Ec Grads Start Nicaraguan Fund

A group of Economics Department graduate students appear to have dodged the United States embargo on trade with Nicaragua by setting up a charity fund for the Latin American nation.

In spite of the embargo, seven students have taken it upon themselves to solicit funds, books and medical supplies to donate to Nicaragua. The grads insist that because they are donating the goods they are not breaking the embargo.

Furthermore, the donations are tax-deductible, they say.

To date, 36 students have donated $25 each ($900 total), and the students have collected two boxes of assorted economics text books.

One of the students, David Corbett, said he hopes the books would reach universities in Managua. But the exact destination of the donations is unknown, he added.

The Ec grads have attempted to solicit support from first-year students by passing around a paper asking for names of those interested in South Africa and Nicaragua. An organizational meeting was held last week but no money was solicited.