Budget plan leaves out graduate funds

By Yael Kohen

Daily Staff Reporter

President Clinton announced his budget proposal yesterday, which includes a $31 billion program for higher education. But University officials are concerned that the higher education provision does not include increased funding for graduate students.

Graduate education "has been somewhat neglected over the years," University Federal Relations Officer Cindy Bank said.

Clinton's proposed budget includes provisions for the Javits grant and the Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need grant.

The proposal provides funding for 382 Javits fellowships, adding 95 new fellows. In Fiscal Year 2000, $20,000 was appropriated to the Javits grants. The fellowship request for fiscal year 2001 is $10,000.

GAAN appropriations, which were at $31,000 last year, are not increasing and the request has remained at the same level.

The proposal claims to be an increase, Bank said but "the requests are basically level."

Bank said University officials are still reviewing the material, but she expects that they will be focussing some attention on acquiring more graduate student support.

The Javits grant provides senior college students who wish to go on in graduate studies in the arts, humanities and social sciences with fellowships. The grant is good for four years and provides tuition and a stipend based on the student's financial status.

GAAN provides merit-based fellowships based on financial need for graduate students. The grants are awarded to faculty members for training in the science-oriented subfields based on national need.

There are not enough Javits grants, said Cynthia Cross, assistant dean at the Horace Rackham Schools of Graduate Studies.

Javits and GAAN grants were both in danger of being eliminated in the Higher Education Act of 1998 but it is at a funding level much lower than it has been previously, Cross said.

Clinton's plan stems from a similar proposal set forth by Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-Maine). The Schumer-Snowe plan was specifically designed for undergraduate college education, said Dave Lackey, Snowe's communications director.

There is a perception in Congress that providing for a graduate education is going beyond what is necessary, Lackey said, adding that Snowe does not necessarily adhere to that point of view.

Graduate students tend to get grants outside of the Department of Education from the National Science Foundation and the National Institute of Health, Cross said.

But except for the Javits Grant, there are no federal grants for graduate students involved in the humanities and social sciences.

Clinton's proposal includes the $30 billion College Opportunity Tax Cut over a 10-year period. The proposal will provide families a tax deduction or credit of up to $2,800 on up to $10,000 of tuition.

Clinton's plan also allocates $1 billion for existing programs and new initiatives including Pell grants, Work Study and the Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants. The proposal gives an $200 increase to Pell grants.

University officials said they are content with the overall increases in higher education spending as proposed by Clinton, Bank said.