Government Reprimands Columbia

NEW YORK--The U.S. Department of Labor two weeks ago threatened to block renewal of $2 million in grants to Columbia University because of dissatisfaction with Columbia's 1979 affirmative action report.

The Department of Labor gave Columbia one week to comply with federal affirmative action guidelines before cancellation of two research support agreements worth $1 million each.

Department spokesmen said the university's affirmative action update was submitted in the wrong format, but university officials said they had followed government guidelines closely. Apparently, Columbia spokesmen said, the government changed its regulations without informing the institutions that must follow them.

After meeting with government lawyers in New York, Columbia's equal opportunity officer, Rosalind Fink, said she doubted renewal of the research agreements would be delayed.