Council to hold hearing on Mayor's Scholarships

Kept busy by the city budget and other top priorities, City Council members have had little time lately to discuss the dispute over Mayor's Scholarships. Council members may, however, prefer it that way. The scholarships controversy -- initiated by local residents who claim the University is legally required to provide more scholarships than it currently does -- has placed Council members in an awkward position, at risk of either outraging constituents or jeopardizing the University's relationship with the City. But with a Council hearing on the scholarships dispute tentatively scheduled for Tuesday, June 16, members may get another chance to discuss the issue before they break for the summer on June 26. The meeting is the second public forum on the issue, held so that Council members may hear from both sides in the dispute. At the previous public hearing in March, the University received harsh criticism -- not only from Council members, but also from a parade of hostile witnesses who denounced the University's position. No agenda has yet been set for this month's hearing because of the possibility that a tight schedule may force its postponement. And John Gould, President Sheldon Hackney's chief of staff, said this week that the University had not yet received word of the hearing. But one topic of discussion may be Bill 66, a proposal that would replace the 1977 city ordinance that caused the controversy with a new one settling the dispute in favor of the University. Despite support from the mayor's office, the proposed ordinance was a hotly contested topic in March. Apparently lacking enough support in Council at the time, Bill 66 was left in the rules committee and appeared to be in a state of limbo. Now, there has been some talk behind the scenes that the leverage of Council President John Street may be enough to get the bill passed, especially now that much of the public attention of the dispute has quieted. But those who oppose Bill 66 said that while such an outcome clearly could happen, they would continue their efforts to block its passage. "I would think the bill would have to have some serious amendments and changes before it would be acceptable to a majority of Council members," said Howard Rye, special assistant to Councilman-at-large Angel Ortiz. "At least judging from their reaction and the public reaction in the last hearing process." Councilman Herbert DeBeary concurred. "I'd be pretty surprised if the bill is passed," DeBeary said this week. "I just can't imagine Council members wanting Philadelphia children being denied the opportunity to attend the University of Pennsylvania on a full scholarship. It'd just blow my mind." In a class action suit pending in Common Pleas Court, a coalition of labor unions, student groups and individuals argue that the 1977 ordinance requires the University to award students from Philadelphia schools 125 new scholarships each year for a total of 500 in any one year. The ordinance reads: "The university shall agree to establish and forever maintain at least 125, four-year, full tuition scholarships, or their equivalent . . . to be awarded annually . . . to deserving students from all of the schools of the city." The University maintains it must provide a total of 125 awards, or their equivalent, in any one year. Bill 66 would clarify the agreement by adopting a new ordinance eliminating the word "annually." The agreement requires the University to award the scholarships in return for rent-free city land it received under 1882 and 1910 agreements.

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