1995_10 Insight October 1995

              OCTOBER 25,1995
News
McNair grant targets underrepresented
♦ Imw income students can
gain edge in applying for
post-graduate study
Bv Jcvon Swanson
StaffWriler
^^Calilornia Slate University. Fresno: sludents Irom families without a hisloiy ol
college educalions can gain an edge in applying for post-graduate schools through a
program offered hv onlv nine other colleges
m California.'
the McNair program at Iresno Stale pro-
vides intensive iraining in grailuaie-levcl research and writing lor students irom low-
income families whose parents do noi hold
college degrees.
Il also prov ides the opportunity lo research
el-education.
"The neat thing about the
gram can also accept s
s thai the IS   Depart
deems        iradil
emed.
ludcnts
McNair program is that the
students become a tight
knit group."
thirds ol the participai
low-income, firsl gci
Is have
Mi life Beyers
lent requirement
male behind thai is ih
1 those
in Ihcii
program coordinator
i*t have thc role models
'vers said.
ihe program is designci
u.hclp
eonduv i graduate sis Ic research undci ihc s„-
hc hope ol making thei
toral programs
iooI." Bverssaid.
enrolled in the prog,.,,
experi-
gradu
pervision ol .i p'rolcssoi in his oi hci major
who helps lhc ^Hiilcni explore various graduate and dtictora] school opportunities
'There arc a lot ol siudcnissshujusidon*!
know vshal iheir options are ultei the undergraduate level,   lives said.
A siudeni hi the program ,- .,1m- requires
to attend discussions with other graduate
and doctoral program sludents and degree
holders, as well as several workshops on
applying lor graduate schools.'
lhe student is required to present whiten
reports and analysis of the research done.
_ By ers said that 33 sludents from Fresno
Stale were invited to present their research
.,: ., national symposium for McNair participants at lhe University of California.
scorers an
interne
*ed bv th
hoard.
The app
e rev iewc
d and inter-
viewed ag
am befoi
t the final
participants
OuTof H
) appl.ca
nls. 30. w
•re accepted
into the program la
l vear,  Bv
ers said lhat
between 2
7 and 30
applicant
s will be ac-
cepled thi
vear. depending 0
n lhe budget
passed by
ihe U.S.
Depart mc
il ot l-duca-
Berkel
last
Besides the training and research. Byers
said, ihi/re is another aspect of the program
thai the siudeni gains from.
"V/K neat thing about ihe McNair pro-
iradu- -twain is thai lhe students become a tight knit
group You kind ol get away from that competitive element," Byers said.    t
Applicants to the program have their applications evaluated by two professors from
Ihc program's six-member board. Thc top
The program is funded through a
$200,000 a year grant Iron, the Department
of Education. Ihe McNair grants are given
out on a four-year cycle before a school
must reapply Iresno Stale is in its second
cycle."
The original grant application was written in 1991 by the Division ol Ciraduatc
Studies and the Div ision ol Student Affairs.
The iwo divisions also sponsored Ihc second gram application
Stealth carts present hazard
♦ Some drivers are
unfamiliar with safety
training programs
by Nancy Dns is
Staff Writer
Oroundskcepcr Eddie Zentcno
was asked only to present a valid
driver's license to drive the electric
cart. I le was noi aware of any course
oi icred.it the university.
Another groundskecper. Chuck
LukCS, has taken the safely course
and has a valid driver's license, bul
docs I
l carry his certified card with     Obispo
Shell would ultimately like lo have
a tram lo transport people Irom one
side of lhe campus lo the other,
much like lhc one used at ('alitor
i Polytechnic Univcrsiiy. San Luis
One of the many carts seen campus
loi now. studenls must walk, hi-     and a
cycle, skateboard or Uollerblade to     ails
let) hazards lor pedestn-
.; Hv
"Any transportation is a risk. If a
ivison.is.twareol what he is doing,
then it 'minimizes accidents." Shell
College loans send
students into debt
by Michael Yparrea
Staff Writer
Janet Lippei is attending her last
semester al Fresno Stale. She will
graduate with a degree in fcnghsh and
plan
if the profiler
freeman said o
occurs when student
much debl and end up "way over their
heads." leading to defaults.
A spokesman  lor  the   \mcruan
Council   on   Education  echoed
Fri
ke thousands of other students on
lis campus and campuses across the
mntry. Lippet said she needed the
.sistance of the federal government
i obtain her degree.
Unlike students of the past w ho had
liable likelihood of taking time
,ff after years of
tudy mg. exams
lack ol under
the
There
Sliding iheir
is is in most cases the
ure conflicts.
ns many students re-
e that they mistake as a grant and
[realize they have to pa) it hack."
.pokesman 'said
^^^^_    the ACE a cer- .
Lippet   "I've probably
said the financial     . *       . J        .
debi she has in-   borrowed somewhere
curred during her   between $15,000 and
five years will re-   $20/000, and it all has
quire her lo hit '        '..
the job market   to be paid back.
immediately.
• ive probably —Janet Lippet   ^iu„ ;drd
borrowed some- ■" « « paid oil
where between English major       Another re
S 15.000
S20.000.anditall
paid by the
VISA o
has to be paid back." Lippet said.
A new study has found lhat increased availability of financial aid
has resulted in more American students graduating college debt-ridden.
According io The Education Resources Institute, a Boston-based nonprofit group, the amount of money
borrowed by college students has
jumped 50 percenl since 1992.
The study, released last month, revealed that an estimated S24 billion
was borrowed by college sludents in
1995. a jump from the S16 billion
of debt anion,
students is the result of changes u
federal laws two years ago which al
lowed recipients to borrow more, th
Focarazzo. one of thousands represented in iheTKRI report, v.ud she has
already borrowed a large sum in loans
with over
money that v
g alte
ill hang
r head
1199:.
While the study reveals more studenls going to college despite nsing
tuition costs, it also illustrates an increasing rise in the number of minority students attending college.
However, the study also warns that
the grow ing volume of loan;
by students could hurt not
recipients, -their parents and family,
but also the economy as a whole
"We're not trying to bring a dark
cloud over the issue." said Ted Freeman, the institute's president. "Were
Fbcarazzo s.ud if she didn't take ihe
loans, continuing her education
wouldn't be a reality lor her
"What's the alternative? Sou either
have to take the loan or forget about
going to school.*' she *aid "And then
what are you going to do.'"
But another Fresno State studenl
ed    recited a common v iew held by many
ily the    student-- while he shrugged off lhe
increasing numbers that arc beginning
to appear on his promissory .notes.
Hopefully when I graduate there is
going io be a job waiting for me. A
good-paying job. And I'll have
jusl trying to bring awareness of the     problem gelling |the loan] paid off,"
problems that can occur."
Michael Sharp said
Mouse, from page 1
and lhe recenl change of weather     whole th
have also driven mice oul of iheii
nesting areas, causing ihem lo seek
refuge in  nearby univcrsiiy build
"Wli.il
min
ings.
Some studenls.
unimpressed. Sin
I studies major, said
ifortable eating there
Narsha Agbevv u-l.okko. an ethnic
and development studies major,
said she fell sickened aboul the
around'.' If a mou>
ootid lhc dining area. 1*1 hate I,
iCC what's running round th.
.lichen.''
Vallev wants to assure evervon,
hal the Fresno Couniy Health De
larimeui is "very happy" wilh (hi
kitchen area, food and hvgienii
standards.
"I am coniidem ii is noi us."
.aid. " Two years ago we had ai
invasion of mice due to ihe hug,
imount of underbrush and the con
sequent replanting."
he
toween
mis
Enrollment, from page 1        v_
totaled S.sii.iKH). ensiiie availability ot classes.
This cost was funded hy a special
priority fund, which Marshall likened
loa "s.ivines account" ol lhe univer-
Marshull pointed out that S.30.1XK1
was 'a drop in lhc bucket" when
considering lhc am,huh oi revenue
lhai would be lost in case ol an en
rollincnt shortfall.
"In Mas and June, wc were projecting close lo a I .'KXIFTE | full-
lime equivalent student| shortfall,
which is over S-4 million in fund
ing." Marshall s.ml v   a
The $4 million figure comes from
the S4.SO0 pei 111, allotment per
CSl campus issued bv the
Chancellor's office
Marshall fell thai lhe expenditure
for the public relations campaign
lice" in light of lhc projections.
He emphasized lhat ihe public ie-
latioils campaign vv as a total campus
Maishall
That kind of data was invaluable
ihe deans." Marshall said
{.iv mond's office also supplies all
lollmeni figures and produces lhe
udcnl Data Book each semester.
aich. I
worked will, |
Dr. Jcamine
Institutional R
Assessment, made sl,
lo departments regau
maiuls so thai (he dep
"It did pay off, but I
want to be more
careful before we
expend money in the
future."
—Joe Marshall
associate V. P. for
Enrollment Services
Miller said marketing for universities is becoming more prevalent.
and universities need to inform the
public of what is available from the
school.
The university contracted the public relations firm Deefl A Black lo
coordinate the marketing effort this
Bul Marshall said lhe majority of
ihe total cost of lhe effort came from
running ads in The Fresno Bee.
From the outset, he tried to keep
assessment of the success of the
campaign in mind while planning
w hal resources lo use.
For example, workshop enrollment was monitored. A "special
phone line was sel up so lhai he
could keep track of how many prospective students were calling vv ith
questions aboul the workshops or
to receive general information
about enrollment.
The response to the workshops
was especially important because
thai was the primary objective of
the Bee ads.
"It did pay off, bul I want to be
more careful before we expend
money in the future," Marshall said.
He pointed out that many of the
resources used for promotion were
existing, such as interviews of local television or radio shows.
Marshall's goal is lo continue exposure of the campus locally so lhat
campaigns in "crisis mode" are not
necessary in the future.
"Deciding to invest in advertising,
marketing or public relations
should not be done in the middle
of a crisis," Marshall said.
Betsy Maninusen. a Fresno State
alumnus who works for Deen &
Black, put the campaign together.
' I
Loans, from page 1
Joseph Heuslon. director of finan
cia! aid at Fre
.-. belie
competition created by the direct
loan program benefits students.
"Without the Direct Loan program, the govemmenl is creating a
monopoly, and as we well know,
monopolies don't respond well to
Ihe consumer." he said.
The proposed Student Loan
Evaluation and Stabilization Act
would auction lhe outstanding Direct Loans to banks starting 120
days after lhe bill is enacted.
Some Fresno Slate students who
receive Stafford Loans are not in favor of lhe proposed legislation. '
"The banks are jusl protecting
iheir interest and Congress is following along." said Kelly Mel.am.
who has taken oul Stafford Loans
for tw o years.       v.
"Our generation doesn't vote, so
of course they' re not going to worry
about programs that help us out."
McLain said.
Sophomore Sarah Wallace worries
about lhe future of her — and hcr
daughter's — education.
"The Congress is eventually not
going to leave anything for us and
our kids." she said. "If they expect
us to remain a world power by cutting education, they are kidding
themselves."     ,.