Epps Hints at Funds Change

The Harvard Foundation may begin directing more money to existing groups than to newly established ones, Dean of Students Archie C. Epps III said at recent race relations retreat.

The Foundation should place more emphasis on providing funds for the groups' everyday operations, Epps said.

"They should change from simply awarding grants to new organizations to awarding stabilization grants to help organizations build on their existing foundations," Epps said.

This summer, Epps took charge of the Foundation and the Office of Race Relations and Minority Affairs as the College's coordinator of Race relations.

He said that minority groups could not fulfill some of their plans because of insufficient funds. "I was struck by the level of frustration described by some of the leaders of the organizations," Epps said.

Minority leaders said yesterday that Epps' proposal would help their groups' efforts to serve students.

"We need operational money to do all kinds of things, from mailings for getting in touch with our alumni network to getting a copying machine and a computer and paying for long distance phone calls," said Zaheer R. Ali '94, president of the Black Students Association.

Raza Vice President Lilia Fernandez '95 said the money could "help us tremendously" and could create possibilities for projects never before considered because of lack of funds in the past.

While Epps said he thinks grants to individual groups should be larger, total funding for the Foundation, approximately $10,000 per semester, should remain at current levels, he said.