AN ATLANTA UNIVERSITY CENTER INSTITUTION Vol. XXXIII, No. 2 September 19,1980 I Am Somebody CarterBoost Funds To Black Schools needs for financing black higher President Carter put some Education Department report education. legal teeth into a two year old showed they only went up four President of Operation PUSH memorandum recently as he percent, and actually decreased and a political activist in the signed into law an executive slightly as a portion of all federal cause of education for order directing federal agencies higher education aid. minorities, Rev. Jackson spoke to increase aid to historically The executive order was from the subject of the res­ black collegesand universities. needed, Samuel Myers, tatement of the black colleges, The order requires the executive director of the “The request for our money.” secretary of education and the National Association for Equal He stated that “the mission of director of the office of Opportunity, said recently, "To black schools is to elevate the management and budget to set prod the agencies into more victims of colonialism."- annual funding goals for every than lip service. We felt that the “The black colleges have a federal agency. Agencies must memo hasn’t really netted any special mission; no other school also eliminate “unintended increase in dollars for black has a mission like that of the regulatory barriers” and develop colleges.” black colleges. As trustees of new ways to increase the ability Each federal agency now is re­ black education, black of black schools to participate in quired to designate an official to presidents of higher education federal programs. The Education implement the executive order must determine the flow of Department will enforce the and to serve as liaison to the dollars for black education.” order. Education Department, which is He continued to say that they The order strengthens a charged with administering the should “judge white schools, presidential directive issued in order. determine the priorities of the January 1978 that some black "This initiative,” the order black schools budget needs and educators said had done little to states, “shall seek to identify, increase federal aid to some 100 reduce, and eliminate barriers President of Operation PUSH, The Rev. Jessie Jackson stop black student athletic historically black schools. which may have unfairly resulted (Photo by Ly Bensons) exploitation." There are 107 black colleges. "We felt some gains had been in reduced participation in, and made under the directive, but reduced benefits from, federally by shawn mcgruder Association of Equal Op­ Last year, the money given to portunity in Higher Education many agencies had been hedg­ sponsored programs.” Panther Reporter colleges was approximately $394 The United Negro College summit conference. Rev. ing it,” said Niles White, director million allowed for colleges. 4.1 of governmental affairs for the Fund had originally hoped the I AM SOMEBODYt Jackson, who was the keynote percent of the money was given United Negro College Fund. order would be implemented by Respect me, protect me, never speaker, addressed the Atlanta to black colleges. "The executive order will go a the White House or the Office of neglect me! University Center Community, Jackson stated, "We have been long way toward putting teeth in Management and Budget, not Down with dope, up with on September 2,1980. The meet­ the experts of taking the rejects the directive,” White said, who the Education Department, hope! ing was held in the Martin Luther of the county and building them attended the signing ceremony White said. “OMB has a lot more If my mind can conceive it and King Chapel on the Morehouse in the White House Rose clout; it's closer to the purse my heart can believe it, then I Campus. into the leaders of the country. We must execute a serious Garden. strings,” White said. know I can achieve it! Over 40 presidents and Administration officials had Implementation of the order I AM SOMEBODY... chancellors of black institutions appeal to the president of the predicted that federal funds will be directed by Herman Once again the Rev. Jessie of higher education assembled United States to enforce that flowing to historically black Colemena, former head of the Jackson had the chance to recite with the Atlanta University which is already enacted by schools would double after the Michigan Education Association. his distinguished words, “I am Center Community to focus Congress.” 1978 memorandum, but a draft somebody,” during the National their attention on the unmet continued on page 2 RegistrationProcess Changes said that running a college is a BY ANGELA ESANNASON were made. Among the changes needed, to academically delin­ of the students do - are usually big business. News Editor made were: quent students. faced during registration with -Students who had outstan­ During the fall semester close coming up with enough money "There isn’tsufficientfinancial ding balances from last semester to 2,000 students are expected to to be admitted. Cries like "I aid money to meet the needs of Plagued with the usual finan­ had to take care of them before enroll at Clark. Last year a little don't have enough money” or "I students,” Marian Wilkes, direc­ cial aid problem, Clark's regis­ beginning the registration over 2,000 students - the most can’t pay it right now,” or "$300 tor of financial aid said. She said tration process - drenched with process. Clark ever had - attended the is all I have; can I register?” are that is the result unless the predictability - had some minor -Students had to check in with college. Despite this high figure usually cries of students to the student receives outside as­ changes this semester. their advisors to make any neces­ for Clark which has only a business affairs office. sistance. "We don’t meet the "The registration process was sary changes in their schedule. capacity to hold between 1750 to Nathiel Williams, director of total needs of the students.” basjcally the same as it has been Also, 1800 students, the college is Business Affairs, said he did not This semester each student in the last few wemesters,” said -A procedure was devised to plagued with a financial aid want to comment on regis­ receiving money from the Basic Dean of Faculty and Instruction insure that counselors would problem. tration. However, he did say that Educational opportunity Grant make contact with and offer as­ Students who have to rely on students do not take care of their Winfred Harris. He added, continued on page 2 however, that a few changes sistance and give advice, where financial aid - which 92 percent financial aid business. He also Page 2 The Panther September 19,1980 Registration from naw 1 Jackson from page 1 Student Loans. Clark puts in 20 percent to match work - study money and puts in one - ninth to It is his belief that the role of match NDSL. the black college students is to “We’re dealing with students match superior effort with equal with tremendous needs, but in­ access to that of black college sufficient money,” Mrs. Wilkes presidents in demanding the said. She added thatthe problem right to educate all uneducated is not peculiar to Clark but to all blacks. As well as, demand the schools except the junior resources to do it with and find colleges because their tuition is our constituents; out of 500,000 much lower. Americans in jail, 400,000 of them Soon the entire financial aid are black. process will be computerized, From the political stand point, Mrs. Wilkes disclosed. She said Jackson feels there are four that the school has started paramount issues in which every already preparing student in­ political candidate and party formation on files for the com­ needs to wrestle with; one is to puter process. She said putting support black colleges; in the financial aid process on com­ proportion to their needs and puter will speed up the process what law makes it possible for which was being done manually. their investment. The only problem with the com­ Secondly, to back blacks puter system is that the business development and land government does not tell the ownership. In the last 20 years school how much money they blacks have lost 7,000,000 acres of will get in financial aid until in land. Third, blacks need jobs in Student Registration (Photo by Jerome Gwinn) April or May, which is late, she the private economy, and last, said. got a $50 cut from the grant. Mrs. our fair representation in the the following years. "Financial government which dumps $1.3 In order to speed up the Wilkes said that the mistake aid is on a first - come - first - million dollars on Clark students judiciary system. process and help alleviate students make is having the serve basis,” she said. Black Americans now have 17,- who receive1 Supplemental Op­ problems, Mrs. Wilkes suggested belief that if they apply for finan­ 000,000 eligible voters, and only A bulk of the financial aid portunity Grants, College Work - that students get their financial cial aid one year, they will get it 10,000,000 are registered. "The comes from the federal Study and National Direct aid material in on time. blacks have the ability to make and break a president," said Jackson. We must use our political power to protect Fund Offers ourselves and our schools." Clark Announces Political power is not the only power the blacks possess. Scholarships Essay Contest Jackson revealed the economic power of the blacks, and The Newspaper Fund will The deadline for applications suggested that blacks again offer college juniors and is Thanksgiving Day, and all The Clark Development Staff understand profit, lost, asset, minority graduate students and students will be selected before College - Fisk College football and the Panther Newspaper an­ liability - learn the language of seniors pre - arranged paid the end of January, 1981.