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Tuesday, September 1, 2009
News 1,2 Arts & Life 3, 4 Sports 5, 8 Views 6 Classifieds 7 Games 7
Volume 94 | Issue 3
Sunny 89° / 68°
ntdaily.com
The Student Newspaper of the University of North Texas
New center welcomes vets BY A MBER A RNOLD Senior Staff Writer
Since the Post-9/11 GI Bill was signed into law in July of 2008, there has been a trend of universities creating on-campus veterans centers, and UNT has jumped on the bandwagon. On Monday, Aug. 24, UNT held the opening ceremony for the UNT Veterans Center, which has been in the works since February of this year when the Student Government Association, the student-led governmental body of UNT, passed the bill to open it. The center will serve to link all programs that may be of service to veterans and those still active in the military. T hese prog ra ms w i l l include everything from the transfer students center, the counseling center, learning center, tutoring for veterans and help for non-traditional students. The center is meant to ease the transition to a university as well as house the Student Veterans Association, Dean of Students Mona Hicks said. “In reality, a veteran could also be a transfer student and a non-traditional student as well, so that made the space even more crucial,” Hicks said. As of now, the center is operating without formal funding from UNT. However, if the center is in need of money, it will rely on other areas within UNT to help, Hicks said. The Post-9/11 GI Bill is crucial to the process of integrating veterans into universities, said Cary Ziegler, UNT Student Veterans Association president. The bill offers eligible veterans money for certain portions of their tuition, a monthly housing allowance and an annual stipend for books and supplies, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Web site. “I k new of a student that didn’t even know that he could benefit from the GI Bill and was planning
to not go back to school,” Ziegler said. “That shouldn’t be happening, and that’s the fault of the Veteran’s A ssociat ion. T hat’s t he purpose of the veterans center; veterans can come in and we can give them all of their options.” Ziegler, a petty officer, Third Class in the U.S. Navy, experienced some of the same problems that other veterans encounter. “The transition is so hard because you are coming from a life that is so strict and structured and doing something completely different,” Ziegler said. “It’s like night and day.” This is why the UNT Veterans Center is offering help in other areas such as social integration, family integration and veteran tutoring. “We are hoping that the vet center and vet association can help them connect with people in their same situation that can help them with the transition even more,” Assistant Registrar Bobby Lothringer said. Along with the center, the university is hoping to invest in more research in areas such as hearing and posttraumatic stress disorder in an effort to gain more money from the state of Texas, Hicks said. The state is committed to give money to eight different regiona l sites. However, certain criteria must be met in order to get the money, Hicks said. Hicks said only the basic needs of t he center a re met, such as location and computers. The university is trying to decide whet her t hey have the capacity to meet criteria. “We a re prov id i ng a centralized location for vets to get information about UNT and an environment to transition,” Hicks said. “Now we can say to military academies, ‘look at our capacity for you to safely transition to UNT and have a good academic experience.’”
PHOTO BY KHAI HA / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Luke Tinius, journalism senior, drives the bus for NT’s E-Ride shuttle service. The program runs from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. every day and transports students to any campus location, including Victory Hall and Discovery Eark.
E-Ride shuttles night owls BY JORDAN FOSTER Staff Writer
E-Ride shuttle bus service begins its third semester with a total of 25 calls and 42 riders on the first night. Officials in UNT’s transportation department said they are confident this fall will be a successful semester for the ser vice, which offers rides to those who need to get to specific places on campus. The prospective rider calls the UNT police dispatcher and they are given directions on where to board the shuttle. T he be g i n n i ng of t he semester starts out slow, but increases in October, according
to rider trends. Joe Richmond, Associate Director of transportation, said he believes the new service has been a great success over its predecessor the Night Rider. About 10 rides are given each hour on the E-ride, compared to about three an hour on the Night Rider. There is also a difference in range and flexibility, according to UNT officials. The Nig ht R ider was a two-bus, fixed-route system while the E-Ride takes riders all over campus, including Discovery Park. Since the implementation of the E-Ride system, the depart-
ment of transportation has worked to make the service run smoother so that it can serve more people by designating pick-up points in certain areas to ensure the rendezvous. They also posted a notice stating that drivers cannot drop anyone off campus, Richmond said. Luke Tinius, a journalism senior, has been driving for the university since the Night Rider program and said he loves his job as a driver. “We’ve been working ever since the start on what works and what doesn’t, and I think we have it down pretty good now,” he said. Two buses operate from
9 p.m. to 2 a.m. seven days a week during all university operating days. Richmond said that drivers generally have more riders on Sunday than any other night of the week. As of now, work is still being done on the new program. UNT’s transportation department acquired a new bus, bringing the total fleet size to four buses. “I think it’s a great service to the campus and I think it’s been well received, the drivers enjoy it,” Richmond said. “It’s student drivers supported by student funds, moving students around campus, so it’s totally a student-focused service.”
other location is a private lot behind campus on Avenue A, which has been there for more than 14 years. Su k ho’s m a n a ger K i n Samiuay and her staff realized noncustomer parking became a big problem during lunch and dinner hours. She said they devised a plan to begin leasing parking spots for those who wanted to park there. The restaurant’s rates somewhat emulate that of UNT’s and has
sold three parking spaces so far this semester. “We figured the prices by looking at UNT’s,” Samiuay said. “We don’t need the money, just the space.” Sukho has a total of 12 spaces to offer, yet people still park without purchasing a permit. Those who park without permission have their information taken and are asked to stop, she said. “We don’t want to tow them
because they have to pay a lot,” Samiuay said. “Some people still park every day. We just want them to know we do business every day and please don’t to take up the spaces.” While private establishments provide parking to students, UNT’s parking service doesn’t have a problem with their existence.
Restaurant leases parking spots BY JORDAN FOSTER Staff Writer
Since last semester, Thai restaurant Sukho Thai II has been offering parking spaces to students, staff and faculty. Sukho Thai II, which is on the corner of Hickory Street and Avenue B, provides students with a range of permit prices from $150 to $320. The Thai restaurant is one of two establishments offering parking spaces to students. The
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New credit card law extends payments deadlines BY CAROLYN BROWN Senior Staff Writer
Credit card users have gained extra time to make payments and will enjoy fewer rate increases thanks to a new law. The first phase of the new Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure Act of 2009 that went into effect on Aug. 20 changed the rules for credit card companies’ practices. The act is intended to help consumers deal with common problems that come with credit card use, said James Matlock, senior money management mentor for the Student Money Management Center. The law’s provisions will offer students new conditions and protections for their credit card use, said Matlock. Credit card problems are common for college students, he said. Changes made in the first phase of the card act focus primarily on
scheduling requirements. Institutions must now give cardholders at least 21 calendar days from the time of mailing to pay their monthly bills without threat of late fees, and at least 45 days’ notice before increasing an accounts annual percentage rate or fees and finance charges, according to the Library of Congress’s summary of the law. In the past, companies only had to give 14 days from the time of mailing to avoid late fees, Matlock said. Although consumers will now have more time to make payments, students will need to be careful and pay attention to their mail so they don’t procrastinate and end up paying late fees, Matlock said. “Just because they give you 21 days before your bill is due doesn’t mean you should wait until the 20th day. Treat it like you still have 14 days,” Matlock said. The act also gives consumers
the right to opt out of interest rate and fee increases as well as the right to cancel their accounts while paying off the balances under the old, lower interest rates. Using this option, consumers will have as much as five years to pay off the debt before it is sent to collection and their credit reports are affected, Matlock said. The act’s next major phase will go into effect in February 2010, and will place new restrictions on credit card companies marketing cards for young adults and college students. The law will also prevent companies from giving credit to people younger than 21 without PHOTO BY STEPHEN MASKER / PHOTOGRAPHER a co-signer unless they can show an adequate means of repaying James Matlock, a finance senior, mentors Collen Lesher, a hospitality management junior, at the Money Management Center in Chestnut Hall. the debt. The law could have the effect of rationing credit. However, those of the economics department has implemented the August impact them, Helen Bow, assiswho really need credit cards will said. tant vice president of corporate measures. probably still be able to get them The bank will also inform its communications for Wells Fargo Wells Fargo, which has a when necessary, William Wallace bank in the University Union, users of any changes that will in Texas, said in an e-mail.