Gerardo's Page

The university's decision to use federal undercover drug-enforcement agents in a sting operation has brought the institution both heat and praise.

Sen. Frank R. Lautenberg's campaign has criticized the challenger for his U.S. Senate seat in the Democratic primary for steering an earmark to the institution where his wife works. But Mr. Lautenberg co-sponsored that earmark.

A downturn in the federal government's contributions to the Perkins Loan program will force dozens of institutions to pay into their depleted funds, and less money from that program will be available for students.

The expanded tuition benefits were approved in an amendment to a war-spending bill, but the war funds were defeated. The Senate will now decide what the final bill will include.

Despite some positive reports by lending companies, many officials at a conference on the industry say the government should do more to see that students have enough money to attend college this fall.