FOOTBALL: South Carolina coach Spurrier holds dominance over LSU, p. 5
Reveille
FILM: Bond series evolves over the years, p. 10
The Daily
www.lsureveille.com
Tuesday, October 9, 2012 • Volume 117, Issue 32
ENROLLMENT
University lacking in student recruiters Chris Grillot Staff Writer
Free of Charge
More electric cars permitted on campus Ben Wallace Senior Contributing Writer
Economics assistant professor Stephen Barnes drives a car to work every day, but his fuel costs virtually nothing. Barnes is a member of the small, but slowly growing, group of electric vehicle permit owners at
the University. A little more than a year has passed since Entergy donated two electrical charging stations to the University, and the Office of Parking, Traffic and Transportation has handed out only four free permits, said Director Gary Graham. Still, for those who have them, the perks are great, Graham said. Some of the benefits include free electricity, free parking and a nearly untraceable carbon footprint, depending on how the electricity was generated.
“You have to initially get used to the idea of having a plan for keeping it charged,” Barnes said. But since he has free, unlimited access to a charging station in the Patrick F. Taylor lot across the street from his office in the Business Education Complex, his transition to an electric vehicle wasn’t too difficult. Under the current contract between Entergy and LSU, the energy company provides access to the two pump stations, which it installed ELECTRICITY, see page 4
photos by AUSTIN BENNETT / The Daily Reveille
A Nissan Leaf charges Monday in the Nicholson Extension commuter lot.
The University has fewer enrollment advisers, or freshman recruiters, than any college in the Southeastern Conference, and less than half of the conference’s average number of recruiters. With only 10 full-time recruiters and one part-time recruiter in New Orleans, the University is lagging behind the SEC average of about 23 to 25 recruiters per university, according to Associate Vice Chancellor for Enrollment Management David Kurpius. The University of Alabama has the most recruiters, Kurpius said. “We don’t have enough position numbers, and we don’t have enough funding,” he said. The University has recruiters in Louisiana, Georgia, Texas and one recruiter works in the “emerging markets” of Washington D.C., Chicago and part of Houston, Kurpius said. Some other recruiters travel to RECRUITERS, see page 4
FINANCES
More adults shoulder burden of student loan debt
Joshua Bergeron Staff Writer
As college tuition increases nationwide, students are being forced to pay higher rates out-of-pocket, which has led to an overall increase in student debt. About one in five households has outstanding student loan debt, according to a study by the Pew Research Center. That’s more than double the share from two decades ago and a significant rise from the 15 percent of households in 2007. The study paints a bleak picture for households where the head is younger than 35, with 40 percent of those households having student loan debt. Household leaders between ages 35 to 44 also have a high frequency of outstanding debt
at 25 percent. English freshman Cody Thompson said he believes the percentages will quickly increase. “I know quite a few people that have taken out some form of student loans,” Thompson said. “Every year, more students are forced to take out loans. It might not be a large amount, but it definitely is going to take a toll on people’s income once they graduate.” According to the study, student loan debt is a problem for all income groups. The greatest portion of debt is in households in the lowest and highest fifth of the income distribution. The problem isn’t just high frequency, but also the amount that graduates owe. In 2007, the average student loan debt was $23,349. The
number rose to $26,682 in 2010. Student Financial Management Center Coordinator Emily Hester said the rising amount of outstanding debt affects post-graduation budgets. “The biggest thing is that debt takes away a piece of your budget,” Hester said. “You can’t default, even if you declare for bankruptcy. Having student loans really impacts what you can afford after graduation.” One cause of increasing debt is the increase in tuition across the nation. At the University, residents pay $2,597 as full-time students taking 12 hours, according to the Office of Budget and Planning. Four years ago, the same students would have only paid $1,613. Students usually have a DEBT, see page 4
graphic by BRITTANY GAY / The Daily Reveille information courtesy of the pew research center