Nov. 4, 2011

Page 1

Technique

T-Pain Takeover

Friday, November 4, 2011• Volume 97, Issue 15 • nique.net

Read a fresh take on the popular performer's pipes at Homecoming.413

The South’s Liveliest College Newspaper

Debt burden on students reaches record high By Jordan Lockwood Contributing Writer

In the wake of President Obama’s announcement last week regarding new initiatives intended to ease the burden of student debt, the issue of rising student loan debt has gained significant attention in the national arena. The plan proposed by Obama is a two-pronged expansion of an existing program, the Federal Family Education Loan Program. One way Obama’s plan is intended to help debt-challenged college students is by accelerating a loan-repayment plan, originally approved by Congress in 2010, that is income based. The plan cuts student loan repayment to ten percent of discretionary annu-

al income, down from the original 15 percent. Congress originally intended for the measure to go into effect in 2014. Obama has hastened the changes, announcing that he intends to institute the changes beginning in 2012. The second way the measure is intended to assist in alleviating debt is by forgiving remaining student loan debt after 20 years instead of the original 25 years. The new proposal, coined as the “Pay as You Go” plan, would allow students to cap their debt repayment beginning in January, potentially affecting as many as 1.6 million borrowers. An approximate six million recent graduates will be able to consolidate certain federal loans under reduced interest rates, also

beginning in Jan. Additionally, anyone who takes out a student loan next year will be eligible to cap loan repayments. Tech students are not exempt from feeling the financial strain that is now common across many college campuses. “[The Financial Aid Office is] experiencing an increase in office visits, phone calls and emails from students, often seeking assistance with completing the application process and/or addressing a change in their own or their family’s financial situation,” said Jennifer Mullins, Associate Director of Counseling and Outreach for the Financial Aid Office. The number of students apSee Debt, page 2

30

Average debt per student at graduation, in thousands of dollars [bar]

25

Unemployment percent of graduates with bachelor degrees, aged 25 and up [line]

20

6%

5%

4% 15 3% 10 2%

5

1996

HOMECOMING 2011

Tzegaegbe, Blumer named Mr. & Ms. GT

2000

2004

2008

2010

1%

Infographic by Basheer Tome / Student Publications

Mundie discusses ‘Big Data’ and IT By Aakash Arun Contributing Writer

Photo by John Nakano / Student Publications

Photo by Sho Kitamura / Student Publications

Students celebrated Homecoming Week 2011 by taking part in Tech traditions including the Mini-500 (L), Wreck Parade and the Freshman Cake Race. During half time of the homecoming football game, Jacob Tzegaebe and Elizabeth Blumer were named Mr. and Ms. Georgia Tech, respectively (T). Students, alumni and faculty celebrated a landmark 31-17 victory against Clemson by rushing the field at the end of the game (R).

Photo by John Nakano / Student Publications

On Oct. 27, Craig Mundie, Chief Research and Strategy Officer of Microsoft Corporation held a presentation on the topic “Converging Worlds: The New Era in Computing” that focused on how new technologies can be utilized to solve some of the world’s most complex challenges. Mundie discussed the fundamental transformation in how humans interact with computers, the merging of the physical and digital worlds and the capabilities of the present era of computing powered by insights from “Big Data” and more natural user interfaces. He also talked about the reliance of science, engineering and all related fields on the advancement of information technology. He held demonstrations on the ability to use information to gain insight from very large amounts of data available to people. According to Mundie, the existence of “Big Data” is a result of the evolution of science and engineering over time that has led to increase in storage and computational capabilities that allows users to attain data through observation. He provided an example of an Excel spreadsheet that serves as a repository without any limitations to size and the amount of data collected. These capabilities are called data markets and large datasets can be put into these “cloud” facilities. They represent a place where computer systems that are bigger than what governments have built in the past are now accessible to everyone. Mundie explained how Microsoft has focused on building facilities that allow users to attain more information and help people perform tasks without numerical information. He provided an example of medical research activities where 3D models of torsos made it clear to laypeople where organs of the body were situated and allowed professionals to highlight certain organs with problems and manipulate them by examining them individually or in context. Mundie discussed the convergence of the physical and virtual world by explaining how it is not difficult for people to make the transition from the physical to the virtual world using devices that they normally use like the cell See Microsoft, page 5


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