Harvard's NDEA Grant May Be Largest Ever

The University will probably receive this year the largest allocation of NDEA loan funds since the National Defense Education Act was passed. If the provision limiting individual institutions to a maximum of $800,000 is removed, Harvard could receive close to $1 million.

Peter K. Gunness, assistant director of Admissions and Financial Aid, estimated yesterday that Harvard would receive between $75 and $1 million dollars from the NDEA funds this year. Last year, the University was given approximately $350,000 in loan funds.

At that time, however, a ceiling of $500,000 per institution was in effect. This year, the ceiling was raised to $800,000, and the recently passed Senate bill, extending the NDEA for three years, eliminated the provision entirely. If the House follows the Senate's lead and abolishes the ceiling, Harvard's share of the loan funds could climb close to the $1 million dollar mark.

Sen. Wayne Morse (D-Ore.), chairman of the Senate Education Subcommittee, had noted in discussing the elimination of the $800,000 ceiling that seven institutions including Harvard had submitted approved requests for more than the limit.

The University has generally disregarded the ceiling imposed by the bill and requested the amount it actually needed. Officials explain this policy enables the government to gauge the real need for funds.

Gunness said he was "hopeful" the ceiling would be eliminated, but declined to make any predictions. He noted that "with rising costs" the increased funds that Harvard would recive would be very useful.

Elaborate Formula

Even if the ceiling were removed, however, Harvard will probably still not receive the full amount it requested, Gunness cautioned. He pointed out that the NDEA money is distributed according to an elaborate formula which apportions money in relation to the number of institutions and students in a given region. "I would guess we'd never get the full amount we asked for," he said.

The Senate bill, in addition to eliminating the institutional ceiling, would also expand the loan and fellowship portions of the NDEA program. It increases the loan authorization from the present $135 million to $145 million in fiscal 1965, $165 million in 1966, $180 million in 1967, and $195 million in 1968.