The Student Newspaper of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte Volume XVI, Number 44 Charlotte, North Carolina Monday, February 23, 1981 Riders Relived Strike Avoided As Deal Made By Chip Wilson Carolina Journal Staff Writer Commuter students at UNCC were able to ride Charlotte Transit Authority buses this morning, as an immenent strike was averted after union and transit negotiators reach a tentative agreement on ly hours before the 5 am deadline. Andre Joyce of the Federal Mediation and Con ciliation Service, called both sides together late Sunday to hammer out details of the latest con tract proposal. Last Wednesday, members of the United Transportation Union rejected the CTA bid, com plaining about provisions allowing the hiring of part-time drivers and salary raises. In a telephone interview, A.F. Warlick, the chief negotiatior for the union, said he would recom mend the new bid to his members. Neither Joyce or Warlick would release details of the current proposal. “The company and the union agreed not to in form anyone of the details because we haven’t had a chance to explain it to our members yet,” Warlick said. “There would be rumors floating (Continued On Page 3) Photo By Ray Gronberg Students once again turn to bus schedules as a tentative agreement was reached between managment and union negotiators only hours before the strike was set to begin Monday morning. Budget Cuts Likely To Be Relaxed By Chip Wilson Carolina Journal Staff Writer President Reagan’s economic message to Congress may leave many students anxious about federal aid. Actually, the drastic cuts he announc ed might not end up as deep as many expect. “Reagan announced these large cuts to have something to give those who will complain,” said Ibm Duffy, president of the Washington-based American Student Association. “There are going to be some fireworks on Capitol Hill,” Duffy said in a telephone interview. “The cuts will be made in the programs that don’t scream.” Although he says Reagan “will be lucky to get half of the cuts he is ask ing for,” Duffy told the Carolina Jour nal that student input will be needed. “It will make a world of difference if a student were to write one letter to his congressman or senator. If hun dreds of letters start flowing into con gressional offices, they would be noticed, because staff members would be spending a lot of time responding to them.” Duffy listed the cuts proposed in the president’s economic plan: *Guarenteed Student Loans will be limited to college costs minus other financial aid and estimated family contribution, which will increase. *A11 federal government subsidies will drop if the president’s plan goes into effect. *National Endowment for the Humanities, which offers grants to colleges, will lose $80 million of its $152 million budget. ♦National Endowment for the Arts will have $85 of its $159 million fund sliced. ♦Social Security student benefits, which affect a small number of students, but could lead to a higher strain on the Pell Grant (BEOG) as more middle and lower income students become eligible. ♦Duffy said the major cuts in the Pell Grants would occur because the president’s plan mandates that every student put $750 into their financial aid package. few envelopes.” UNCC Financial Aid Cuts To Have Students Looking For Work By David E. Griffith Carolina Journal Campus Affairs Editor Over the next five years, up to $9.2 billion in federal student aid money may be cut, according to the American Student Association. Thus, the finances of UNCC and its students could undergo drastic change. Assistant director of Financial Aid Virginia Edwards said the plan will decrease UNCC’s financial aid budget. “It will cut some needy stu dents but it will force the students to help themselves more. I’m not sure that we will lose dedicated students. As a student lobbying group, Duffy said ASA would have its hands full. “Our prime goal is to make sure no student is denied an education. Also, we want to make sure that it is a quality education.” “Students can do the same thing, especially in their own districts. The most conservative senator can vote for spending on something if his con- stituants demand it. “Financial aid is such a far off thing for most students. You know it comes from Washington . . . and all you have to do is fill out a form. “I’ll tell you this. When this aid is cut off, it won’t be such a far off If they’re cut 10 percent, most of them will find a way to stay in school.” The president’s plan proposes a $600 million cut for the Guaranteed Student Loan program. “The guaranteed student loan pro gram needs some changes,” Edwards said. “I think the program is being abused right now by people who don’t need to borrow money but who are borrowing. There’s no need what soever to do this. With large incomes, a family should have sufficient funds to pay college costs.” thing when you have to quit school.” The lobbyist says he is “absolutely” certain student support, even a one paragraph letter or mailgram, can halt the paring of federal aid. “Students are the sleeping giants of this nation. They can speak with one voice.” “With the changes coming in the past election, our legislators are real ly watching the winds of change, so we can make a difference.” The cost? “Just buying some stationary and a Contrary to popular belief, Ed wards said, “The GSLs were not cut because of poor collection of the loans.” The North Carolina College Founda tion Inc. has very good collection rate, Edwards said. “However, some of the states have had a problem in the past, but I think collections over all have improved.” In 1978 the Middle Income Assistance act raised the eligibility ceiling for GSLs from $25,000 a year (Continued on page 2)

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