I appreciate receiving your letter in regard to S. 1976, the "George Washington Peace Academy Act" and learning of the interest of the Committee on Foreign Relations in this legislation. I have discussed this matter with Senator Pell, Chairman of the Education Subcommittee and it is our belief that the Committee on Labor and Public Welfare would be agreeable to a re-referral of S. 1976 at such time as the Labor Committee acts on this bill. I will be in further contact with you should the Committee on Labor and Public Welfare take action to report S. 1976 to the Senate floor. With best wishes, CC: Senator Claiborne Pell Sincerely, Harrison A. Williams, Jr. COPY This is in response to your request for a report on S. 1976, a bill "To establish an educational institution in the United States fulfilling the goals of the Nation's first President, George Washington, to further the understanding of the process and state of peace among nations and cooperation between peoples; to consider the dimensions of peaceful resolution of differences among nations; to train students in the process of peaceful resolution of differences; to inform governmental leaders of peaceful methods of conflict resolution; and for other purposes." The bill would establish the George Washington Peace Academy, to instruct and train selected individuals for service in peaceful resolution, and international development and cooperation activity. The purpose of the Academy is to develop an understanding of the processes of peace and alternatives available to resolve conflict situations via an interdisciplinary course of study. Because there is no demonstrated need to justify the extremely high costs that would be incurred in establishing such an academy, we are opposed to the enactment of this bill. A 34-member Board of Trustees would be created with the power to establish advisory councils as appropriate and necessary to advise the Board on Academy activities. With the advice and consent of the Senate, the Board is also empowered to appoint a Chancellor for a six year term, with an option for one six-year renewal. The chancellor is authorized to select all faculty members, officers, staff, instructors, and all other personnel with the advice of an Executive Committee, whose purpose it is to assist and advise the Chancellor on overall administration of the Academy. The Chancellor is also empowered to select the Dean of the Faculty, Dean of Students, Registrar, Director of Admissions, The Honorable Harrison A. Williams, Jr. and Chaplain. In conjunction with the Board of Admissions, the Chancellor would set all admission policies, with the advice of the Board of Trustees. 2 There are to be no more than 500 students enrolled in the Academy at any given time. One-half of the entering class shall come from a group nominated by every Member of Congress, Delegate, and United States Senator. These students shall be selected using criteria established by the Chancellor and Board of Admissions. No less than 10 percent, nor more than 20 percent, of the entering class shall be foreign citizens. No less than 30 percent nor more than 40 percent, shall be graduates of a four year college who are applying for admission under regular graduate school procedures. All students must have a baccalaureate degree or equivalent experience. The course of instruction shall be determined by the Executive Committee. Students shall be awarded a Master of Arts degree after two years of study. Students shall receive stipends as determined by the Board of Trustees within the range of stipends payable under comparable government programs providing for the education of students. Reasonable travel and transportation allowances shall be provided for students, their immediate families and household goods and personal effects. Each student selected for admission must sign an agreement This bill is directly contradictory to the Administration's philosophy of assistance to higher education. That philosophy embraces the basic belief that by focusing Federal monies on students rather than institutions, free market forces of supply and demand will most equitably distribute those Federal funds among institutions of higher education most deserving of assistance. This argument is especially valid The Honorable Harrison A. Williams, Jr. - 3 given the absence of any compelling justification for the establishment of a separate institution for the studies described in the Act. In addition, this bill could serve as an undesirable precedent for Federally created graduate schools in other areas. The bill requires the expenditure of enormous sums of money. The amounts required for travel and transportation, particularly for the 10 to 20 percent of the entering class who are foreign citizens, could be staggering. The guidelines for course coverage provided by the bill are The bill offers no justification for the seemingly arbitrary method of selecting the student body of the Academy. We have no basis to determine whether the percentage allocations are reasonable, and at the least they could add an unjustified rigidity to the administration of the Academy. We therefore oppose enactment of this bill. We are advised by the Office of Management and Budget Sincerely, /s/ Marjorie Lynch Under Secretary EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT Honorable Harrison A. Williams, Jr. Chairman, Committee on Labor and Public Welfare United States Senate Washington, D. C. Dear Mr. Chairman: 20510 This is in response to your request of June 23, 1975, for the views of this Office on S. 1976, the "George Washington Peace Academy Act." In its report to your Committee, the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare states a number of reasons for recommending against enactment of S. 1976. We concur with HEW's report and would, further, note two additional points. First, we question whether the establishment of a governmentcreated Federal Academy, as provided in the bill, is the appropriate means for achieving the bill's stated purposes. The needs for personnel skilled in the fields addressed by the bill would, in our view, be better met by the multiplicity of public and private educational and research institutions in the Nation, drawing on diverse approaches and viewpoints. Second, the appointment and composition of the proposed Board of Trustees may present constitutional separation of powers problems, and the provision for Senate confirmation of the Chancellor of the Academy, who would be appointed by the Board under the bill, raises a constitutional question relating to the appointment procedure. Accordingly, we strongly oppose enactment of S. 1976. Sincerely, (Signed) James M. Frey James M. Frey Assistant Director for 72-026 - 76 - 10 |