Financial Aid Help: The Signpost 10/24/23

2 | NEWS | thesignpostwsu.com | October 24, 2023

By SKY MUNDELL Asst. Section Editor

STOP the hate On Oct. 10, Weber State University’s Police Department received a report that a stop sign located at the south side of the Dee Events Center parking lot had been vandalized. The graffiti on the stop sign was a spray-painted racial slur. Although WSUPD couldn’t identify how long the graffiti had been there, officers were able to respond to the scene almost imme-

diately. The responding officers were able to replace the vandalized sign with a new one within half an hour. WSUPD has not yet been able to identify any suspects, though the investigation is ongoing. Honey, where are the keys? On Oct. 11, WSUPD responded to a caller who reported that they locked their car keys in their vehicle, while they still had their 3-year-old child buckled into a booster seat in the back. An officer was able to gain access to the ve-

Monday 23

hicle through the driver-side door. The keys were retrieved and the child was reunited with their parents. Repeat offender During a patrol on the night of Oct. 13, an officer encountered a man sleeping inside a gazebo behind the alumni center around 10 p.m. WSUPD recognized the individual as someone who has trespassed on campus property before and has repeatedly been disruptive on and around campus. WSUPD,

before the incident, had escorted the man off campus seven times and officially banned the man from entering WSU property on the seventh time. Upon further investigation of the situation, WSUPD found the man was in possession of marijuana. As this was the eighth time since March the man was apprehended on campus, WSUPD arrested the individual and transported him to Weber County Jail. The man has been booked for criminal trespass and possession of a controlled substance.

Tuesday 24 Wednesday 25 Thursday 26 12:00 – 1:30pm

Panel Discussion on Artist Residencies @ Kimball Visual Arts Center

3:30 – 5:00pm

Pumpkin Carving @ Stewart Center Atrium

7:30 – 9:30pm

10:30am – 12:30pm

Mental Health Day @ Shepherd Union Atrium

6:00 – 8:00pm

Halloween Movie Madness @ Stewart Union Ballroom

9:00am – 3:00pm Human Trafficking Symposium

@ Shepherd Union Ballrooms

12:00 – 1:15pm

Ralph Nye Lecture Series @ Wattis Business

Jazz Ensemble @ Browning Center Theater

Friday

Saturday 28

Sunday

Simply take a photo of the completed maze and post it to Instagram and tag @WSUSignpost to be entered in a giveaway for a $100 Amazon giftcard! Must be a current college or high school Student to enter, one entry per person. Winner will be contacted on Oct. 30 and will be announced in the Oct. 31 edition of The Signpost.

October 24, 2023 | thesignpostwsu.com | NEWS | 3

By PARHAM KERMANI Reporter

On Oct. 16, Weber State University’s student senate heard several controversial issues at their weekly meeting. The meeting hosted an open issues forum where students could voice their opinions about current campus issues or events. In response to the vandalism at the Dee Events Center on Oct. 10, when a stop sign was found vandalized with racial slurs, Black Cultural Center members and students supporting them raised concerns about how the university handles incidents involving hate speech and the use of racial slurs or iconography on campus. The group alleged that the recent act of vandalism involving the stop sign at the Dee Events Center parking lot was “swept under the rug.”

WSU included a notification in their announcement email about the vandalism labeled “critical information” two days after the sign was discovered and removed. The group alleged that the state media had covered previous swastika vandalism incidents that occurred on WSU campuses, but neglected to do the same for the more recent vandalism of the stop sign. Jessica Oyler, vice president for Student Access and Success, confirmed that an announcement was sent out for the stop sign incident in the same way as the swastika incident, and the media reporting on the swastika story might have been the reason more students were aware of the incident. Oyler also announced the new Campus Response Team, previously announced as the Campus Climate Response Team. A new website is in development that will include information about a new system students can use to report incidents of vandalism and hate

speech. “We are expecting that sooner rather than later,” Oyler said. Brexton Olesky-Lee, the coordinating chair for Young Democratic Socialists of America at Weber State, addressed the senate about a campaign the club has been working on to cancel late fees on tuition payments. “We haven’t seen any significant change to any policy and ask you guys to use your lines of communication to reach out to decision-makers on that and see if there has been progress made or, if not, why,” Olesky-Lee said. Following the open issues forum, Native American Senator Aaron Egli introduced a bill that would change the words in the Weber State University Student Association Constitution. The bill aims to change how the student senate nominates candidates to fill vacancies in the senate. The Constitution currently states that “The Executive Vice President, in coordina-

tion with the WSUSA Student Body President, shall nominate candidates to fill vacancies in the Senate to be ratified by the Senate.” Egli’s proposal would amend that to say “The Executive Vice President, in coordination with the WSUSA Student Body President, shall nominate candidates to fill vacancies in the Senate after consulting with the organization/ club, to be ratified by the Senate.” Co-sponsor to the bill and Pacific Islander Senator Marj Maharaj explained the motivation behind the change. “We had a senator appointed to us,They didn’t try to get to know us. Outside the club, they wouldn’t even talk to us or say hi,” Maharaj said. The bill was met with some criticism by senators. No vote was taken during the meeting. Share this story at thesignpostwsu.com

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4 | FINANCIAL AID | thesignpostwsu.com | October 24, 2023

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Every year on Oct. 1, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid opens for all current and incoming post-secondary students. This year, however, FAFSA opens on Dec. 1 and that is not the only change to come with financial aid. Though it is not required, students who would like to receive Federal Financial Aid or scholarships will more than likely have to fill out the FAFSA form in order to be eligible. This year has brought a change. Instead of opening on Oct. 1 like in previous years, the form for the 2024-25 school year will open on Dec. 1. This is because FAFSA and federal financial aid will undergo a series of changes that will alter how the document is set up and filled out. The FAFSA Simplification Act, which has been in progress since 2021 by the Department of Education, has been a multistep process that will come to an end for the 2024-25 school year form. The biggest change is that this Act has moved from the Expected Family Contribution to the Student Aid Index. Essentially, this means that instead of considering how much a student’s family makes or can contribute toward college if the student is a dependent, FAFSA will now look at how much the student themselves can contribute, according to the Department of Education. Though FAFSA will still consider whether or not a student is dependent, married or has dependents when scoring them on the Aid Index, they will no longer factor whether or not a student has siblings into their score. on CYNTHIA BAUTISTA | The Signpost The SAI will take a multitude up of factors including income, marital ed P ac k t s status and dependency into account and hoto o f twenty-dollar bills combine those factors into a specific formula

nied homeless youth and foster care youth, and Pell Grant lifetime eligibility restoration,” according to the Department of Education. The implementation of the SAI will be the final step in the program for the FAFSA Simplification Act, as it is structured right now.

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to find each student’s score. Not only will the EFC be changed to the SAI during the 2024-25 school year, but the ban on Pell Grants for those who are or were incarcerated or confined will be lifted as well. The Department of Education began their work during the 2021-22 school year with “elimination of limitations on student eligibility related to Selective Service registration and drug convictions” and “elimination of the subsidized usage limitations on eligibility for Direct Loans.” The next step of the program began in the 2023-24 school year with “changes to the statutory definition of cost of attendance, professional judgment requirements, determinations of independence, application process for unaccompa-

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By BRISA ODENTHAL

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October 24, 2023 | thesignpostwsu.com | FINANCIAL AID | 5

POR NELLY HERNANDEZ TEJADA Traductor

By BRISA ODENTHAL Editor de Sección

Estudiantil durante el 2024-25 año escolar, pero también se levantará la prohibición de las subvenciones Pell para aquellos que están o han sido encarcelados o confinados. El Departamento de Educación

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comenzó a trabajar durante el 2021-22 año escolar con la “eliminación de limitaciones en elegibilidad de estudiantes relacionados con registro de servicio selectivo y condenas por drogas” y “eliminación de las limitaciones de uso subvencionado en la elegibilidad para préstamos directos.” El próximo paso del programa comenzó en el 2023-24 año escolar con “cambios en la definición legal del costo de asistencia, requisitos de juicio profesional, determinaciones de independencia, proceso de solicitud para jóvenes de acogida, y restauración de la elegibilidad de por vida de subvención de Pell,” según el Departamento de Educación. La implementación del Índice de Ayuda Estudiantil va ser el paso final en el programa por la ley de Simplificación de FAFSA, ya está estructurado así ahora.

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JACQUES KALLIS | The Signpost

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multitud de factores incluyendo ganancia, estado marcial y dependencia en cuenta y combinar esos factores en una fórmula para encontrar la puntuación de cada estudiante. No solamente la Contribución Familiar Esperada va ser cambiado a la Índice de Ayuda

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Cada año, el primero de Octubre, la aplicación de Solicitud Gratuita de Ayuda Federal para Estudiantes, conocida como FAFSA, abre para todos los estudiantes y los estudiantes terciarios. Pero, este año FAFSA abre el primero de Diciembre, y no es el único cambio que va venir con la ayuda financiera. Aunque no esté requerido, estudiantes que quieran recibir ayuda financiera del gobierno o becas van a necesitar llenar la aplicación de FAFSA para calificar. Este año ha traído cambio. Inves de abrir el primero de Octubre como en otros años, la forma de 2024-25 año escolar va abrir el primero de Diciembre. Es porque FAFSA y la ayuda financiera del gobierno va a tener cambios que van a alterar la forma en que se configura y rellena el documento. La ley de FAFSA Simplificación, que ha estado avanzando desde 2021 por el Departamento de Educación, ha sido un proceso con muchos pasos que va terminar por el 202425 año escolar forma. El cambio más grande es que esta ley ha movido de la Contribución Familiar Esperada al Índice de Ayuda Estudiantil. Esto significa que al considerar cuánto gana la familia de un estudiante o puede contribuir a la universidad de el estudiante es dependiente, FAFSA va mirar a cuanto puede contribuir el estudiante, según el Departamento de Educación. FAFSA va considerar si un estudiante es

dependiente, casado o tiene dependientes cuando están haciendo la puntuación en el Índice de Ayuda Estudiantil, ya no tiene en cuenta si o no tiene hermanos en su puntaje. El Índice de Ayuda Estudiantil va tomar

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CYNTHIA BAUTISTA | The Signpost

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By MCKINNA BAIRD Reporter

KENNEDY CAMARENA | The Signpost

New and seasoned Weber State University students have plenty of opportunities to receive financial aid. This can come from a number of places including WSU scholarships, private scholarships and government aid. Scholarships, in particular, are a great resource for students as they can cater to their individual needs, identities and interests. Many WSU scholarships require students to complete a FAFSA application to be considered, excluding those specifically for undocumented students. Completing FAFSA applications can lead students to need-based government aid. WSU offers a wide variety of scholarships. The most basic scholarships are offered to students based on academic performance. GPA and ACT scores determine whether students are offered the Presidential, Trustees, Deans, Merit or Opportunity scholarships. These academic scholarships range from $500 to over $6,000 per semester for 4 years, for in-state students. Academic scholarships for non-resident students include the Waterfall Canyon, Golden Spike and Mt. Ogden scholarships. These non-resident opportunities range from $7,500 to $9,000 a year for a four-year degree. In-state and out-of-state students have dif-

ferent GPA and ACT scoring sheets. This information can be found on the WSU’s academic scholarship page online. International students have similar opportunities, adjusted to fit different countries’ grading scales. Weber State offers four scholarships for international students, ranging from $5,000 to $8,000 a year. In-state homeschooled students also have scholarships awarded solely on ACT scores. These scholarships range from $500 to $3,500 a year. Undocumented students have unique scholarships offered to them by private organizations. For scholarships related to specific degrees, all WSU departments have their own scholarships, detailed on their website under the scholarship tabs. All of the previously mentioned scholarships do have credit and GPA requirements in order to continually award students money. For most of the scholarships, the requirement is to be enrolled for 12 or more credits and to maintain at least a 2.0 GPA. For more information, go to the Weber State University Financial Aid page at https://www. weber.edu/FinancialAid/

JACQUES KALLIS | The Signpost

6 | FINANCIAL AID | thesignpostwsu.com | October 24, 2023

ABOVE: The sign for the Financial Aid and Scholarships office located in Student Services. LEFT: A fake $100 hanging on the doorway into the Money Management Center.

Traductor

POR MCKINNA BAIRD Reportero

Los estudiantes de Weber State University tienen muchas oportunidades para recibir ayuda financiera. Esta puede venir de una serie de lugares, incluyendo becas de WSU, becas privadas y ayuda gubernamental. Las becas, en particular, son un gran recurso para los estudiantes, ya que pueden adaptarse a sus propias necesidades, identidades e intereses individuales. Muchas becas de WSU requieren que los estudiantes completen una solicitud FAFSA para ser considerados, excluyendo las específicas para estudiantes indocumentados. Completar la solicitud FAFSA puede traer a los estudiantes ayuda gubernamental basada en sus necesidades. WSU ofrece una amplia variedad de becas. Las becas más básicas se ofrecen a estudiantes dependiendo de su rendimiento académico. Las puntuaciones de GPA y ACT determinan si a los estudiantes se les ofrecen becas presidenciales, fiduciarias, decanos, de mérito o de oportunidad. Estas becas académicas van desde los $500 a más de $6,000 por semestre durante 4 años, para estudiantes del estado. Las becas académicas para estudiantes no residentes incluyen las becas Waterfall Canyon, Golden Spike y Mt. Ogden. Estas oportunidades para los no residentes van desde los $7,500 hasta $9,000 al año para un grado de cuatro años. Los estudiantes residentes y no residentes del estado tienen diferentes hojas de puntuTOP RIGHT: Un letrero por la entrada del edificio de servicios estudiantiles que señala la ubicación del oficio de apoyo financiero y los servicios de registración. BOTTOM RIGHT: La recepción del oficio de apoyo finaciero y becas.

ación de GPA y ACT. Esta información se puede encontrar en la página web de becas académicas de WSU. Los estudiantes internacionales tienen oportunidades similares, ajustadas para adaptarse a las escalas de calificación de diferentes países. Weber State ofrece cuatro becas para estudiantes internacionales, que van desde los $5,000 a los $8,000 al año. Los estudiantes del estado que estudian desde casa también tienen becas otorgadas únicamente por la puntuación ACT. Estas becas van desde los $500 a los $3,500 al año. Los estudiantes indocumentados tienen becas únicas que organizaciones privadas ofrecen. Para becas relacionadas con títulos específicos, todos los departamentos de WSU tienen sus propias becas detalladas en su sitio web bajo la pestaña de becas. Todas las becas mencionadas anteriormente tienen requisitos de crédito y GPA para otorgar dinero continuo a los estudiantes. Para la mayoría de las becas, se requiere tomar 12 o más créditos y mantener al menos un GPA de 2.0. Para más información, vaya al sitio web de Ayuda Financiera de Weber State University: https://www.weber.edu/FinancialAid/

JACQUES KALLIS | The Signpost

POR MARIANO MARTINEZ MARTINEZ

KENNEDY CAMARENA | The Signpost

October 24, 2023 | thesignpostwsu.com | FINANCIAL AID | 7

NORLITO RANCHEZ | The Signpost

8 | FINANCIAL AID | thesignpostwsu.com | October 24, 2023

Edwin Guzman (right) first gives William Maxfield (left) an overview and rubric of his writing assignment before receiving assistance at the Tutoring Center. By COOPER HATSIS Reporter

Through Weber State University’s Free Application for Federal Student Aid, some students may qualify for Weber’s Work-Study or 50/50 programs. These financial programs can help students while at WSU and after graduation. Federal Work-Study is a government program meant to help students find jobs on campus. After completing a FAFSA, students can see if they are eligible for Federal WorkStudy based on their financial and economic needs. Students can apply for FSW at any time during the semester. There are some requirements for students to be eligible for Work-Study. Students need to have financial need for the program, which

is determined through the FAFSA. Students need to keep a 2.0 GPA, have a 67% percent completion rate and be enrolled in at least 6 credit hours. Sherri Wilde has been in charge of the Federal Work-Study at WSU for almost a year now. “Federal Work-Study helps students get experienced with the convenience of being on campus,” Wilde said. “It also helps them financially with having a job that is guaranteed to work around their class schedules.” Students using the Work-Study program can work up to 20 hours a week. If a student has more than one Work-Study job, they will have to split up those hours between their jobs. Once the financial needs of the student have been met, the student will no longer qualify for Work-Study.

50/50 is a program that first came to campus in 2012 as a small project, but has since grown to be quite established. 50/50 is set for students to create new jobs on campus that will help get them the skills and experience to join the workforce. The program provides half of the student wage, up to $5.50, for students who are a part of the program. This means that if a student makes $11 an hour, the program will pay $5.50 and the department that the student is working in will pay the other $5.50. “As long as the jobs are giving student employees skills to gain that will be useful in getting them ready for their careers, we will apply the 50/50,” Jill Montgomery, student employee coordinator in Career Services, said. To qualify for 50/50, students must be an

undergraduate, have at least a 2.0 GPA and be a full-time student. Similar to the WorkStudy program, students are limited to 20 hours a week. Students who are a part of the 50/50 program can take a SkillSurvey to see what they feel their strengths and weaknesses are in the position they are working for. 50/50 also works with student internships in the same way an on-campus job would, except internships allow students to work 10-28 hours a week instead. Students cannot have 50/50 and WorkStudy at the same time. If a student qualifies for both programs, WSU encourages that students use the Work-Study program first before going to 50/50.

NORLITO RANCHEZ | The Signpost

October 24, 2023 | thesignpostwsu.com | FINANCiAL AID | 9

Anwar Bermudez ayuda a un estudiante por correo electrónico en el oficio de Registración. POR DANIELA IMBRETT Traductor

By COOPER HATSIS Reportero

A través de la solicitud gratuita de ayuda federal para estudiantes de Weber State University, algunos estudiantes pueden calificar para los programas Work-Study o 50/50 de Weber. Estos programas financieros pueden ayudar a los estudiantes mientras están en WSU y después de graduarse. Federal Work-Study es un programa gubernamental destinado a ayudar a los estudiantes a encontrar trabajo en el campus. Después de completar una FAFSA, los estudiantes pueden ver si son elegibles para el Federal Work-Study según sus necesidades financieras y económicas. Los estudiantes pueden solicitar FSW en cualquier momento durante el semestre.

Existen algunos requisitos para que los estudiantes sean elegibles para Work-Study. Los estudiantes deben tener necesidad financiera para el programa, lo cual se determina a través de la FAFSA. Los estudiantes deben mantener un GPA de 2.0, tener una tasa de finalización del 67% y estar matriculados en al menos 6 horas de crédito. Sherri Wilde ha estado a cargo del Federal Work-Study en WSU durante casi un año. “Federal Work-Study ayuda a los estudiantes a adquirir experiencia con la comodidad de estar en el campus”, dijo Wilde. “También les ayuda económicamente al tener un trabajo que les garantiza adaptarse a sus horarios de clases”. Los estudiantes que utilizan el programa Work-Study pueden trabajar hasta 20 horas a la semana. Si un estudiante tiene más de un trabajo de Work-Study, tendrá que dividir esas horas entre sus dos trabajos. Una vez cubiertas las necesidades financieras del estudiante, éste ya no calificará para Work-

Study. 50/50 es un programa que llegó por primera vez al campus en 2012 como un proyecto pequeño, pero desde entonces ha crecido hasta estar bastante establecido. 50/50 está diseñado para que los estudiantes creen nuevos empleos en el campus que les ayuden a adquirir las habilidades y la experiencia para poder unirse a la fuerza laboral. El programa proporciona la mitad del salario estudiantil, hasta $5.50, para los estudiantes que forman parte del programa. Esto significa que si un estudiante gana $11 por hora, el programa pagará $5,50 y el departamento en el que trabaja el estudiante pagará los otros $5,50. “Mientras los trabajos brinden a los estudiantes las habilidades de empleados que sean útiles para prepararlos para sus carreras, aplicaremos el 50/50”, dijo Jill Montgomery, coordinadora de empleados estudiantes en Career Services. Para calificar para 50/50, los estudiantes

deben ser estudiantes universitarios, tener al menos un GPA de 2.0 y ser estudiantes de tiempo completo. Al igual que en el programa Work-Study, los estudiantes están limitados a 20 horas por semana. Los estudiantes que forman parte del programa 50/50 pueden realizar una encuesta de habilidades para ver cuáles creen que son sus fortalezas y debilidades en el puesto para el que están trabajando. 50/50 también trabaja con pasantías para estudiantes de la misma manera que lo haría un trabajo en el campus, excepto que las pasantías permiten a los estudiantes trabajar de 10 a 28 horas a la semana. Los estudiantes no pueden tener 50/50 y Work-Study al mismo tiempo. Si un estudiante califica para ambos programas, WSU recomienda que los estudiantes utilicen el programa Work-Study primero antes de pasar al 50/50.

CYNTHIA BAUTISTA | The Signpost

10 | PHOTO | thesignpostwsu.com | October 24, 2023

Buckets and stands listing the price of the large gourds available for purchase by visitors.

By PHOTO DESK

With the costs of college making for a tight budget, it can be difficult to find things to do for fun. Ogden is filled with many free or affordable activities to do, whether for date nights, nights out with friends, bonding time with family or even just a bit of well deserved alone time. Cynthia Bautista: Pumpkin patches are one of the most fun and cost-effective ways to enjoy the current fall season without breaking the bank. Cedar Crest Farm sells pumpkins, potatoes, gourds, corn stalks and straw, all locally grown on their farm. They are open everyday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sundays, with Nov. 1 being the last day to come and get your pumpkins for this fall. Large gourds cost $4 each, and a regu-

lar carving pumpkin costs $0.28 cents per poundlbs. Come with your family and friends and grab some pumpkins while they last. It is located at 1922 W 3350 S, Roy, UT 84067, and is approximately 5.8 miles away from Weber State University. Another pumpkin patch in the area is the Happy Pumpkin Corn Maze and is open from Monday to Thursday 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., Friday 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. and Saturday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. It has a pumpkin patch and many other attractions, such as athe corn maze, a giant slide, a haunted house and a teeter-totter of terror. The carving pumpkins cost $0.40 cents per poundlbs., and the specialty pumpkins cost 50 cents per pound$0.50 cents per lbs. on specialty pumpkins. You can find the Happy Pumpkin Corn

Maze located at 3462 W 2900 S, West Haven, UT 24401, and is approximately 8.4 miles from Weber State University. Sara Staker: Going for a hike on one of the many trails surrounding Weber State and the Ogden area is another great option that is completely free. Another free activity around Ogden is to go hiking on one of the many trails that surround Weber State and the Ogden area. Hiking is a fun way to get out in nature, and get your body moving. There are many hiking trails near Weber State including the Ogden River Parkway, 29th Street Trailhead, Waterfall Canyon, Ogden Nature Center North Trailhead and a variety of others close to home.

Anna Kuglar: Historic 25th Street is always a great place to look out for activities taking placehappening that maycan be free or affordable. One of the most known and anticipated events is the weekly Ogden Farmers Market that lines the lengthstreets of Historic 25th Street or the halls of Union Station, selling locally grown produce, locally made crafts and a variety of food and other unique finds. And although the fall season Farmers Market just came to a close this past Saturday, Oct. 21,. Tthe winter Farmers Market will begin again inside of the Union Station on Jan. 27 and is certainly an event to look forward to in the future. Share this story at thesignpostwsu.com

CYNTHIA BAUTISTA | The Signpost

October 24, 2023 | thesignpostwsu.com | PHOTO| 11

CYNTHIA BAUTISTA | The Signpost

A photo of a table lined with a variety of pumpkins and gourds and a calf in the background.

A couple of tables listing the prices of the various pumpkins and gourds available to be purchased.

A sign listing the prices of straw bales available for visitors to buy at the Happy Pumpkin Corn Maze. CYNTHIA BAUTISTA | The Signpost

CYNTHIA BAUTISTA | The Signpost

The entrance leading into the Happy Pumpkin Corn Maze.

The front entrance of the Happy Pumpkin Corn Maze.

NORLITO RANCHEZ | The Signpost

12 | FINANCIAL AID | thesignpostwsu.com | October 24,

Several bushes change in hue during fall near the Wattis Business Building. By GRACIE STEPHENSON Reporter

Every year, Weber State University gives millions of dollars in scholarships to its students. A large portion of that money comes from departmental scholarships, but many students are not aware of these financial resources. Each scholarship has a set of qualifications students must meet in order to receive it. However, some WSU professors said that the qualifications generally consist of a low GPA, making it available to many students. Huiying Hill, sociology/anthropology chair and professor at WSU, said that in comparison to some scholarship application processes, applying for most departmental scholar-

ships is fairly easy. The number of scholarships offered per department varies. Some departments offer only a few; others, like the English department, can offer 10-12 scholarships. Gavin Roberts, economics department chair and associate professor of economics, said his department has two scholarships they give out every year. “We get fewer students than we’d like to apply for these scholarships,” Roberts said. Roberts said so few students are applying for their scholarships that they pooled up enough money to award four students a scholarship last year instead of two. The sparsity of applicants for departmental scholarships could be attributed to lack of knowledge.

“Because we know a lot of students struggle in short-term financial needs, another way we make students aware of the scholarships is by word of mouth,” Roberts said. The economics department makes it a goal to email their students to inform them of scholarships available within the department. Even with these efforts, the number of students applying is still relatively low. Hal Crimmel, English department chair and professor, said there is a new system being implemented for departmental scholarships within the next few months. Although the system is mainly to sort through applicants, it will also help inform students of departmental scholarships that are available to them. Not all departmental scholarships come

from WSU. “Some is money that has come from university, some is money that has come from private donors,” Crimmel said. With the differences in where the scholarships come from comes differences in scholarship amounts, ranging anywhere from a couple hundred to a couple thousand. WSU professors collectively agree that it is a substantial amount and that it’s worth students’ time to apply. “Departments around WSU campus encourage students to look into scholarships that their major specific departments offer,” Roberts said. “The money is there, students just have to look.”

NORLITO RANCHEZ | The Signpost

October 24, 2023 | thesignpostwsu.com | FINANCIAL AID | 13

Una tranquila tarde de sábado en el edificio de Ciencias de la Salud J. Willard.

POR NATHANAEL STOUT Traductor

By GRACIE STEPHENSON Reportero

Cada año, la universidad Weber State da millones de dólares de becas a las estudiantes. Un porcentaje de este dinero viene de las becas departamentales, pero muchos estudiantes no saben de estos recursos financieros. Cada beca tiene una serie de calificaciones necesarias para los estudiantes antes de recibirla. Sin embargo, algunos profesores de la WSU han dicho que las calificaciones mayormente consisten en no tener una nota promedio muy baja, así que es disponible para muchos estudiantes. Huiying Hill, profesora y presidente de sociología y antropología en WSU, dijo que en comparación con algunos procesos de aplicación para becas, aplicar para la mayoría de becas departamentales es relativamente fácil. El número de becas ofrecidas por cada departamento varía. Algunos departamentos ofrecen sólo algunos. Otros, como el aparta-

mento de inglés, ofrecen hasta doce becas. Gavin Roberts, profesor y presidente de economía, dijo que su departamento tiene dos becas que dan cada año. “Recibimos menos aplicaciones de estudiantes para estas becas que querríamos”, dijo Roberts. Roberts dijo que la falta de aplicaciones es tan grande que ahorraron suficiente dinero para dar cuatro becas el año pasado en vez de dos. La escasez de aplicaciones para becas departamentales se puede atribuir a la falta de conocimiento. “Porque sabemos que muchos estudiantes tienen dificultades financieras de corto plazo, otra manera que utilizamos para informar sobre las becas es por el boca a boca”, dijo Roberts. El departamento de economía tiene la meta de enviar correos electrónicos a sus estudiantes para informarlos de las becas disponibles en el departamento. Aun con estos esfuerzos, el número de aplicaciones todavía es relativamente pequeño. Hal Crimmel, profesor y presidente del departamento de inglés, dijo que hay un nuevo

sistema que se implementará para becas departamentales durante los meses venideros. Aunque el sistema mayormente tiene uso para la organización de aplicantes, también ayudará a informar a los estudiantes de las becas departamentales disponibles. Algunas becas departamentales no vienen de la WSU. “Una parte del dinero viene de la universidad, una parte es dinero de donantes privados”, dijo Crimmel. Con las diferencias en el origen de las becas viene una variedad de valor de las becas, con algunos valorando unos cientos de dólares y otros hasta unos miles de dólares. Los profesores de la universidad juntamente están de acuerdo que es una cantidad sustancial y que vale el tiempo de aplicar. “Los departamentos en el campus de la universidad animan a los estudiantes a aprender sobre las becas que son ofrecidas por los departamentos de sus carreras”, dijo Roberts. “El dinero está ahí, los estudiantes simplemente necesitan buscarlo”.

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Forward position, Carter Merritt, just before shooting the puck into the goal. Hockey is a club sport currently organized at Weber State. Photo taken in Nov. 2022. By JACOBA JONES Reporter

Weber State University is full of clubs for students to get involved with. A club sport at Weber State requires around four students who volunteer to be a part of the leadership of the team. The leadership makes the decisions for the team, including budgeting, scheduling of games, what teams to compete against and who will officiate games. “Clubs are run by the students for the students,” Nick Garcia, the men’s club baseball vice president, said. “The differences between clubs and athletics are very drastic. Athletic’s budget is much much larger than ours as they get buses, plans, and other amenities. Granted, they bring in much more money than us.

Our players have ‘player dues’ or amounts they need to pay in the fall and spring, which helps out our budget greatly.” The leadership does a lot of work to make sure the club is functioning, but not all the pressure is on them. Weber State has a club office that works with each of the club’s leadership, making sure no rules are broken, everything operates effectively and offering support if needed. In terms of money, not all of it comes from the players in the clubs or the activities they host. Weber State provides some financial compensation. “The school has us give [Student Fee Allotment] presentations, and depending on our club attendance, club fines, and our competitiveness we are granted some dollar amount up to $20,000,” Bryon Fobair, the men’s club

hockey president, said. “The rest of our funding comes from players paying dues and us organizing events like our golf tournament.” Club sports offer scholarships as well, usually set aside for the presidency due to the amount of work they put in to help things move forward. Each club varies on the amount of money that is given. “Most of our players work part-time jobs to cover team expenses, rent, and school. It definitely teaches our guys how to manage their time well,” Fobair said. “Everyone is willing to do it in order to play, though, so it shows the commitment and how much our guys care.” Weber’s club sports help students continue playing the sport they love after they have graduated from high school. While there are expectations to be met when it comes to club sports, each player puts in the effort to meet

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them. “It is worth it because it proves a sense of belonging and community to athletes who lose the sport after high school,” Garcia said. “It’s playing for an actual school, and it brings that fire back that athletes lost after high school.” Weber State’s website allows students to check out the 19 different clubs sports on campus. Each club has links to registration, live rosters, current events and gives you access to the team website. Clubs such as men’s baseball and men’s hockey allow students to represent their school and a sport they love. Share this story at thesignpostwsu.com

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ACROSS 1 “__: International” 4 Number of seasons for “Young Rock” 9 Daniel __ Kim 12 Crew member’s need 13 Lift with great effort 14 Actress Ortiz 15 __-Wan Kenobi 16 “__ the Dragon”; Bruce Lee film 17 2002-03 medical drama series 18 Ill-tempered 20 Keenen __ Wayans 22 “Fire Country” role 26 Free-for-all 27 “__ Amsterdam” 28 “__ Got a Secret” 29 “__ Smart” 32 “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-__” 35 Actor on “9-1-1” 39 Actress De La Garza 40 Nabisco snacks 42 Tyrant Amin 43 __ Price; “Law & Order” role 47 Workaholic’s need 48 Comfy room 49 __ brûlée; delicious dessert 50 __ Stabler; “Law & Order: Organized Crime” role 51 90 degrees from NNW 52 Close & Clapton 53 “Please Don’t __ the Daisies”

DOWN 1 Linear measure 2 “__ in Toyland” 3 Like Pierce Brosnan or Liam Neeson 4 “__ Playing Our Song”; 1978 musical 5 Barnyard bird 6 Traitor 7 Role on “La Brea” 8 “__, Indiana” (1991-92) 9 Singer Vic 10 Terraciano of “Blue Bloods” 11 “__ Rider”; Hopper/Nicholson film 19 Woolen cap 21 Actor Max __ Sydow 23 Popeye’s love 24 “Jack Reacher: __ Go Back”; Tom Cruise film 25 Lecherous looks 29 “The __ Girls” 30 Role on “Seinfeld” 31 “__ Cup”; Kevin Costner movie 33 Oliver & Sharon 34 Word attached to wig or wax 36 Vivian of “I Love Lucy” 37 Ms. Zellweger 38 Cuddly-looking marsupial 39 Assistant 41 BBQ rod 44 Hockey’s Bobby 45 Ring around the collar 46 Cable movie network

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October 24, 2023 | thesignpostwsu.com | FINANCIAL AID | 19

By STAR NEIL Section Editor

Math and English placement testing is currently free to all students at Weber State through Dec. 9. This is one of multiple ways Weber State plans to help new and returning students successfully integrate into college life. “A lot of students dream about going to college, and that’s what we’re all about,” Eric Amsel, associate provost at WSU, said. Amsel hopes that by offering both ACCUPLACER and ALEKS free of charge, students will be encouraged to get their English and

math placements done early in their academic career. According to Amsel, research shows students who complete their math and English requirements in their first year of college are more likely to stay in college and also have higher graduation rates. Amsel said the provost’s office is expecting to spend between $60,000 and $70,000 on the free testing for approximately 650 Weber State students. The Developmental Math and English departments of Weber State also offer co-requisite classes to help new and returning students complete their math and English requirements in less time. These 6-credit cours-

es take required coursework and combine it with the prerequisite course material to teach students the fundamentals of math and English in one semester. These corequisite classes also often include a learning assistant, a peer student who helps to guide them through the class material, and also through other resources available to them. “Learning assistants not only help out in the class, we think they do a little bit more by being something of a guide to higher education,” Amsel said. The university also offers a peer mentoring program for students that are looking for a

more hands on approach. This program offers students the ability to meet with their own peer mentor one-on-one and in small group meetings and activities to help them navigate campus life. Amsel recommends students talk to their adviser about these programs and other resources to help them along their academic journey.

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THE SIGNPOST TEAM Editor-in-Chief Kennedy Camarena kennedycamarena@mail.weber.edu Managing Editor Marianna Lopez-Luritta mlopezluritta@mail.weber.edu Design & Graphics Editor Star Neil starneil@mail.weber.edu

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