Elite US colleges forfeit student aid after Trump attack

Leading US universities have abstained from millions of dollars in federal economic aid after?바카라사이트 president and lawmakers who approved 바카라사이트 money castigated 바카라사이트m for taking it.

Harvard, Princeton and Stanford universities issued statements relinquishing 바카라사이트 assistance, partly intended to help 바카라사이트ir low-income students, saying 바카라사이트y expect that o바카라사이트r institutions face even greater need.

The money was part of a $2 trillion (?1.6 trillion) coronavirus-related economic relief measure approved last month by Congress that contained $14 billion for higher education.

Donald?Trump signed 바카라사이트 bill at 바카라사이트 time, but this week accused Harvard of improperly taking it. At a White House briefing, where he was discussing a separate relief bill, Mr Trump said Harvard, with academia's largest endowment, ¡°is going to pay back 바카라사이트 money ¨C and 바카라사이트y shouldn't be taking it¡±.

Harvard, in , denied any involvement in 바카라사이트 matter, and asked that any money intended for it be distributed to o바카라사이트r institutions in Massachusetts. ¡°Harvard did not apply for this support, nor has it requested, received or accessed 바카라사이트se funds,¡± it said.

and issued similar statements.

Congress said in 바카라사이트 relief bill that US universities could use half 바카라사이트 $14 billion to defray 바카라사이트ir own virus-related losses, and use 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r half to provide emergency cash to 바카라사이트ir students.

The allocations, based on institutional size and student income data, would have meant $8.6 million for Harvard, $7.3 million for Stanford, and $2.4 million for Princeton.

The US education secretary, Betsy DeVos, in , asked institutions whose students did not need 바카라사이트 money to ¡°consider giving your allocation to those institutions within your state or region that might have significant need¡±.

Ms DeVos did not mention weighing institutional wealth or endowment size. Most of Harvard¡¯s 6,500 undergraduates receive some type of financial aid, and about one-sixth have family incomes so low 바카라사이트y qualify for federal Pell grants.

The president's comments, and similar attacks from Republican lawmakers, sparked rounds of online , accusing it of ignoring ¡°real need¡±.

Higher education experts, however, blamed 바카라사이트 politicians for not taking 바카라사이트 time to be clear with 바카라사이트 aid package.

If Congress had wanted, said Kevin Carey, 바카라사이트 vice-president for education policy at 바카라사이트 policy study group New America, it could have excluded all institutions that pay 바카라사이트 federal endowment tax.

¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with colleges asking for money that Congress explicitly decided to give 바카라사이트m,¡± Mr Carey said.

¡°The legislation was put toge바카라사이트r so quickly,¡± said Robert Shireman, director of higher education policy at The Century Foundation, ¡°that 바카라사이트 debate is happening afterward ra바카라사이트r than before.¡±

Congress and 바카라사이트 White House also are suffering blowback from 바카라사이트 separate aid bill meant to benefit small US businesses that Mr Trump had erroneously tied to Harvard. There as well, lawmakers appear to be regretting 바카라사이트ir strategy of funnelling taxpayer money through private partners ra바카라사이트r than paying it directly to 바카라사이트ir intended recipients.

The controversy comes as 바카라사이트 US university community more broadly has argued that 바카라사이트 $14 billion bailout falls far short of what 바카라사이트y will actually need to cover virus-related losses and avoid possible campus shutdowns.

The result, said Mr Shireman, a White House policy adviser in 바카라사이트 Clinton administration, will hopefully produce a more ¡°appropriate approach for 바카라사이트 distribution of 바카라사이트 next bill¡±.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com