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friday, november 16, 1979
lincoln, nebraska vol. 103 no. 57
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Student aid fraud
often undetectable
By Diane Andersen
There is little detectable student loan fraud at UNL but
much sophisticated fraud is undetectable, according to
Fred Kinneyfinvestigator of compliance for the Bureau of
Student Financial Assistance in Kansas City.
The BSFA is in charge of student loan and grant pro
grams for universities in Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas and
Missouri.
Students in several states other than those four have
recently been found guilty of thousands of dollars worth
of student aid fraud. Some students lie about their in
come, others use false names and social security numbers.
Still others file for aid-and get it-at several different
schools they aren't enrolled in .
"It's difficult to detect those kinds of things," Kinney
said. "The amount of time necessary to check out false
information is tremendous." "
Although BSFA hasn't found much fraud at UNL, they
are worried about foreign students who may be falsifying
information about their citizenship and residency status in
order to be eligible for certain aid programs, Kinney said.
He said BSFA is looking into the problem.
IT COULD become a large problem," he said . '
Some of the methods used to validate aid application
information include requiring applicants to furnish copies
. of their income tax returns and checking similar names by
computer.
It is almost impossible to detect a false social security
number, Kinney said. ,
"There's no "doubt in my mind that wealthy kids use
these- monies for profit ," said Don Aripoli , director of
scholarships and financial aid a( UNL.
Aripoli said Federally Insured Student Loans (FISL),
which are given out as cash to almost anyone who applies,
probably are used for things other than tuition, He said
many parents probably pay the tuition of students who
have an FISL, while their children invest the loan money
and make interest on it, or use it to buy a car.
"These people are not technically subject to fraud,"
Aripoli said, because as long as they pay back the money,
no one minds. -
"WED HOPE more people are trying to get an educa
tion than are trying to rip off the system," Aripoli said.
For those who get caught ripping off the system, things
may be a little different.
Kinney said all fraud cases are referred to the U.S.
Office of Education, wru'ch refers them to the U.S. attor
ney if criminal intent is determined. His office can also
file a civil fraud suit against a student if that student re
fuses to pay back a loan that was obtained illegally,
Kinney said.
Kinney said he has no idea how many frauds are going
undetected. FISL policies should not be changed, he said,
because "Congress's intent was to provide money for all."
Continued on Page 6
Of those interviewed
Most smokers kept it up
By Kathy Stokebrand
Where there's smoke there's fire, and the effort to
convert all smokers to kick the habit for a day, although
not appearing to be widely effective, was widely recogni
zed yesterday.
The Lincoln Chairperson of the Great American
Smokeout, Sayre Darling, said most comments about the
nationwide effort were positive.
Most smokers interviewed about the smokeout down
town and on campus said they felt the motives behind the
smokeout were worthwhile but most said they , were
unable to abstain for the entire day.
Jayne W; Anderson, Coordinator of Sororities and
Fraternities and Cooperatives, said she had no opinion
about the Smokeout.
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Photo by Tom Gessner
Smokers flush away the habit in a paper mache
toilet at the Centrum. The toilet was constructed
and donated by the NU Meds. '
"I smoke. If I do, I do,' she said. Anderson said it is a
very bad habit and added, "I'll just live with my bad
habit."
Her daughter, Laurie Anderson, a UNL senior, said
"She's setting a terrible example for students."
David DeCoster, dean of students and a smoker for 20
years, said he started with good intentions this week, but
hasn't been able to quit completely. DeCoster said he has
been trying to quit for some time and did cut down on
the day of the Smokeout.
DeCoster said he participated in a month-long program
sponsored by the American Cancer Society within the last
year. He was very impressed with the dedication of the
instructors and the materials used. The group support he
received in the meetings was helpful also, but unfortunate
ly it didn't stick, he said.
DECOSTER SAID SMOKING is very much on his
mind and one of his highest priorities is to quit. He
'referred to smokers who wish they weren't smoking as a a
"terribly miserable lot."
t
Tami Ekert, a UNL sophomore and a smoker, sais she
didn't know about the smokeout. She said she would love
to quit but added she wouldn't until she decided she
really wanted to. Ekert said she hasn't stopped smoking
for one day since she started five years ago, but thought if
she did quit for a day she might be able to go for a longer
period.
Yvonne Anderson, 3414 Smith St., a Magees employee
and smoker, said she was aware of the smokeout and felt
it was a worthy effort, but added she "wasn't a very good
example yesterday. She is very conscious of her smoking
and is trying to quit. The smokeout, she said, made more
people aware of the health dangers of smoking.
FATHER DAMIAN MESSIRES, 446 E St., said he for
got about the smokeout at the beginning c f the day but
later saw the sign advertising the campaign and thought
, "Oh no!" If someone wants to stop they will he said, but
he isn't anxious to quit now. He said smoking is just a
habit and habits can be broken ,
One smoker interviewed said she hadn't lit a cigarette
yet that day in an effort to participate in the Smokeout.
Sue Pfeil, 1201 J St., said with a smile, however, "I wish I
hadn't said I'd do it," Pfeil said she wouldn't consider
abstaining for a longer period because she still wants to
smoke . "I enjoy it " she said .
Smoking, was not allowed in the Lincoln Taco Inn
restaurants on the day of the smokeout. David Russell, an
employee, said his manager told him no customers had to
be asked to put out their cigarettes and no problems had
coreupyet that day.
New student organization hopes rally creates interest
By Patti Gallagher
"It's now or never" for the University Students for
Educational Development to make their pleas known to
the NU Board of Regents and the administration, accord
ing to USED organizer.
USED, a newly formed student organization, will have
a rally Friday at the Broyhill Fountain north of the Ne
braska Union, at 11:30 ajn. said Tim Rinne. The rally is
USEDs vehicle to stimulate interest in the organization,
and to bring their pleas to the regents' 1 pjn. meeting, on
East Campus, he said.
- Rinne said USED has been trying, without success, to
get on the regents Friday agenda.
The rally will start with an 11 ajn. press conference.
Therally will include student and faculty speakers, "a
couple of musicians," and the distribution of leaflets ex
plaining the goals of USED, according to Rinne.
Rinne added he hopes "to have a lot of students" at
the rally, and is expecting an attendance of "several hun
dred." USED is concerned with the inability of the regents
and the central administration to deal with pressing edu
cational issues, Rinne said.
USED filed a letter with Campus Activities and Pro
grams Nov. 5, but will not be recognized as an official
organization until they submit a constitution, Rinne said.
The constitution will be written and submitted to CAP
next week, he added.
The current membership of USED is "about 20 "
Rinne said. He stressed the fact that the members repre
sent a 'wide cross-section" of the UNL student body, to
illustrate that USED is not a secluded group of "hot
headed" radicals.
The concerns of USED are compiled in their "14
points. An immediate goal contained in those points
concerns the 10 percent tuition hike and gaining a con
crete explanation from. the regents of exactly where that
money goes.
Other points to be brought before the regents concern
gaining student control of student fee expenditures, re
turning political speakers to campus, and "establishing a
mechanism' of communication between the regents, stu.
dents and faculty.
Rinne said establishing this communication is of ut
most importance because "we just don't know what the
hell they (the regents) are doing, and because, the stu
dents and faculty have the right to be involved In deci
sions that affect them.
Rinne asked how the regents can consider closing
libraries because of a funds-shortage, when UNL has the
highest administrative salaries in the Big Eight. He said
such inequalities will be a concern of USED.
Rinne said ASUN focuses on many similar topics.
USED has declared, but USED will be a tool for more
immediate action to issues directly affecting students and
faculty. Rinne said USED offers a "real opportunity to
being a compliment to ASUN.
Money now, or never?: Campus bank refuses to take
savings and loan's checks Page 7
Football farewell: Graduating Huskers tell how they feel
about their last game in Memorial Stadium ..... Pass 6
Dance as art: Interviewer talks to the head of Murray
Louis dancers Page 8
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