Editorial: The University Lied to the Kids

"The amount of a Mayor's Scholarship varies depending on the financial need of the recipient; some students receive Mayor's scholarship grants that exceed annual tuition charges." In fact, as Student Financial Aid Director William Schilling said Friday, Mayor's Scholars get $500 more than students on normal financial aid, regardless of their need. In its press releases and in statements to this newspaper and the media in general, members of the University administration -- including President Sheldon Hackney -- have attempted to mislead the public into thinking the University spends about $1.8 million each year on the Mayor's Scholars program. In fact, since 162 students on Mayor's Scholarships receive only the extra $500 each, the total amount the University awards expressly through the scholarship program is $81,000. That's about $1.7 million short of what the University has implied it spends on the program. In return for providing these scholarships each year, the city gave the University the right to mortgage, and use free-of-charge, land valued at tens of millions of dollars. If the University had to rent the land (where today the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and the Quadrangle stand), it might have to pay as much as $20 million a year. On the face of it, you could say that University administrators drive a hard bargain. Or you could say that they're committing fraud.