Ford Rejects Bill, Opposes Increased Aid For Education

President Ford's veto last Friday of a proposed $7.9 billion aid to education bill could cause a delay of a increase in federal and to schools and universities, thus possibly hurting Harvard's financial and programs in 1976-77.

The House Education Appropriation Act of 1976 provides federal funds for elementary schools secondary vocational schools, higher education, and emergence school and programs.

A spokesman for the American Council of Education said yesterday, that an override of Ford's veto would mean an additional $430 million for colleges and universities throughout the country.

Federal Bill

A spokesman for the National Education Association said yesterday the association is "confident that the veto will be overridden" and that "if Congress fails to override the veto in September, the President and Congress will draw up a compromise bill."

Seamus P. Malin '62, director of the Harvard Financial Aid Office, said yesterday "the bill would mean more money for Harvard programs" but that Ford's veto "would not mean a cutback in financial aid."

Of Harvard's five major financial aid programs, Malin cited the Student Employment Opportunity Grant, the College Work Study Program and the National Defense Student Loan program as the most likely to be affected by cutbacks in federal spending.

He said these three programs "could lose some ground," but added, "there are compensating factors that would not make a one-year cutback disastrous."

He also said he sees a "philosophical objection by the federal executive branch to some financial aid programs" but that such objections have "no broad support in Congress.