The Griffin: volume 52, issue 13 - Feb. 26, 1982

              The students on the trip agree that activities prior to the lobbying effort will make their work much easier. The Undergraduate Student Assembly addressed most Canisius students during classes. David Wilson, a senior making the trip, said, "No one expects the aid cuts to be totally abandoned. But we would like to see a lessening in the severity of the cuts." The compromise could possibly fall in the student's favor, according to Nowak, because the "cuts will be harder to come by for the administration" this year. He emphasized this by saying "I wouldn't be surprised if we don't have a budget this year." "The nature of government has compromise at the core of its political process, Gugino said. He stressed that "no one anticipates (the cut) will be passed as is." He continued that students "should not put all their eggs in one basket" and count on no cut whatsoever. He believes there should be communication between the students and the government. Congressman Lundine's press secretary Jim Miles/ in agreement with Nowak said "the trend is beginning to bounce back at the President. He is not going to have an easy time with Congress." Rich Suchan, a coordinator of the trip, said that these appeals to the students generated "an enormous response." He said, "I've never seen the students more interested. I was really surprised." James Arnone, a senior y/ho is Mary Beth Davis, a coordinator of the trip, states, "There is much room for compromise in the proposed aid cut. We are looking for a reduction in the intial proposals for fiscal year 1983, but we still have a say in fiscal year 1982." The response by students in contacting their Congressmen and the White House, he said, will put that much more power behind the student lobbying effort. Rick Nasti, Senator D'Amato's legislative assistant also believes that compromise will occur because D'Amato wants to "negotiate rather than fight." Nasti says the settlement of this matter depends on "investigating options (and) prioritizing" the budget items. The Reagan Administration faces substantial criticism and lobbying this Sunday when 40 Canisius campus reps, along with students from schools across the country, meet to voice their opposition to proposed aid cuts for the 1982-83 academic year. The amount of constituent response the Senators and Representatives have received has varied from a "fair amount" according to Miles to Nowak who said he was "bombarded with letters in opposition to the cut." Polish Defector Speaks at Canisius Ex-envoy Urges Communist Embargo According to Rurarz, it was the "openness and frankness of the Solidarity movement which was the strength of the movement." He said that even though the movement seems to have been terminated it will continue to have a great effect because it "planted the germ of freedom which will always remain." > by Jim Arnone Zdzislaw Rurarz, former Polish Ambassador to Japan, called on the United States and other western nations to place a total economic embargo on the communist block nations during his speech in the Student Center Auditorium last Sunday. "Eastern communist countries are in very bad economic health. The U.S. should not subsidize these economies the way they do. Or the one hand we are trying to face the Russian military, on the other hand we are feeding our own enemy," said Rurarz. It was the first time, said Rurarz, that many of the young people of Poland heard some "truths" about Poland. He that as a result of the crush of Solidarity, a movement has begun to operate underground. Rurarz would not rule out the possibility of bloodshed before the situation in Poland is stabilized.When asked if the situation in Poland proves that the communist system is bankrupt, Rurarz answered, "Let me answer you this" way, — yes." Rurarz said that while we should respect the Soviet military, the U.S. should not be as intimidated by them as it is. "The Soviets are not 10 feet tall. They are not giants. They are human. They have problems," he said. Rurarz claims that before the crackdown by the Polish military, it would have been very hard for the Soviets to successfully overtake Poland with a military invasion. "At that time," he said, "they (the Soviets) were not ready. Now they are." According to Rurarz, Wojciech Jaruzelski, the leader of the military regime now in control of Poland; misled the Polish people about the military build-up saying that it was to prevent a Soviet intrusion when in fact he was acting on the Soviet behalf. About 500 persons listened to the speaker who was sponsored by the William H. Fitzpatrick Chair of Political Science Lecture Series. A large portion of the audience were Polish immigrants or Americans of Polish decent.. This was evidenced as both the American and the Polish national anthems were sung, with a significant part of the audience singing the words to the Polish anthem. Zdzislaw Rurarz, former Polish Ambassador to Japan, spoke to a large crowd here and urged economic sanctions against communist countries in Eastern Europe The Griffin/MIKE HIRSCH The speech topped off a full day for the former Ambassador on the Canisius campus. Earlier that day, Rurarz had held separate meetings with faculty members, students, and members of the local media. The Soviets were not only worried about the attitude solidarity and the people of Poland, said Rurarz, but they were also worried about the attitude of the "rank and file members of the Communist Party of Poland." Compromise as Aid Solution Foreseen by Local Politicians Buffalonians Worried by Aid Cuts Canisius Students To Lobby In Itashington Against Aid Cuts by Randy Andreozzi Forty Canisius students will be driving to Washington, D.C. this Sunday to lobby against Reagan's proposal to cut student financial aid by more than 50% beginning in the next fiscal year. ■ VOLUME LI I, NUMBER 13 Canisius College FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 1982 also a coordinator on the trip, said, "If it doesn't succeed it's the students' fault." This is based on fact, he said, that previous lobbying efforts by such groups as the dairy farmers and tobacco growers were tremendous successes. The key, Arnone said, is participation. "If we show enough concern, the effort should be very effective," he said. They will be participating in what has been termed "Higher Education Day on Capitol Hill," a lobbying day which will be attended by college students throughout the nation. Senator Moynihan, D-N.Y. believes compromise is the only way to solve this situation because "Congress simply won't do (this kind of) damage to society," by passing the budget. by Suzanne Cupoio Compromise was a major issue discussed by local politicians, in interviews with the Griffin, as a probable solution to Reagan's proposed 54.2 percent cut in federal student aid. Constituent response was stressed as the main vehicle for compromise. Congressman Henry Nowak, D- N.Y., said there "might be" a compromise, but, in 1981 Reagan "compromised" and got 105% of what he wanted in regard to the budget, Nowak is concerned that this type of "compromise" will be initiated this year. According to Russ Gugino, Congressman Kemp's representative, the "political process is a dynamic one — there will be opponents on the other side" who want this cut in federal aid. Many of the students are concerned about the severity of the proposed aid cuts on the family. Wilson said that "most middle class families will not be able to afford private education." The Canisius students were trained in lobbying techniques and financial aid by Fr. Edmund Ryan,'vice-president of academic affairs, Anthony Bellia, director of student financial aid, and Dr. Ronald Coan, assistant professor of political science.