Harvard Fits NDEA Requirements, Will Not Qualify for Construction Aid

Harvard will almost certainly not be eligible for federal grants under the college construction bill now being considered by the Senate, a member of the staff of the committee which studied the bill said yesterday.

But the University will be eligible and should probably receive the new maximum allocation of $300,000 from the National Defense Education Act.

Close to Maximum

Eino Johnson, regional director the U.S. Office of Education, said that Harvard "would easily be able to justify a figure close to the maximum. In fact, I have already seen evidence that would let them apply for sums in that range."

Both the Senate and the House have passed versions of the NDEA allocation, but the two bills must be reconciled before the increase can go into effect. Johnson said that all applications for funds would be reviewed again according to criteria such as the number of student applicants at the school, its rate of growth, and how much it needs the funds.

Wallace McDonald, director of Financial Aid at Harvard, said that Harvard would not "cheat" by increasing its application just because the limit has been raised. Peter Kay Gunness, assistant director of Financial Aid, added that he was sure that the University would get a large amount than the $250,000 it is presently receiving from the NDEA.

Harvard's present rating with the Education Office would not restrict the size of the allocation, Gunness said, since he felt that the application accurately described Harvard's needs and justified the increased funds. The majority of the money would go to the Education School with the College receiving the second largest grant.

Construction Bill

Charles Lee, a member of the staff of the Committee on Labor and Public Welfare which considered the construction bill, said that the Senate will probably pass a bill calling for aid only to colleges which are expanding their enrollment. This would bring it into accord with the House version.

Even if the "expanding enrollment clause" were dropped. Lee added, Harvard would probably not qualify for much money under the bill, since funds would be apportioned to states on a "poorest first" basis.