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Volume LXVII, Number 117
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, California
Tuesday, April 29, 1975
Students voice grievances at financial aid hearing
Act reaches new heights
The Groundlings, who entertained yesterday on the Student Activities Center patio, were not your typical down-to-earth group. At times, their act really got off the ground—so to speak.
They were an improvisational comedy group who appeared as the last entertainment of Social Cultural Week.
BY TOM ROSA
Staff Writer
Financial aid recipients testified about the university’s alleged failure to provide adequate awards, as more than 80 students and a large group of administrators listened at a hearing held Friday in the Law Center.
The meeting was sponsored by the recently formed Black Students Council.
Robert L. Robinson, a junior in electrical engineering, said the hearing was, “a direct response to the administration who has told students they are not having problems obtaining financial aid.”
Administrators attending the hearing included Pamela H. Walbom, director of the Financial Aid Office, James R. Appleton, vice-president of student affairs, William G. Wagner, special assistant for academic re-
Preliminary agreement reached on affirmative action program
BY STEVEN HAW KINS
Staff Writer
A preliminary agreement has been reached with the Department of Health, Education and Welfare in a dispute over the data collection and reporting process used by the university’s affirmative action program.
The university was threatened two weeks ago with the loss of $13 million in federal research contracts, if it failed to comply with government guidelines within 30 days.
Affirmative action requires that institutions end discrimination in hiring and promoting racial minorities and women.
A letter from HEW's regional office in San Francisco said the university fails in several important respects to meet the standards and guidelines of Executive Order 11246 ofthe Office for Civil Rights.
Since notification ofthe discrepancy representatives of both HEW and the university have conferred and set forth a series of goals for the university.
Barbara M. Pearson, director of the university’s equal employment opportunity and affirmative action programs, said HEW is “not questioning our employment practices, they just want more details.”
A review of the university’s affirmative action program was requested by the National Cancer In-
stitute, the letter Trom HEW said.
The institute was considering awarding a $2.65 million contract to the university, to be effective June 30.
The proposed grant is for continued research on children’s cancer by the university under a contract initially awarded by the Cancer Institute on Oct. 1.
The letter from HEWT listed several deficiencies in the university’s affirmative action report, prepared by Pearson and her staff.
“A number of the deficiencies in the letter are not true,” Pearson said.
At a meeting between HEW and university officials, a series of goals were determined which the university is to meet in the coming months. Pearson said.
The first deadline is May 17, and includes evaluations of benefit policies, training programs, applications, referrals, recruitment and terminations.
Goals and timetables for hiring women and minority faculty members in several divisions will be developed, and an alternative system of data collection will be designed from data contained in payroll files.
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cord services, Patricia M. Alter, assistant director of financial aid, and Clarke T. Howatt, assistant dean of alumni and student affairs.
The testimony secured a promise from Wagner and Walbom to review the cases of those students who testified and to check for errors in the computer system that determines the amount of aid students receive.
All of the testimony was recorded. It will be transcribed and compiled into a report to be given to the Financial Aid Office, Robinson said.
Specific recommendations for improvement will be included in the report.
Most of the students who testified said thatthe Financial Aid Office had reduced their loans and scholarships while promising to raise their awards during private interviews with financial aid counselors.
“People at the bottom always tell you something different than the people at the top,” said April Drew, a junior.
She said her financial aid needs have not changed, yet her award was reduced substantially this year.
“Not only do I feel I’m a pain in the neck, but I’m sorry for being a pain in the neck,” Drew said, describing the times she has attempted to find out the reasons for her cutback.
“All I do is take a number, stand in line and wait it out. I know I’m not the only student facing this problem,” she said.
Many students in the audience cheered and nodded their heads in agreement as the students who testified talked ofthe problems they have had with the Financial Aid Office.
Many students said they were informed of a denial of or reduction in their awards too late in the school year to attempt to raise extra money to pay for their education.
Some ofthe students also said the receipt oftheir award letters in April prohibited them from
transfering to another university if they did not receive enough financial aid.
“Notification is too late for anything,” said Mike Bennet. a junior.
He said his university award in previous years was enough to pay for tuition when added to his state scholarship. However, this year his state scholarship was reduced and the university did not give him anything.
Bennet said he told his younger brother, who wanted to come to the university, not to because of the financial difficulties he might face.
Another student said he felt the university was “screwing potential alumni” by denying or reducing financial aid to undergraduate students.
“W’eget out of school with such a bitter taste in our mouths and they (the university) expect us to pump money back in,” said Shelton Byers, a senior in business.
Byers said he wants to continue at the university, but the additional burden placed on him to earn his own money to supplement his reduced award was hurting his grade point average.
Byers said there was little else he could do but continue to attend the university despite the additional financial burden.
“You are locked in when you're a senior,” he said.
Robinson accused the university of enticing new students with large offers of financial aid and then reducing the aid after the student had been here a couple of years.
“We do, as far as we know, award the same each year. The packaging is just different,” said Richard Dolen, assistant to Wagner and acting executive director for Student Administrative Services.
Robinson said “the big hassle is with the university’s policy of packaging.”
Dolen said the determination of the packaging of aid for stu-
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Reports of Hubbard’s resignation denied
BY MARJIE LAMBERT
and LINDA CIRIGLIANO
Several administrators and Houston I. Flournoy, university professor, have denied reports that President John R. Hubbard plans to resign and that Flournoy will be the next president of the university.
The Los Angeles Times reported last week that Hubbard was in poor health and that Flournoy was considered by some campus sources to be his successor.
During an interview Monday, Flournoy said he knew nothing about such a plan and said he had not been approached about the position.
Hubbard is in Iran and unavailable for comment.
Zohrab A. Kaprielian. vice-president for academic administration and research and acting president during Hubbard’s absence, vigorously denied accounts that Hubbard
was resigning. ‘’That’s absolutely not true,” he said.
“That’s a lot of speculation that Mr. Trombley started." he said, referring to an article in the Los Angeles Times (April 20.
JOHN R. HUBBARD
1975) by William Trombley.
Kaprielian would not comment on Hubbard’s health, saying that it was a personal matter.
Liz King, Hubbard’s executive secretary, said Hubbard was in good health.
Administration sources, who asked to remain anonymous, told the Daily Trojan that Hubbard might be leaving to take a post with the Department of Health, Education and Welfare, an ambassadorial position or the presidency ofthe University of Texas, his alma mater.
The University of Texas confirmed that a search committee is looking for a new president but would not reveal the names of people being considered.
Since Flournoy’s appointment as a university professor in February. following his defeat in the Californiagovernor’s race, there has been much speculation as to whether the administration was
grooming him to serve in a leadership position.
Flournoy’s high visibility and support from the Republican community contributed to that speculation.
HOUSTON I. FLOURNOY
Some highly placed sources who asked not to be identified, said they thought the rumors were caused largely by the nature of Flournoy’s appointment and not by actual administrative action.
Other sources said Flournoy was brought in to be considered for long-range promotion possibilities.
Flournoy said he has had discussions with the administration about the possibility of his serving in a role other than that of a university professor.
"There has been some general discussion of that that may lead somewhere, but I think it's premature to say where or whether.” he said.
Asked if Flournoy would be appointed to a position other than university professor. Kaprielian said there was no position at this point.
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