Money might not be available to fund the Illinois State Scholarship Commission’s Merit Recognition Award for 1988-89.

Board of Regents member Clara Fitzpatrick said if there is not enough funding for the ISSC, she said she would prefer not funding the merit award.

Instead, Fitzpatrick said she would like to have funds go toward a need-based scholarship such as the Monetary Award Program.

Illinois high-school graduates in the top 5 percent of their class automatically are accepted for the merit award. The merit award is not need-based, and each student receives $500 for their freshman and sophomore years in college.

If funds are available, the merit award program should continue, but the ISSC’s first priority is to needy students, Fitzpatrick said.

She said Regents had mixed reviews on whether they would like to see the merit award funded or not. She said ISSC Chairman Robert Bar believes the merit award should be funded because it is a state program, not because he feels strongly about the program.

Bar could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

Rene Brooks, ISSC agency relations, said it is premature to discuss the funding of the merit award, and did not comment on the proceedings of the program.

“This year the merit award was working on reduced funds,” said Jerry Augsburger, NIU financial aid director.

Augsburger said the legislation liked the merit award and decided to expand the program to high-school graduates in the top 10 percent in their class, but the expansion came at a time when the state was experiencing financial difficulties.

In 1986-87, 321 students received the merit award for a total of $160,500, Augsburger said. Legislation approved the program’s expansion for 1987-88, he said. In 1987-88, $67,500 was granted to 135 students. However, the 135 students are “renewal” students who are receiving the award for the second year, he said.

About 186 eligible college freshmen did not receive the merit award this year because of the lack of funds, Augsburger said.

This year, about 400 students should be receiving the merit award—about 320 sophomores and about 180 freshman, Augsburger said. If funds become available this year eligible freshman should receive the award, he said.

“It’s too bad the state’s budget crunch hurt many people. This is just another example of the budget crunch hurting students,” Augsburger said.