Court Opinion

ID: 9428316
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-02 23:23:24.842881+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:23:12.799509
License: Public Domain

Chief Justice Burger,
concurring.
I join the Court’s opinion, but I consider it important to emphasize several aspects of the case, especially as to the regulations.
It is undisputed that the University stood willing to permit respondent to have a sign-language interpreter present in the classroom at respondent’s expense, and in fact had allowed that for some time prior to the filing of this lawsuit. It is also undisputed that the University’s refusal to pay for an *399interpreter was based solely on the fact that respondent did not meet the University’s established income criteria for financial assistance to graduate students.*
The Court’s opinion, of course, is not to be read as intimating that respondent has any likelihood of success on the merits of his claim. The Court holds no more than that, since there has been no trial, respondent has a right to present evidence in support of his claim. The trial court must, among other things, decide whether the federal regulations at issue, which go beyond the carefully worded nondiscrimination provision of § 504, exceed the powers of the Secretary under § 504. The Secretary has no authority to rewrite the statutory scheme by means of regulations. Southeastern Community College v. Davis, 442 U. S. 397, 410 (1979); see also Pennhurst State School & Hospital v. Halderman, ante, at 17 (“[I]f Congress intends to impose a condition on the grant of federal moneys, it must do so unambiguously”).

 Respondent and his wife, who have no children, had a combined gross income in excess of $23,000 per year while he was enrolled as a student. Stipulation of Facts, App. 31. At oral argument, respondent asserted that even a $100,000 annual income would not affect his right to an interpreter at public expense.
The University advised respondent that its policy was to pay for interpreter services when the services were not available from other agencies such as the Texas Rehabilitation Commission and the Texas Commission for the Deaf, provided that “such assistance will be based on a reasonable interpretation of financial need on an individual basis, using guidelines already in effect for Federal and other financial assistance.” According to those guidelines, respondent had zero financial need. Id., at 33.