Collegian April 17, 1986 the campus club re • ort Omnicron Delta Kappa ROTC by Charles Hoinyak Collegian Staff Writer Spirits were high as a group of students traveled to Twenty Mile Creek, on the Pennsylvania-New York border, for a day of repelling instruction and participation. All students of the college had been invited to at tend this excursion. The Behrend ROTC group was joined, shortly after they arrived, by a Jr. ROTC group from McDowell High School. _ _ . The activities in which one could participate in cluded repelling from a twenty-five foot cliff, repell ing from a 100 foot cliff, and crossing Twenty Mile Creek by means of a two rope bridge. Those who had never repelled before were taught how to make a repel seat, by which one would be connected to a rope for descending to the gound Lobbyists rush to OK smaller cuts before Reagan gets his 'act' together continued from page i fiscal 1987. The House's final ver sion, approved in December, could cut funding a bit less drastically, to about $10.6 billion. To keep federal college pro grams going in the meantime, Congress has extended the 1980 act's provisions through September. Despite the long struggle, some aren't sure the figures in either version should be taken seriously. "No authorization legislation has ever been completely funded" over the five-year life of the act, notes Charles Saunders of The American Council on Education. Yet most college lobbyists want some kind of bill approved as soon as possible, apparently to get something on the books before the administration gets its own act—literally and figuratively— together. Given all the administration talk about killing most kinds of federally funded college programs—from student aid to dorm construction to help for libraries—they apparently think the cutbacks now under con sideration could be a lot worse. The Education Department says they should be. "We get alarmed when NEW at the Gorge Pizza Shop! * Hot or Mild Wings * 10 for 1.50 with Veggies & Dip * Soft Shell Tacos * 2 / 1 .35 * Nachos & Cheese * 1.00 below. They were given step by step instruction on how to proceed down the twenty-five foot drop, which was part of a large cement wall. Members of the ROTC and Jr. ROTC who were experienced, make one quick repel down the twenty five foot cliff and moved directly to the high cliff, which was part of a high arched tunnel. The brave who attempted this feat found themselves taking on a height of 100 feet. Besides repelling, one had the chance to cross a two rope bridge strung across the Twenty Mile Creek rapids. This task provided me experience for those who had never crossed an obatacle in this manner. On the reliance of thorough training, careful precautions, and safety conscious minds; no one was injured during the outing. authorizations get too high," says Bruce Carnes, Education Depart ment undersecretary for budget and planning. Carnes believes the current con gressional plans--which some observers say would dictate five years of dropping more students from student aid and letting col lege buildings fall into disrepair— are "utopian." "We (the department) take authorization figures very serious ly," he says. "It means a very great deal because much of the bill is in the form of entitlements (programs guaranteeing aid to all students who qualify)." Yet both congressional and col lege sources are puzzled why the Education Department—if it does, indeed, take the act seriously—has failed to present a complete pro posal of its own. The department did deliver parts of a proposal the day before the Senate Labor and Human Resources Committee finished its version March 3, but committee Chairman Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) called them 'too late' and `draconian.' As part of his broader reforms effort, Education Secretary Willian Bennett had his own ver sion of a reauthorization act. He promised to deliver his own version of the act by the end of January. At the end of March, the Education Department said the big plan was 95 percent finished, and would be presented one piece at a time in the Senate. Carnes blames the Gramm- Rudman-Hollings balanced budget law—which forced the department to change its calculations—for the delay. Retooling the department's proposal to meet new budget structures has been "like putting socks on an octopus." Carnes sys. "Once we got one program set, something flew off of another one." But, if Hatch and Martin are right, the administraiton may have waited too long to stamp its imprint on the new act. "We needed a full airing of all viewpoints" when the act was in a more formative stage, lobbyist Martin says, "even if I may not agree with them." "When a major player is afraid to put proposals on the table, we all lose." " PAP'S A.M. by Jim Zaczkiewicz ODK President Omicron Delta Kappa will meet today at 12:15 in the Reed Seminar Room. Topics discussed will include the Spring Induction Ceremony and "Late Night Study" schedul ed for finals week. "Late Night Study" is a service project which ODK sponsors that allows student's access to the Gorge Cafeteria and the library study room during finals week to prepare for final exams. An ODK member will be on duty each night for assistance. The Spring Induction Ceremony will take place on May Sidebar: New act would make grants smaller, loans harder to get WASHINGTON, D.C. (CPS)—Congress appears ready to pass a Higher Education Reauthorization Act later this yew that would make it harder for students to get loans and cut the amount of grant money they can get during the next five years. On March 3, the Senate Committee on Labor and Human Resources sent its version of the crucial act—S. 1985—t0 the full Senate, which is expected to approve it in May or June. The House had passed its own version—H.R. 3700—in December. After a joint congressional committee works out a compromise bill, it will return to both houses and to the President for final approval. Though present proposals seem far from final, Congress watchers say the Senate and House versions may be simililar enough for an easy compromise. Among the salient features of the bills, as they stood last week: --Both House and Senate versions would lower the maximum Pell Grands for eligible students. Now set at $2,600 per year, the House proposed limit would be $2,300 for 1987, increasing by $2OO a year. The Senate committee would limit grants to $2,400, also increasing by $2OO a year. —Both Senate and House versions would require all students applying for Guaranteed Student Loans (GSLs) to provide proof of need. Cur rently only students with family incomes exceeding $30,000 a year have to demonstrate need. The House would let undergrads borrow up to $14,500 under the GSL program, up from the current $12,500 ceiling. the Senate would raise the aggregate maximum to $lB,OOO. —For ation Direct Sudent Loans (NDSLs), the House would almost halve present loans limits for undergraduates, while almost doubling loan limits for graduate students. —The Senate committee would retain present levels of $5,000 for the first two years and $lO,OOO for the second half of undergraduate studies. —Both House and Senate versions provide for loan consolidation packages for borrowers whose GSL and NDSL loans exceed $7, 500. —The Senate committee would allow proprietary schools to par ticipate in the College Work/Study program. And the House would allow Work/Study funds to be used for private sector jobs, with businesses paying a larger percentage of the student's wage. 1402 State St. I COLLEGE ID NIGHT •A J . ADMISSION 2 FOR $5 FRIDAYS 1-5 a.m. news 4 2 at 5 p.m. in the Reed Lecture Hall. We are planning a short reception afterwords. All initiates and current members should ar rive no later than 4:50. Again this year, current members will in troduce new initiates. Since this will be a small group, the newly elected officers for the 1986-87 academic year will also take the oath again. Our final meeting is scheduled for Thursday, May 1, at 12:15. We will be having a social and piz za party. Attempts are also being made to have a speaker at the social. Any member with ideas should contact an officer or Dean Harshbarger. BYOB
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