Miami Hurricane, January 27, 1984

              SEC BIDS FOR THE COMMODORES — PAGE S
Volume 60 Number 31
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Friday, January 27, 1984
Financial Aid Is Down,
By LOURDES FERRER
Hurricane Associate News Editor
After two decades of rapid growth, the amount of financial aid available to college students has dropped by $2 billion in the past two years, according to a report prepared for the College Board, based in Washington
The report traced most of that decline to the 1981 decision by the Reagan administration and Congress to gradually discontinue Social Security benefits for college students, to restrictions on eligibility for Guaranteed Student Loans (GSl.s), and to a drop in the use of veterans’ benefits.
At the University of Miami, “most of the drop has been in the GSL processing and in Pell Grants, since it reflects a drop in enrollment," said Scott Freedman, acting director of financial aid.
No figures were available from UM's financial aid office.
The drop in Social Security benefits (which accounted for 80 to 90 percent of the drop in federal aid) is overdramatized, said Freedman. Those students who had been receiving Social Security benefits, he said, are now eligible for financial aid like anyone else.
The federal aid drop also reflects a 1981 Congress decision which required that students from families with incomes of more than $30.000 prove need for loans
Congress established the Basic Educational Opportunity Grants in 1972 to provide outright grants based on need. The 1978 law extended this aid to middle-income students and also made students eligible for subsidized loans, regardless of income.
The GSL program still provides loans of up to $2,500 to 2.7 million students, and 2.5 million students get Basic Grants averaging almost $1,000 each
According to Freedman, the situation at UM is not as bad as it looks If a family earns over $30,000, he explained, it may still qualify for a Guaranteed Student Loan — especially since the cost of attending UM has gone up
The study said the drop came in a period after “the federal government became by far the largest contributor to student aid.”
The study pointed out that almost 80 percent of total assistance now comes through federal programs, while less than 40 percent of aid in the early 1960s was federal in origin.
The amount of aid from federal, state and institutional sources increased from $546 million in 1963-64 to $4.5 billion in 1970-71, to $10.5 billion in 1975-76 and to more than $18 billion in 1981-82. It dropped to an estimated $16.1 billion in the current academic year.
The report noted major shifts in the ratio of grants versus loans
Report
It said that from 1970-71 to 1975-76, grant aid increased from 66 percent to 80 percent of total aid awarded, while loans decreased from 29 to 17 percent.
However, grants and loans now account for 96 percent of the aid Work-study programs provide the remaining 4 percent.
The average amount of aid available per full-time student grew by 378 percent between 1963-64 and 1980-81 In the 1980s. adjusting for inflation, aid per full-time student had dropped 23 percent
The College Board said that the annual cost of tuition, room and board at private universities climbed from $2,105 in 1963-64 to $8.537 in 1982-83 At UM. tuition, room and board cost about $8,900. For public universities, the cost went from $1,026 to $3.403
According to Freedman, federal financial aid has remained leveled to 1980-81 but hasn't kept up with the increase in tuition. "The money is not buying the same," he said
However, Freedman said, each time the university has raised tuition it has also raised its commitment to continue financial aid Funding for financial aid. in fact, has been in proportion to the increase of tuition, he said.
With inflation in mind, the real value of student aid has dropped 21 percent in the 1980s
Miami Hurricane/JEFF GOTTLIEE
USBG Vice President Suzanne Graham converses with (left to right) Lourdes Lopez, Isabel Suarez, Manny Niebla, and Yoly Valdes
Student government informative for high
day proves schoolers
By LOURDES FERRER
Hurricane Associate News Editor
Local high school student government leaders had the opportunity Wednesday to spend an afternoon with the Undergraduate Student Body Government (USBG).
“Its purpose was to let them know that student government here at UM is the same as in any other university," said Suzanne Graham, program chairman and USBG vice president.
The students had a chance to learn about student government as a whole and about student life at the University of Miami
They went through a minitour of the campus, an open discussion about student government by the fountain, a talk on student life with Jerry Askew, assistant to the vice president for Student Affairs, and the chance to sit in on one of USBG’s most heated Senate meeting so far
About 30 students from five private high schools in Dade county participated in the program sponsored by USBG Among them were Ransom-Everglades. Loyola and Immacu-lata-La Salle
"We place high value on student government leaders We need student leaders like yourselves," said Askew, who gave a pep talk encouraging these students to get involved in campus activities.
He spoke on how UM gives opportunities for participation, giving examples such as intramural sports, social and academic clubs, fraternities and sororities.
“College is not just the piece of cake Mom and Dad made you believe," he said. "You'll have to deal with a lot of important issues."
That's why, Askew said, the main difference that distinguishes a university from high school is freedom. And part of a
student s college years involves achieving autonomy and dealing with independence
“You're here (in UM| to learn, outside and inside the classroom, as you mature into grown-up adults," Askew said
And to most, the program was a learning experience
"The workshop exposed us to student life at the university,” said Manny Niebla. student government parlimentarian at Loyola.
According to Graham, the program was not designed with the purpose of recruiting these students for the university. It was an informative afternoon.
However, one student was swayed and plans to apply for admission into UM next fall semester.
“I had a different opinion of things I had heard about this university," said Yoly Valdez, a senior from Loyola. "But the students are friendly and LIM seems like a good place to be."
Cheskin wins tug-of-war as veto override fails
By RONNIE RAMOS
Hurricane Editor in Chief
A bill that supposedly would protect the Undergraduate Student Body Government from internal power plays ironically caused one of those in the Senate meeting Wednesday.
The bill, an internal legislation to amend the USBG constitution, was passed unanimously (25-0 with three abstensions) in October and vetoed by President Mark Cheskin. One of the original authors, Annie Ortega, brought the bill up for an override. The override attempt failed, 15-17 with two abstensions.
What began as a debate over the merits of the bill turned into a heated 45-minute discussion on Senate and presidential powers
The bill itself was simple enough: When a Senate seat is vacant, there shall be a two-week rotation between petitioning for the seat and appointment.
As it stands now, when a seat is
vacated, there is a two-wiek petition period. Afterward, the executive officers, usually the president, can appoint someone. The appointment period can last indefinitely (until the executive officers decide to revert to petition).
The controversy started because of a Continuing Studies seat which was vacant for six years. The bill was introduced in October by Ortega and Attorney General Scott Kornspan. Kornspan. a probable presidential candidate, refused to speak on behalf of the bill Wednes-
day and claimed to have taken his name off the bill. "It just wasn't worth it," he said
The crux of Wednesday's debate, however, dealt not with the two-week rotation proposition but with a rider that was added to the bill The rider said that at least two of the appointees sent before the nominating committee must he found prepared or well-prepared to go before the Senate for ratification
The current constitution states that all presidential appointees must go before the Senate, even if the nominating committee finds any of them unprepared
The power struggle for control of the Senate began when Cheskin, asked by one of the senators why he vetoed the bill, took the floor and passed out a different version of the bill. Ortega, who is on the nominations committee, had passed out the original version of the bill — without the rider
The debate then turned into a
personaJ wmr. Ortepa read iron» the USBG constitution, claiming the bill
was essential to the "purpose of USBG." Cheskin would not begin to speak until Ortega went back to her seat. He then passed out his version of the bill amid "oohs” and "ahhs" of the senators and the complaints of Sue Jean, speaker of the Senate
The central question became whether the nominating committee should have the power to stop presidential appointees from appearing before the full Senate for ratification.
Sen. Izhar Naq, Off-campus South, who claimed to have problems with Cheskin, said the override of the veto was important to establish the power of the Senate Sen. F.d Gross, College of Arts and Sciences, said “it is not the job of the Senate" to worry about bylaw revisions He added that the revisions should not be made because it would cost USBG money to reprint the constitution.
Afterward. Cheskin was not happy about the proceeding
"It was a waste of time," he said “Annie Ortega is obviously mistaken about the purpose of student government The purjxise of student government is to represent the students' views to the administration. To debate moot constitutional points is for high school student governments."
Cheskin was also worried that such a split among the Senate would weaken his bargaining power with the administration — the only real power be has. he said
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debate was a waste of time. Sen. Xavier Cortada. Off-campus Central, said it was obvious that it was a struggle between Cheskin and a “small group of senators."
As far as the politics are concerned, Cortada said he didn't care about them too much because "it was two weak forces going at it.
“In the long run. the whole Issue really doesn't matter,” he added, "because we (the Senate| have the final say."
New examinations arrive at UM Testing Center
By LOURDES FERNANDEZ
Hurricane News Editor
This is the first in a series on new programs being given at UM's Guidance Center.
A new CLEP (College-Level Examination Program) test is now being given at the University of Miami Testing Center
The State of Florida has mandated that students receiving state financial aid must pass the CLAST before receiving a diploma.
Nuclear build down topic of lecture
By TEQUESTA BRYANT
Hurricane Assistant News Editor
Joseph Lehman of the U.S. Arms Control and Disarmament Agency, spoke on "nuclear build down" Tuesday before the Nuclear War/ Nuclear Peace class offered by the Center for Theoretical Studies.
Lehman was a spokesman for the United States in the arms reduction talks in Geneva, Switzerland in 1982.
Guaranteed Mutual Build Down, a bipartisan ideal, was formally adopted as part of the U.S. position for the Geneva talks. Lehman said the idea that nuclear arms control and modernization of nuclear weapons is mutually exclusive is a false dichotomy
Lehman believes Guaranteed Mutual Build Down is one of the best plans avalaible. Both sides will still be able to modernize by making use of the most recent changes in weap-
Inside
Wanted: Good roommates
An interview with a Miami author who wrote the book on how to pick the right roommate /PAGE 3
Notes
Recent developments in Iron Arrow and SAFAC; also, a tuition increase prediction /PAGE 6
Meet Mr. Binns
A profile of actor Edward Binns in Pulse /PAGE 8
On the road
A behind-the scenes look at the baseball team’s weekend bus trip to Miami-Dade North and Tampa /PAGE 11
ons. but. instead of building an increasing storehouse of nuclear weapons, the countries will replace old weapons with more modern weapons at a two-for-one or three-for-one trade off, most times
Lehman sees merit in owning less weapons, even if they are able to do the equal or more damage
Lehman said that the SALT talks in 1972 and 1979 seemed to encourage increasing nuclear weajjonry to the limits. Both sides built up their stockpiles with the thought that the other side was doing the same thing.
Lehman believes there are "inherent dangers in owning large numbers of weapons."
Unfortunately, the supporters of the build down do not have the backing of the Soviet delegations, Lehman said He added that the Soviets are a steady people, resistant to sudden change. He said they resent the idea that the United States is trying to tell them how to run their military program.
Lehman said the 1950's ideal that any military aggression will cause a severe military reaction is outdated In a massive retaliation system, the point is to kill hundreds of millions of people, including the civilian population Massive power is used and accuracy is not necessary
The current thinking is along the lines of a flexible resfmnse system Leaders will be able to maintain arsenals and respond to an attack situation with equal if not stronger force, if desired
Lehman said our forces want to deter a war. In a Mutual Assured Destruction system, the leaders are provided with less weapons and weapons are aimed at military sites or missile sites.
Lehman said nuclear weapons are like the Colt .45. the equalizer, as he called it. He said nuclear weapons are cheap — a very im-IJortant fact. The U.S. strategic arms budget, he said, is only 15 percent of the overall defense budget. Lehman mentioned that reducing nuclear weapons will not feed the masses.
He said Americans have different perceptions of the threat of nuclear destruction and different ideas as to what should be done, if anything
Lehman believes that until the world changes, the United States needs to keep arms while trying to maintain peace. "Arms control cannot proceed in a vacuum," he said
He also talked about the differences in ballistic missiles, which are the most dangerous because of their high speed, high accuracy, and short flight time
Land-based missiles, he said, have far greater accuracy and a pre-surveyed launch site Ballistic missiles land within 600 feet of their intended target, which is extremely close considering the power of the weapon.
Submarine-based ballistic missiles have the advantage that the •nemy is never certain of their aunch location This uncertain launch location hampers their accuracy.
The Institutional CLEP, as it is called, will mean that students can take the exam at any date, said Roderick Gillis. director of the Testing Center.
CLEP was previously given the third Saturday of each month and sent back to New Jersey to grade Students could use the scores for any college
The institutional exam will allow students to take the exam at the Testing Center any weekday, but they can only use the score (or UM courses
The institutional exam will cost a few dollars more than the usual $2h for an exam. However, the exams are scored immediately.
According to Gillis, a few years ago the Center was able to fill two to<three rooms each Saturday. Now there are not enough students to fill even one room
“There has been a declining interest," he said “Many fieople are not aware (of the CLEP exam| "
CLEP was first set up to allow students to get credits for information learned outside the classroom It soon developed into a type of ad vanced placement test for students who had learned the subject at a junior college or high school.
Students are able to receive up to 60 credits through CLEP (each exam is worth three credits) There are 28 exams — the most popular are English, biology, chemistry, accounting, and psychology.
The exams are all 90^mlnute objective tests, except for accounting, which has an essay. The 105 and 106 English exams used to have an essay; however, UM will no longer accept the essays because of complications and time delays.
The essays in the English exams were sent to New Jersey, then were returned to the admissions office, which sent them to the English de-
partment to be graded. Gillis said that essays were sometimes lost along the way.
UM is also giving another exam for the first time — computer and data processing, which will count for MAS 120
The Testing Center will soon be administering yet another test — CLAST (College Level Academic Skills Test). The State of Florida has mandated that students receiving state financial aid must pass the exam before receiving a diploma.
However, most students who are residents of Florida will be affected since many of them receive the Florida Tuition Voucher.
Gillis said this will affect the class of 1987 — "whoever is transiting from their junior to senior year in 1985," he said Gillis said they may begin to hold testing in the fall of 1984 "We won t give it before we absolutely have to," he said He added that it was expensive and many administrators are hoping something will happen so they can "get out of it "
Office space open in l nion
The Union Office Space Allocation Committee, operated under the auspices of the Union Board of Governors, will be accepting applications from student organizations that would like an office in the Union beginning June 1 Applications are available in the director's office. Student Union 228 Deadline for applications is March 30