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Minnesota State University Mankato
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MNSU granted $420,000 in emergency funds for students Grant seeks to help students stay in school when unexpected financial crisises occur STEPHANIE VOGEL Staff Writer The Great Lakes Higher Education Corporation and Affiliates has given Minnesota State University, Mankato a $420,000 grant to help students in emergency situations. The goal of this grant is to keep students in school, even if they have a financial emergency. Examples of this would be unexpected car repairs or medical bills, which might make attending school even more of a challenge for those already struggling to pay for school. Carolyn Nelson is the director of scholarships in the Office of Admissions at Minnesota State Mankato. Regarding this grant, she said, “We’re trying to be flexible with what we’re defining as an emergency, because that might look very different for different situations.” The financial emergency would have to impact the student’s ability to be successful in school.
(CC BY-SA 2.0) by 401(K) 2013 A student is eligible for the grant if they are undergraduate, FASFA eligible, and have an Expected Family Contribution of $7,000 or less. Nelson adds, “You can be a part-time student or a full-time student.” The student must meet with a Grant Advisor and complete
an Emergency Grant Application to be considered for the grant and will have to explain their financial emergency in the application. The student is required to be enrolled for the semester in which the funds are awarded and may only benefit from the emergency grant award
once. “Research shows that at Minnesota State University, Mankato and nationally, students, particularly lowincome students, are leaving their university experience for what, in the grand scheme of things, is a relatively small amount [of unexpected
expenses], from 500 to 1,000 dollars,” Nelson said. Up to $1,000 will be paid to a third party. For example, if a student’s car broke down, and they used the emergency grant to cover the expense, the money would go to the repair shop. Documentation will need to be submitted for proof of the expense, according to Nelson. The grant will be paid within two days after an MNSU committee has reviewed the application. “One of the things that I think qualified us [for the grant program] is the type of students that we serve here,” Nelson said. “We do serve a lot of low-income students, and that’s part of our mission here at the university, is to help all of our students be successful and achieve their degree.”
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Police strive for adequate force and proper care for procedure
MARJAN HUSSEIN Staff Writer Law enforcement is a career pathway that requires heart, dedication and pure sacrifice as it will test an induvial in every manner possible on a daily basis, at each turn throughout the job. Law enforcers are always called upon by society on at the most trying times and they are always expected to be up to the task of handling
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an escalating situation in a calm and lawful manner, not letting their perspectives or feelings dictate the situation. Law enforcers are tasked with the duty to serve and protect while putting their lives on the line each day. However, the portrayal of the police, the most common form of law enforcers, has been deteriorating rapidly in the media today. This may be due to the unjust cases in the news or other factors, although there are always two sides of a coin. Carl Lafata, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Government in the Law Enforcement Program at Minnesota State University, Mankato, states that when
one is a Law Enforcement Officer, enforcing the law is only one facet of the job. “Although the job is inherently dangerous, Law Enforcers are trained and skilled to handle all the fatalities that may come about,” Lafata said. “Thus, the frightful part of the job comes from the idea that if there are people out there willing to harm those already skilled to defend themselves, it is unimaginable what they would do to the majority who lack that skill set.” Lafata states that his job is to not only convey academic information to students, but also enrich the learning process by bringing in his valued experience in law
enforcement, thus bringing to the university and students several different perspectives of the job. “When one becomes a law enforcer, the main aim is to enforce peace and deadly force is only used as a last resort,” Lafata said. Deadly force only comes into play when all other options prove to be ineffective and Law Enforcement trains officers to use the least amount of force possible. “The individual actually dictates the amount of force used against them, as the situation at most times calls for a quick reaction and what they may be doing may be highly detrimental that the
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officer has no choice but to use deadly force,” Lafata said. The officer must make a quick and rational decision on the spot, but also be able to justify in court of law why they choose to take that action. Bias in the force can only be eradicated through gaining knowledge and understanding that every man is born equal no matter their skin color, race, religion or background. The Law Enforcement program at
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News Editor Alissa Thielges alissa.thielges@mnsu.edu