By Nancy Garjc Ask what the maximum Basic Education Opportunity Grant (NEOG) is and the U.S. Office of Education (OE) will say $1,400. Read the 1976-77 BEOG application and you will learn that officials estimate awards will range be tween $50 and $1,000. Challenging the language of the application, the National Student Lobby (NSL)has charged OE of provid ing misleading information about the federally-financed BEOG program, said Steve Pressman, NSL co-director. According to the 1972' Higher Education Act, eligible BEOG applicants are legally entitled to receive the $1,400 award. But in its three years of operation no $1,400 awards have been made, Pressman said in a telephone interview. A BEOG official has denied the charge. UNL never has been authorized to award more than $1,050 to one student said Debi Knight, a UNL financial aid adviser. Never awarded maximum grant The amount of the award is based on the student's expenses and any outside income the student is receiving, she said. The award cannot exceed half the student's anti cipated expenses for the academic yeaf , she said. Although Pressman said BEOG officials have never awarded the maximum grant, the't situation differs this year in "one important rsespect." "In past years, Congress and OE recognized that (con gressional appropriations would not allow for $1,400 awafds," he said. "But when OE presented its 1975-76 budget request, it was understood by Congress and OE officials that the budget would allow for grant awards of $ 1 ,400 to eligible students," he said. He added that the program is short of funds because BEOG officials miscalculated the numberof students who would be eligible for BEOG in the coming academic year. To finance the awards, Congress would have to appropriate an additional $600 million to the original $715 million appropriation, Pressman said. Difficulties understood He said he understood the difficulties involved in cal culating the eligibility level. "My gripe is that the application provides misleading information about the total picture," he said. "The appli cation doesn't say why maximum awards will probably be $1,000, and it doesn't mention pending action by Con gress to provide additional money to fund $1,400 awards." . NSL is asking students to come to Washington, D.C. April 2 through 6. "This will be a great time for students to show their strength. They can have a great impact on. the future of financial aid." NSL is suggesting that OE release revised information on the status of the BEOG program, following the con gressional action, he said. But, the NSL information is in accurate in two respects, according to Diane Sedicum, assistant to the BEOG head. She said BEOG awarded $1,400 grants in 1975-76. Also, the 1976-77 fund short age resulted from a cut in the department's original re quest and not because of miscalculation by OE officials, Sedicum said in a telephone interview. , ' "Totally unfair" OE requested $1 billion for 1976-77, but Congress re duced the request by $285 million, she said. Sedicum said she believes that NSL's accusation that the BEOG application is misleading is "totally unfair." "We still don't know what the awards are going to be. We had to deal with the budget) cut when estimating what next year's awards would be," she said. OE officials have told Congress that the program's 1976-77 budget should be increased to 1.3 billion to meet obligations, she said. ' Congress appears to favor additional appropriations, Pressman said. But, he added, the appropriation might not reach the $600 million figure. Students encouraged NSL is lobbying for the addition funds, he said, and also is encouraging students to write thsir congressmen to support the program. NSL is asking students to come to Washington, D.C. April 4 through 6 for the fifth NSL Lobbying Conference. The lobbying will focus on financial aid appropriations, Pressman said. 'This will be a great time for . students to show their strength," he said. "They can have a great impact on the future of financial aid." The lobbying will occur a wek before Congress re cesses, which Pressman said should be the time a decision is made about additional appropriations. If the past is an indicator, Pressman said he thinks stu dent response will be good. In September 1975, Congress overrode President Gerald Ford's veto of the 1975-76 Education Appropria tion Bill, which included budgets for all financial programs. ' . ' The override partially resulted from "a terrific response from students in support of the financial aid program," Pressman said; NSL is financed by university student government's and private donations, he said. ASUN Senate pays dues to NSL, according to a Senate spokesman. For more information about the lobbying effort write: National Student Lobby, 2000 P St., NW, Suite 515, . Washington, D.C, 20036, or call: 202-833-31 16. o DAYS T REMEMBER O o at the (3roe - 0 g Mon.-Recession Night g Tues. - Ladies Night g Wed - A-Go-Go-Contest 8 Thurs.-Tequila Night o Fri-Sat-RMG&R 2 (booze, music, games & fun) o Appearing this week "Piri-Ups" o o o o o o o 0 o o The Royal Grove 340 w. eomhusker OO0OO0OOO0O0OOOOOOOOO0OOO0OO0 VAM HEU VAN 1 K aua SPORT SHIRT AND DRESS SHIRT . . . wear it liniif wftit f It's an open and shut case and you makethe decision! 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