The
Volume IX, Number 4
Proudly serving the UnCA community since 1982
September 25,1986
New rules and regs slow
financial aid process
By John Coutlakis
Staff writer
Applying for financial aid
has caused many students to
experience frustration and
anxiety this semester at
UNCA. Student representa
tives from .nine UNC institu
tions went to Washington,
D.C., last week to voice
their concerns with legisla
tors about a problem that has
hit campuses nationwide.
Athena Fox, executive as
sistant to the student go
vernment president at UNCA,
joined representatives from
eight other campuses of the
UNC system in a meeting with
members of Congress and the
U.S. Department of Education
(DOE) last Thursday to dis
cuss their concerns.
The problem stems from a
change by the federal govern
ment this year in the appli
cation process.
In the past, the federal
government selectively used a
"validation" process for fi
nancial aid applications,
said Carolyn McElrath, UNCA
director of financial aid.
Validation was a process of
confirmation requiring speci
fic financial information
about students seeking Pell
Grants.
This year the process is
"verification" and requires
information from all students
seeking financial aid, ac
cording to McElrath.
The DOE cracked down on all
aid programs after it deter
mined that the system was not
distributing the Pell Grant
funds efficiently.
"Last year a quality con
trol study was done (nation
wide) on the Pell Grant pro
gram. It was determined that
25 percent of Pell Grants
that were processed, were
processed on erroneous state
ments. This was unacceptable
to the government," McElrath
said.
Verification on all appli
cations requires statements
on 14 items, including Social
Security benefits, child sup
port income, unemployment
benefits, capital gains and
untaxed dividends, she con
tinued .
This is a very time consum
ing process and if the go
vernment finds an error in
the statements, it notifies
UNCA and the student.
"If the government finds an
error in the income state
ments, the student will have
to undergo verification. He
will have to make corrections
on his aid application.
"We are not supposed to
award any money at all when
corrections are still pend
ing. If we had to go back and
ask someone for a statement
on child support or a tax
return that they didn't sub
mit, we are in a bind," Mc
Elrath said.
The forms for the initial
application. are difficult
enough, but adding to this
backlog are the correction
forms which are also trouble
some for the staff, she said.
Please turn to page 6
staff phot 6-Tom Edwards
Karate Kid III?
Lisa Frank!In (L) tries her hand(s) with instructor
Jeanne Ye. The WNC Karate Academy recently
offered free self defense classes to women.
Most Broadway residents
will have to relocate
By JuIle T11ka
staff writer
The upcoming widening of
Broadway, which will provide
a grand entrance for UNCA,
will force 14 families, 11
businesses and one church to
abandon their homesites.
While those will to have to
relocate, others will lose
parts of their property.
Currently, UNCA awaits a
December report by the state
Department of Transportation
(DOT) to give the go-ahead on
funds for the widening
proj ect.
If the DOT receives the
funds, right of way purchas
ing can begin in 1988 and
1989.
The proposed project will
widen Broadway to multilanes
from U.S. 19 & 23 to 1-240 at
Merrimon Avenue. The project
will cost an estimated $6
million.
"When we get the con
struction plans, we contact
the people being displaced
about financial assistance
Please turn to page 16