t Tl Daily r?
Monday, August 23, 1982
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Vol. 82 No. 2
Aripoli: Few drop out because of aid cutbacks
By Christopher Galen
Despite widespread fears that economic
austerity and current budget cutbacks
would cause thousands of students to drop
out of college, such a scenario has not yet
occurred at UNL, according to Don
Aripoli, director of scholarships and
financial aids.
"I have yet to see one student who says
'I'm leaving because I can't get any financi
al aid,' " Aripoli said.
Aripoli's office estimates that costs for
attending UNL this year will range from
$4,300 to nearly $5,000, depending on the
student's type of housing. That approxima
tion includes everything from tuition, fees,
books and housing to transportation and
personal expenses. Aripoli said he believes
President Reagan's push for cutbacks in
financial aid to college students really
hasn't hurt most people in Nebraska.
"The costs of attending UNL are less
than for other similar schools and, as a
result, our kids will feel the cuts less than
those in smaller, private schools. We're
more immune due to our location in
Lincoln, which provides a good job market,
and we also receive state support," Airpoli
said.
However, he said he thinks Reagan's
economic program has caused some diffi
culties. "There are three basic problems which,
from my perspective, have been caused by
the federal government," Aripoli said.
"The first is a reduction in the total
funds available for financial aid, which is a
direct result of governmental cutbacks in
spending," he said. "This means you must
look for new or less desirable options to
finance your education.
"The good news is that the cutbacks
were not nearly as bad as we had originally
anticipated they would be. We felt there
might have been as much as a 50 percent
reduction in funds.. The actual figure now
is closer to 1 0 percent. However, the bad
news is that the president will certainly
propose additional cutbacks for next year's
budget," Aripoli said.
"The second problem we now have is
dealing with changes in the Guaranteed
Student Loan program," Aripoli said. "Pre
viously, nearly anyone could get a student
loan, but now there is a great deal more
paperwork required in checking the stu
dent's financial situation and determining
if he's eligible for aid."
Aripoli said it's hard to explain to
parents and students why they're suddenly
ineligible for a loan, when in previous years
they had no trouble getting one.
"The final problem is in the processing
and validation of Pell Grants," he said.
"The government now requires that virtual
ly all recipients must send in their tax
records, which really adds to the paper
work. All this takes more time, and delays
in the Pell Grant processing delay our help
to the students."
Pell Grants are awarded to students by
the federal government on the basis of
need and cost of education.
"It's been a frustrating summer for stu
dents. We're here to serve them, but we're
handicapped by the delays in processing
and by the backlog of paperwork caused
by the government," he said.
In spite ot these added obstacles,
Aripoli said he did not think a significant
number of students suddenly found them
selves without any financial support. He
estimated that the number of "no-awards,"
those who are rejected for aid, is compar
able to that of the last few years.
Aripoli estimates that 20,000 UNL stu
dents apply annually to be considered for
financial aid, with some 12,000 to 15,000
of those applicants receiving either scholar
ships, grants, loans or jobs.
"We would hope that between loans,
employment and relatively low costs, the
average student will make it financially,"
he said. "1 believe that here is Nebraska,
our students are pretty good about not
abusing the system of financial aids."
Vacant positions remain unfilled
as fresft academic year begins
By Eric Peterson
Three UNL colleges have no permanent dean, and one
of them has been in doubt about a permanent Emplace
ment for nearly a year and a half.
Staffing those vacancies at UNL are Don Shaneyfelt,
acting dean of the Law School, and James O'Hanlon, act
ing dean of the Teachers College. Wilma Crumley is acting
dean of the Journalism School while the permanent dean,
R. Neale Copple, is working as interim vice chancellor foj
academic affairs, whild Gerhard Meisels is acting dean for
the Art's and Science College.
There is nothing unusual about the vacancies, accord
ing to Larry Andrews, assistant to the chancellor and
assistant vice chancellor of academic affairs.
But the failure f Chancellor Martin Massengale to
appoint a permanent Arts and Sciences dean has puzzled
and angered some of the faculty in that college.
"He and only he is responsible for the Arts-and Sci
inces College not having a dean," said June Levine, associ
ate professor of English and a member of the Arts and Sci
ience Executive Committee, which evaluates policies in
the college.
Levine pointed out that Massengale did not accept any
of five nominations that a search committee in the college
gave to him, and offered no reason for it. Levine stressed
that having a permanent dean is crucial.
"It's never good to let interim people appoint the
chairpersons in the departments," she said.
Outlook affected
William B. Campbell, associate professor of physics and
astronomy and a member of both the Arts and Sciences
Executive Committee and the search committee that look
ed for people to fill the dean post, said the lack of a per
manent dean affects the outlook of the faculty.
"Uncertainty naturally makes the faculty apprehensive.
Everybody's anxious for a permanent choice because
important budget decisions are b;ing made."
Andrews, who serves as Massengalc's press liaison, re
sponded that part of the reason the college has had an
interim dean for so long is the complicated and lengthy
search process.
"It takes a long time to conduct a search," he said.
"Each member of the search committee has to look over
each candidate and discuss each possibility, ultimately
providing a shorter list of four or five finalists. Then
there's the interview process."
Sylvia Wiegand, associate professor of mathmatics and
statistics and, member of the search committee, said the
committee started meeting last October, and by January
had placed an advertisement for potential candidates with
a February deadline for applications. When Massengale
rejected all five of the strongest candidates that the search
committee selected, Wiegand was disappointed.
"I think it's a big shame. I guess 1 was rather disheart
ened." She said that Massengale fended off questions
about fiis decision by saying it would be unprofessional to
discuss specific candidates with the search committee.
New committee
Andrews said a new search committee will begin work
as soon as school starts. He also refused to discuss Massen
gale's action, saying it would not be fair to the individual
people involved.
"The chancellor just felt that there was no clear-cut
choice out ot the five candidates."
For Levine, however, this is simply an evasion.
"Massengale had a chance to appoint a candidate with
really wide support, and he didn't do it." Levine said the
search committee submitted a list of five names, but had
unanimously settled on Milton Click, a chemistry instruct
or from Wayne State University in Detroit, Mich., as the
best candidate for the job.
"I have raiely seen such a diverse group of faculty so
unanimously high in its praise for that person."
Campbell said Massengale apparently thought that
none of the five people were what he wanted, and added
that he did not know of any specific reasons for Massen
galc's decision.
"I don't think anybody docs except Chancellor
Massengale," he said.
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Daily Nebraskan Fit Photo
Martin Massengale
Nebraskans to face slight increase in 1983 taxes
By Deb KoIIars
Nebraska tax revenues will probably
only slightly increase because of the
$98.3 billion tax bill passed last week
by Congress, Charles Bacon, executive
vice president of the Nebraska Tax Re
search Council, said.
Recent reports indicate that Pres
ident Reagan, who fought long and hard
to have the bill passed, will sign the bill
within the next few days.
"For some Nebraskans, there will be
slight increases in federal taxes because
of the bill. That means they'll pay more
state taxes," Bacon said.
"But
for the most part, the bill Prob
st pa
ably won't have a lot of effect on Nebraska
tax revenues." he added.
State individual and corporate income
taxes. Bacon explained, aie based on
federal taxable income. Nebraskans pay
a flat 15 percent of their federal taxes
in state taxes. Therefore, since the new
federal law increases taxable income.
it would expand the state tax base,
he said.
Under the new bill, the federal cig
arette tax will double to 16 cents a pack
and the I percent tax on telephone ser
vice will triple. The bill also will require
that 10 percent of most dividends and
interest be withheld for taxes, reduce
deductions for medical expenses and
casualty losses, raise the 5 percent tax
on air fares to 8 percent starting Sept.
1 and toughen the "minimum tax" on
high-income investors. Further, in an
effort to catch some V8 billion in taxes
that are evaded each year, the bill will
require that citiens more accurately
report income earned from tips, state
tax refunds and investments.
The across-the-board cut in personal
tax rates enacted last year will remain
intact. However, the new measure will
wipe out about one-third of the 1981
business tax reductions.
Since most tax increases will take
effect next Jan. I, that's when any in
creases in state tax revenues would show
up, Bacon said.
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