DailyMississippian The
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thedmonline.com
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Vol. 100 No. 235
Abandoned bike policy to give back to students BY JACOB BATTE thedmnews@gmail.com
MEGHAN LITTEN | The Daily Mississippian
Senior international studies student Robert Wilson refurbishes an abandoned bicycle collected by UPD. The bicycles will go to students through the Bike Give Back program.
Every day there are students at the University of Mississippi in need of a bicycle. They can be seen at any bus stop, left behind by a full bus; sitting in their car stuck in traffic, waiting for a parking spot to empty; covered from head to toe in sweat from having to walk all over campus. In a coordinated effort between the Associated Student Body, the Office of Campus Sustainability and the University Police Department, some of those students’ wishes will be fulfilled. Chancellor Dan Jones approved UPD’s abandoned bike policy earlier this month, completing efforts already started by the ASB and Sustainability Office earlier in the year. “This fall we had over 30 students apply to receive a bike through the Office of Campus Sustainability and the ASB’s Bike Give Back program,” said Meghan Litten, intern with the Office of Campus Sustainability.
“We had originally planned to distribute these bikes last semester, but we wanted to provide all students with a bike who applied.” After refurbishing bikes during the fall semester and winter break, the program is ready to begin giving out the bikes over the next month to students who do not own any form of transportation, Litten said. An abandoned bike is defined as one that is “in a state of disrepair as to be incapable of being operated in its present condition, appears to have been left in the same location for an extended period of time and bears physical indication of having been deserted,” and/or one that “is considered improperly parked for an extended period of time.” Once the bicycle has been collected by UPD, the owner of the bike is given 14 days to contact UPD. If the bike is not claimed, it is passed along to the Bike Give Back program, which then refurbishes the bike. “This policy is important because we do not want our campus
to look like we have abandoned bikes,” UPD Captain Michael Harmon said. “By removing abandoned bikes from campus we are not only helping maintain the beauty of the campus, but also we are deterring theft.” Bike Give Back is an extension of Rebel Pedals, a bike rental program under the Office of Campus Sustainability. Jim Morrison, director of the Office of Campus Sustainability and Office of Strategic Planning, said the office supports biking on campus because it is healthy for both the student population and the environment. “Creating a positive bike culture on campus is important to the university,” he said. Students are encouraged to register their bikes so UPD will have a way to get in touch with students whose bikes are picked up. Registration is free for all students through UM Parking Services. For more information about Rebel Pedals and Bike Give Back, visit bike.olemiss.edu.
Law students provide free tax returns for low-income residents BY JENNIFER NASSAR jennifernassar2@gmail.com
The Pro-Bono Initiative at the University of Mississippi Robert C. Khayat Law Center will provide free tax assistance to lowincome residents of Lafayette County this tax season through the Free Assisted Self-Service Tax (FAST) program. FAST offers services to those who have a household income less than $57,000. Emily James, FAST coordinator and third-year law student from Greenville, S.C., took an interest in a program like this while working with the School of Law Civil Legal Clinic. After working with low-income taxpayers, James realized a need for tax assistance. “I worked with taxpayers through North Mississippi Rural Legal Services,” she said. “There is such a large need for tax help in the area.” Eager to do more, James met with law professor and Pro-Bono Initiative director Deborah Bell in August to discuss starting the program. A group of about 15 law students began the certification process earlier this month, which included online examination with the IRS and two additional training sessions given by Bell, Richard Gershon, Dean of the school of law, and professor Donna Davis.
“I hope that once people are aware of the services being offered, they will take advantage of the program,” Davis said. ”The students have worked so hard and are well prepared.” James describes the experience as very rewarding for the students because of the privilege of serving those in need. “I think that we all get that out of it,” she said. “Not just with the taxes or practicing interviewing skills, but also the fact that you are helping people.” Lafayette County taxpayers are equally benefited, as they have an opportunity to saving both time and money. “Tax preparation can be difficult, and mistakes can be costly and time-consuming to the taxpayer,” Bell said. Taxpayers entitled to a refund will be able to keep all of it because they do not have to pay a service fee, according to Bell. James said FAST is off to a great start, having served at least seven taxpayers in just over a week into tax season. “We think that’s a lot considering that most people don’t have their W-2s yet,” she said. Arman Miri, a second-year law student from Clinton said he has hopes of an increasing number of services come mid-February, “especially when word gets around and more people get their W-2s in
JENNIFER NASSAR | The Daily Mississippian
First year law student Will Widman assists a Lafayette County resident with her taxes. The Ole Miss Law School provides free tax services to low-income citizens.
the mail. “The numbers can go in any range, but hopefully we’ll get at least one hundred,” Miri said. FAST is hoping to make this an annual event, and as for the law students, there is talk of turning the program into a skills course for next year. “One of our professors is going to take it over and we can get class credit for it,” James said. “Especially since we have a lot
of students who are interested in participating.” Local charities and businesses, including United Way, MetroCast and the Lafayette County and Oxford Public Library, have shown support for the program. Eligible taxpayers interested in the program must provide all income documents, Social Security numbers for themselves, spouses and dependents claimed, prior year adjusted gross income,
a bank routing number (or cancelled check) and an account number for direct deposit. Services are being offered at the Lafayette County and Oxford Public Library on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. until the end of tax season on April 17. They will also be available on two Saturdays, Jan. 28 and Feb. 4. On Feb. 4, FAST will be at the Housing Authority Administration office in Oxford.