Students Speaking Out
December 2012
Your Financial Aid Return by Eric Frank
Students who have been around a few semesters may remember a time when they received their financial aid refunds before classes even began, but two semesters ago, that changed. Refunds are now disbursed about a month into the semester. So be sure to purchase the supplies you will need before the semester. Students that I have talked to believe the loss in book sales may have prompted this change. These students point out that without the cash, students would have to purchase books at the school via voucher. Stark State has also gone to a debit/ credit card system through Higher
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One, but there are many fees attached to that card, such as a limit per day you can take out. When asked if Stark State was forced to go to a debit card system, Amy Welty, Dean of Financial Aid and Registration, explained, “Many of our students do not have bank accounts and they were being charged an exorbitant amount of fees to cash the check.” She said that even though there are fees on the card, they are not nearly as much as those charged to cash paper checks. Stark State does not have technology for electronic transfer, so they hired Higher One, which does have those capabilities.
Students who take out loans in addition to grants have to pay back not just the loans, but the interest as well. This is why I still prefer, and will only accept, a refund via check. To receive a check, students have to go through all the same procedures as a debit/credit card, but when you get to the section on disbursement at starkstatepluscard. com all you have to do is select check refund. Students feel they are persuaded to just go ahead and get the card because their refunds are received one or two weeks prior to the formal check refund.
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Tis the Season by Josi Heinz
As the stores and radio stations will not let us forget, the holiday season is upon us. But before we can celebrate our many blessings, we have to survive Your Financial Aid Return finals. The stress of finals, coupled with Tis the Season the stress of the holidays, can make Your Financial Aid Return anyone need to blow off some steam. Keep Your Heads-Up However, other students are working Downtown Satellites diligently, so we all need to be sure to do Letter from the Editor so in an appropriate area. Student Safety News Can’t Write? There’s an Stark State has “quiet” areas, including APP* for that computer labs and study rooms. Many The Importance of TAGs students find it frustrating when they As Winter Days Appear are in these areas and are interrupted by Printing cellphones, music and loud conversaWant a Job? tion. We may all be busy, so it is easy to TRiO Have Laptop, Will Travel forget, but we need to be aware of our surroundings and courtesy of fellow students. Simply step into the hallway to have your conversations.
Some people smoke to de-stress. As Stark State is not a smoke-free campus, this is not a problem (except of course standing in the cold as winter approaches). However, a state law prohibits smoking “immediately adjacent to public doors and entryways.” The law was put in place to prevent migration of smoke into buildings, and as members of a community we should not force nonsmokers to walk through smoke to enter the school. As smokers, we need to be mindful of the “no smoking signs.” These things may sound like common sense, but common courtesy is important. Our right to comfort should not infringe on the rights of comfort for our classmates. We must remember that we are members of the Stark State community. Let’s keep the holiday spirit alive in our campus community by respecting 1 one and other.