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THE DAILY ILLINI
THURSDAY October 3, 2013
84Ëš | 66Ëš
The independent student newspaper at the University of Illinois since 1871
WWW.DAILYILLINI.COM
Legislators hold student debt hearing
Vol. 143 Issue 23
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‘Before I die’: A bucket list in chalk
Student senators say cost of college is too expensive as an alternative to attending a university for their first two years, said Tom Ryder, lobbyist for the Illinois Community College Board. Ryder said 65 percent of students in Illinois attend community college. These students come from a diverse background including first-generation traditional students, as well as non-traditional students, such as single mothers and people in the workforce looking to improve their credentials, he said. He emphasized that while the majority of Illinois students attend community college, community colleges only receive 16 percent of the state’s available funds for financial aid. Ryder urged the panel to consider opening up more of its budget to assist students in community college. “You are not going to be able to have two out of three students going to (community college) to pursue higher education but then provide (little) state funding,� Hays said in agreement. Illinois Student Senator Tony Fiorentino, graduate student in Law, brought to the panel’s attention that student loans were becoming a source of profit for lenders. The federal government is making a profit of $184 billion from federal student loans, he said, even after accounting for loans that students defaulted on. “I think the biggest contributor is the fact that every consumer right and bankruptcy protection has been taken away from student borrowers, and only student borrowers,� Fiorentino said. “Student loan debt is the only kind that can be collected from the student for the rest of his life, no matter what kind of circumstances the student finds himself in. This allows for
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Student senator Rachel Heller’s grandfather had an opportunity that she was not afforded — he was able to pay his way through college by working full time. But with the cost of college today, she said, that is simply not a viable option for students. State Sen. Mike Frerichs, D-52, hosted a college affordability hearing in the Illini Union to discuss the student debt crisis Wednesday. At the hearing, a panel consisting of state representatives Chad Hays, R-Danville, and Naomi Jakobsson, D-103, as well as state senators Chapin Rose, R-Mahomet, and Frerichs, heard from students and administrators regarding student debt. Katharine Gricevich, director of government relations at the Illinois Student Assistance Commission, began by explaining grants offered to students. Gricevich said Illinois ranks fifth in the nation for the highest average student fees at the university level — the national average tuition and fees comes to $8,244 while Illinois’ average is just under $12,000. Among the federal financial aid offered to students are Pell Grants and the Monetary Award Program. These forms of aid offered to students are need-based and are not repaid by the student. According to ISAC, Illinois awarded students $411.6 million in 2012 through MA P grants, and Gricevich said 40 percent of these funds went to public universities. Nearly $24 million was awarded to students attending for-profit colleges — state money that is padding the wallets of investors, Rose said. “To spend that kind of money (on for-profit schools) ... is unconscionable,� he said. More Illinois students are looking to community college
CLAIRE EVERETT THE DAILY ILLINI
Alissa Wasson, St. Joseph, Ill., resident, writes “conquer the world� in a slot on the chalkboard bucket list at the corner of University Avenue and Market Street on Wednesday evening. Candy Chang started the “Before I Die� project on an abandoned house in New Orleans after she lost a loved one. Since then, the project has traveled worldwide. Some other responses chalked on the wall were, “save a life,� “marry Vivian� and “hang art in the MoMA,� referring to The Museum of Modern Art in New York.
House pushes bill to cut SNAP funding Bill could cut $39 billion from program in next decade; qualifications more strict BY ZILA RENFRO CONTRIBUTING WRITER
People with low food security may be facing troublesome times due to a bill pushed by House Republicans on Sept. 19 that could potentially cut SNAP funding by $39 billion in the next decade. SNAP, or Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program, is a government-funded organization formerly known as the Food Stamp program that helps people with low income pay for food. About 48 million Americans utilize SNAP benefits, according to the Food Research and Action Center. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that with this bill, the number would decrease to about 34 million by 2023. The new bill also tightens restrictions on who can receive SNAP benefits. According to the bill, adults without children must find a job or go through a work-training program in order to receive SNAP benefits, whereas before, many could provide a waiver. Some people who are already enrolled in government welfare programs will no longer be able to receive benefits. The Champaign-Urbana community would not be untouched by these changes. According to a 2010 review done by the Food and Research Action Center, 18,940 people, or 10 percent, of
SEE STUDENT DEBT | 3A
VICTORIA PAI THE DAILY ILLINI
State Rep. Chad Hays and state Sens. Chapin Rose and Mike Frerichs listen to a student debt hearing Wednesday.
the Champaign County population participate in the SNAP program. Illinois was one of three states with the highest personlevel increase in SNAP participation in 2013. Many of these include families with young children. Donna Camp, director of the Wesley Evening Food Pantry in Urbana, said she often sees families who utilize SNAP come into the pantry. “Families with children mostly know what is healthy and want the best for their kids,� she said. “But when ... the car breaks down and you either get the car fixed so that you can go to work and continue to earn money, or buy the best food for your children, that’s an awful choice to have to make. And so SNAP can make the difference.� Using SNAP benefits can also mean the difference in obtaining necessary household items. In 2011, a team of researchers from the University’s Family Resiliency Center conducted interviews with low-income families as part of a nationwide survey by Feeding America. The study, released this September, found that American families are struggling to afford not only food, but also essential household goods such as laundry detergent, paper towels and diapers. “Many of these families are going without basic household
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program sees benefits increase The amount of money spent on SNAP benefits has increased by more than $1.4 billion since 2008. Because of natural disasters, Illinois became the state with the highest SNAP personal-level increase from June 2012-June 2013.
Amount of money spent on SNAP benefits (in millions)
BY ELI MURRAY
$2.3 $1.7
$2.9 $3.1 million
$2.7
million
million
million
million
Fiscal year SCOTT DURAND THE DAILY ILLINI
SOURCE: USDA.GOV
needs like toothpaste, soap and other household necessities for personal hygiene, like diapers, that can have consequences for their health,� said Barbara Fiese, director of the Family Resiliency Center. “Any time that you’re able to support people in getting food, then they can use some of those funds to procure some other household needs that they might have.� Whether a person has low food security or lacks the ability to buy household goods, trying to obtain the essentials has a significant emotional impact on those affected. Comments made
on the survey indicate that people want to maintain the appearance of normalcy, even if they are struggling. An anonymous source from the survey said, “I had to use hygiene products in public bathrooms to freshen up and not make us look homeless.� SNAP benefits and food from pantries alleviate some of that stress. “The relief when people walk out of here with two or three bags of groceries ... it’s really amazing,� Camp said.
Zila can be reached at zrenfro2@dailyillini.com.
New requirements set for future power plants To decrease carbon dioxide emissions, rules are being set on new plants BY ELEANOR BLACK STAFF WRITER
Rep. Rodney Davis, R-13, released a statement on Sep. 20 condemning an announcement made by the Environmental Protection Agency regarding new standards for carbon emissions for power plants. The standards, proposed by the EPA, would only affect new power plants. According to the proposal, new coal-burning power plants would have to capture about 40 percent of their carbon dioxide emissions. In his statement, Davis called the proposal a “war on coal and a war on jobs� in Illinois. He said he’s concerned that although the proposed standards only apply to new power plants, the EPA could turn its attention toward existing plants. “This rule totally ignores the fact that today’s
coal-fired power plants are exponentially more advanced, cleaner and more efficient than those of just a few years ago,� he said. “It’s very clear that once the EPA sets rules for new power plants, it will turn its attention to rules for existing power plants, which is an extremely dangerous path for America’s energy future and independence.� Andrew Flach, Davis’ communication director, said in an email that Davis’ opposition is related to the availability of the equipment needed to uphold the standards. “The proposal would require new coal-fired power plants to install commercially unavailable equipment to limit emissions,� he said. “Again, this equipment cannot be obtained, so it’s a ban
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