Students learn to lead at OSF conference LANE COMMUNITY COLLEGE’S
J. Wolfgang Wool News Editor
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EUGENE JOHNSON / THE TORCH
Lane student Ashley Jackson greets her 3-year-old daughter, Rosalie Tean, after she spent the morning in the young 3’s classroom at the Early Childhood Development Center on Lane’s main campus.
College organizations supply resources to student parents
Penny Scott Reporter With approximately onethird of students being parents, or parents-to-be, Lane offers services, supplies and
support to help them make it through their schooling. “It’s reasonable to estimate that about 29 percent of Lane students enrolled in credit classes during Spring 2011 had children living with
them. This percentage is a little below other Oregon community colleges and also below community colleges nationally,” Lane Institutional Research, Assessment and Planning Director Craig
Taylor said. Ashley Jackson has been taking her daughter, Rosalie Tean, to the Lane Child and Family Center since Fall 2013. “It’s hard to imagine PARENTS ON PAGE 3
J. WOLFGANG WOOL / THE TORCH
Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) answers questions from students during the closing remarks of the Northwest Student Leadership Conference at Portland State University.
Oregon Senator addresses students, debt J. Wolfgang Wool News Editor Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., provided closing remarks when the Northwest Student Leadership Conference ended Feb. 23 at Portland State University.
Merkley told students that he prioritized the affordability of education, seeing a need to increase Pell Grants and to subsidize student loans to keep the cost down. Merkley believes a study he has solicited will reveal that student loans will be a source of profit
for the federal government. “This is an attack on our aspirational society,” Merkley said. “That’s completely unacceptable. If anything, the loans should be subsidized facilitating the ability of student (to attend college).” Merkley spoke in favor of
the Pay it Forward program, a system that would finance college education to students on a pledge that a percentage of what they earned after graduating would be paid back into the fund. Merkley also spoke to MERKLEY ON PAGE 3
Lane sent 37 students to attend the 24th annual Northwest Student Leadership Conference at Portland State University’s main campus. The NWSLC ran from Feb. 21 to Feb. 23. Several schools from Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Alaska and Canada sent delegates to the conference. Lane’s delegation represented student organizations, such as the campus’ chapter of Oregon Student Public Interest Research Group and the student government. Other students were unaffiliated with any campus organizations. “Meeting new people from different schools, I was able to make (helpful) connections with the goals that I have for future terms here at Lane,” OSPIRG campaign organizer Sharlita Holmes said. NWSLC is an Oregon Student Association event, but it’s sponsored by its sister organization, the Oregon Student Foundation. The conference featured several workshops on a variety of issues, from effective use of social media to the understanding of racial justice to specific lobbying goals like banning bottled water. The workshops were taught by various organizations and attending schools, including Lane students and faculty. “One of the best ways to learn a subject ... is to teach it. It helps you become more critical of your own knowledge and how you present that,” ASLCC Sustainability Coordinator Michael Weed said. “Also, getting the feedback from those in the classroom was a really valuable tool.” Weed was co-presenter of two different workshops. OSA Lane Campus Organizer Brittany MacPherson said OSF reaches out to various organizations to submit plans, but does not select which ones will present. The Steering Committee, made up of students, makes the final decision. “They turn in a proposal online, then the Steering Committee, which is made up of OSA board members, will kind of look over all the workshop proposals and decide from there,” MacPherson said. MacPherson said it costs $105 per student to attend the NWSLC and Lane spent $1,040 for the hotel rooms. The 37 attending students were housed in a total of 10 rooms with two beds each. In addition to the workshops two documentaries were shown and the conference featured four key speakers, the final being Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., who delivered the closing remarks. OSA and the Oregon Community College Student Association also used it as a chance for their board members to meet.