ECAC Allows Grid Scholarships, But Harvard Will Keep Old Policy

The Eastern College Athletic Conference voted Friday to allow colleges to grant athletic scholarships. But Harvard, a member of the ECAC will not make any changes in its own admission and scholarship procedures.

At its annual meeting; the ECAC decided to do away with its policy of requiring its colleges to grant scholarships only to students showing high scholastic achievement or financial need.

But Harvard won't change. "Our admissions and scholarship committees look at athletics in considering a candidate's credentials," said dean of admission Fred L. Glimp '50. "But the crucial consideration is financial need."

No athlete at Harvard is required to participate in a sport to retain his scholarship, he added.

Harvard's director of athletics, Adolph W. Samborski '25, and representatives from many other colleges felt the impact of the action was minimal.

Several colleges have been awarding grant-in-aid scholarships in spite of the ban, Samborski said, so the decision of the ECAC merely legalizes their activities.

Many representatives felt that the decision was a holding action. The ECAC would like to have financial need established nation-wide as the only basis for granting aid and it is just waiting for the NCAA to adopt the policy the ECAC wants.

Members of the conference now plan to request the national organization, the NCAA, to alter its financial aid requirements. At present, an athlete must maintain at least a C- average to receive a scholarship from an NCAA member college.