Harvard Asks $200,000 In Federal Student Aid U.S. Colleges Get $55 Million

Harvard has applied for $200,000 in Federal funds to aid its poorest students under last year's Higher Education Act.

The Office of Education yesterday made its first authorization under the act--$56 million for 130,000 students in 1358 colleges. The University said it would not know for three more days whether its request had been granted.

Under the provisions of the act, students will receive $200 to $800 according to their needs. Peter K. Gunness '57, assistant director of admissions and freshman scholarships, said yesterday that the application for assistance had been made on a projected figure of 445 students whose parents would be unable to pay more than $600 for their children's education.

"Although we know only the general guide-lines that will be used in allocating the funds," the act will presumably make up the difference between the amount the parents can afford and the $800 limit, Gunness said. Thus a boy whose parents contributed $300 would receive $500 in aid, a contribution of $400 would merit $400 in aid, etc. The Office of Education expects the average grant to be approximately $455 during the program's first year.

"We don't yet know whether the government will require that a student will only be judged eligible for their aid if without it he would find it impossible to go to college," Gunness continued. If it does, only the 110 freshmen whom Harvard plans to aid under the new program--and no one now in the College--will qualify.

Incentives

In any event, Gunness said, the program will encourage colleges to recruit more students who would not normally be able to pay tuition fees. In the scholastic year 1967-68 it will also establish a $200 incentive for scholarship students who finish in the top half of their class.

Gunness praised the act for allowing colleges to select the students who should receive aid. "After all, we are the ones who should know whom to pick," he said.

Harvard will be required to match government aid with other scholarships or student loans. Gunness said the Office of Education has also stipulated that Harvard not reduce its present scholarship program drastically by requiring no less than $1.9 million a year be spent on student aid over a three year average.

Already the University is spending some $2.1 million on scholarships, and the government aid, even if received in full, would only amount to about nine per cent of total Harvard expenditures.