NCJ Number
49338
Journal
Education and Urban Society Volume: 8 Issue: 3 Dated: (MAY 1976) Pages: 333-354
Date Published
1976
Length
22 pages
Annotation
MAJOR SOURCES OF FINANCIAL AID FOR GRADUATE AND GRADUATE PROFESSIONAL SCHOOL EDUCATION ARE DESCRIBED; PARTICULAR EMPHASIS IS ON THE NEED FOR INCREASED FINANCIAL AID TO LAW STUDENTS.
Abstract
FELLOWSHIPS ARE A FORM OF FINANCIAL AID WHICH REQUIRE NO WORK OF THE RECIPIENT. THEY MAY COME FROM PUBLIC OR PRIVATE FOUNDATIONS, THE EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION, OR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. IN THE LATE 1950'S AND THE 1960'S FEDERAL FELLOWSHIPS WERE AWARDED HEAVILY IN THE SCIENCES. RESEARCH ASSISTANTSHIPS ARE STIPENDS OFFERED TO GRADUATE STUDENTS IN RETURN FOR THEIR RESEARCH CONTRIBUTIONS. THE WORK IS DIRECTLY APPLICABLE TO DEGREE REQUIREMENTS; MOST ARE PROVIDED BY THE GOVERNMENT. TEACHING ASSISTANTSHIPS INVOLVE A STIPEND FOR TEACHING UNDERGRADUATE COURSES. IN GENERAL, THESE INVOLVE CONSIDERABLE NONDEGREE-RELEVANT WORK. APPOINTMENTS OF GRADUATE STUDENTS TO FACULTY POSITIONS IS A RARE FORM OF AID. ALTHOUGH LOW INTEREST AND GUARANTEED LOANS ARE COMMON UNDERGRADUATE SOURCES OF SUPPORT, THEY ARE LESS USED BY GRADUATE STUDENTS. PART-TIME EMPLOYMENT, FAMILY SUPPORT (INCLUDING EARNINGS OF A SPOUSE), AND LOANS ARE LIKELY TO CONTINUE BEING THE MAIN SOURCES FOR FINANCING GRADUATE EDUCATION. THIS IS PARTICULARLY TRUE FOR LAW STUDENTS, WHO HAVE TRADITIONALLY RECEIVED VIRTUALLY NO FEDERAL AID AND HAVE ACCESS TO A SMALLER PROPORTION OF OTHER FORMS OF AID, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF LOANS. HIGH POTENTIAL EARNINGS OF LAWYERS HAVE BEEN A MAJOR ARGUMENT OF ADVOCATES OF DEFERRED, PAY-AS-YOU-EARN LOANS. HOWEVER, DEFERRED LOANS HAVE A NUMBER OF POTENTIALLY UNSATISFACTORY SIDE EFFECTS. THE NEED TO REPAY EDUCATIONAL LOANS WILL SERVE TO DISCOURAGE MANY POTENTIAL LAW STUDENTS, PARTICULARLY BLACKS AND OTHER UNDERREPRESENTED MINORITIES. FURTHER, GRADUATES FACED WITH A HEAVY LOAN BURDEN WILL BE CONSTRAINED TO LOOK FOR EMPLOYMENT IN THE HIGHER PAYING POSITIONS RATHER IN THE MORE URGENTLY NEEDED AREAS OF LEGAL SERVICES AND PUBLIC INTEREST LAW. THE COUNCIL ON LEGAL EDUCATION OPPORTUNITY, WHICH HAS SERVED AS AS FINANCIAL RESOURCE FOR BLACK LAW STUDENTS, FAILED TO RECEIVE NEW FUNDING FOR FISCAL 1976. THUS, ALREADY-DECLINING BLACK ENROLLMENT WILL SUFFER FURTHER. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AND CONSCIOUSNESS DEMAND THAT BOTH PRIVATE AND PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS PROVIDE REALISTIC AND EQUITABLE OPPORTUNITIES FOR POTENTIAL BLACK LAW STUDENTS IN THE FORM OF SCHOLARSHIPS, GRANTS, AND SUBSIDIZED LOANS. NOTES ARE INCLUDED. (JAP)