It was supposed to be a landmark method for offsetting ever-rising tuition.

It was supposed to amass millions of dollars in scholarship money over time for financially needy students.

It was supposed to be a reflection of University President Joab Thomas' interest and concern for helping students.

But comments made by Executive Vice President and Provost John Brighton at the University Faculty Senate meeting yesterday about the new Penn State Tuition Assistance Grant have caused student leaders and financial-aid officials to do a double take.

Initiated last spring by former Undergraduate Student Government President Chris Saunders, the grant was intended to allocate 3 percent of the money obtained through annual tuition increases to the Office of Student Aid.

That money would then go to the most financially needy students. Three percent of the 4.5 percent tuition increase in 1994-95 provided for about $360,000 in grants that benefited more than 400 students.

Saunders, current USG President Mike King and Assistant Vice Provost for Student Financial Aid Anna Griswold were all under the impression that the amount of money provided by the grant would increase proportionally with tuition hikes. Thus, the pool of financial-aid funds available to students would build upon itself as tuition rose.

"I definitely thought it was one of the biggest accomplishments of my administration," Saunders said. He had envisioned new levels of available funding totaling millions of dollars more than had been offered in previous years.

But Brighton explained yesterday that future tuition increases will not be accompanied by a greater pool of grant money unless Thomas makes that decision.

"I don't believe he has any intentions of doing that again," Brighton said.

Instead, the University will only allocate $360,000 annually for the program, regardless of whether the University Board of Trustees continue to raise tuition.

"That's contradictory to what we thought the proposal was," Saunders said.

Brighton, although he once supported the idea of tuition-based financial aid, said he is now opposed to automatic grant increases.

"The principle it sets, I don't like," Brighton said. "On reflection, it looks like you're increasing the tax on students to help out. The scholarship source ought to come from another source."

Saunders plans to speak with Thomas about Brighton's surprise remarks.

"My understanding was that the administration had planned to allocate the student-aid funding on an annual basis, and I hope they are able to do so," Saunders said. " I would like to meet with people over the next couple weeks to see if it is feasible to continue this program."

King has vowed that USG will fight hard to gain back what student government leaders thought they had already achieved.

"If tuition is going to increase, students dependent on financial aid need to have the means to pay for that increase," King said. "Somewhere in the process of budgeting, the student need must considered."