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Show your new/ MONDAY* IANUARY 30 ' 2 0 0 6 A3 Country Dancing ~ mmmw Student government takes a look at fees, football, and UV Link Michael Palmer Assistant News Editor On Thursday, Jan. 26, the UVSC Student Council held the second of three scheduled student fee hearings to determine how student fees will be spent for the upcoming fiscal year. These hearings take place perennially and are outlined in UVSC's Constitution, which states that: "student fee allocation hearings will commence no later than Thursday, Jan. 3. Those departments that seek funding from student fees must present a list of their needs for further funding. Each department will be given an allotted amount of time during a Student Council Meeting to present their needs." The presentations during Thursday's hearing addressed a number of issues pertinent to UVSC, including the future of the athletic program, developments within UV Link, the effect of declining enrollment on student building fees and the status of student UTA bus passes. Two of the biggest topics for Student Council members were UV Link as well as the possibility of establishing a football program at UVSC. Athletic Director Mike Jacobsen presented the proposal for the athletic department. It highlighted recent successes of UVSC's athletic programs, including a victory for the men's basketball team on Dec. 1 at Arizona State. Jacobsen also called attention to the academic achievements of UVSC athletes citing a 3.1 cumulative GPA in all athletic departments. Jacobsen then switched to talking about growth for the future. "We need to increase our budget substantially over the next three years," he said. Though not directly mentioned in his presentation, Jacobsen was asked to talk about the possibility of a football program at UVSC. Jacobsen compared the student council's current decision to the one made by the student council six years ago to make the move to Division I basketball. "I think we need to make decisions that are good for us today, but may be better for us in the future," Jacobsen said. "If we're ever going to do it, and I'm not saying we have to do it, HOW'S the time." Jacobsen conceded that cre- T m not here necessarily to sell football, but I think EYERY SATURDAY NIGHT www. westerndance.org Pleasant Grove Rec. Center * 100 East 200 South it'd be great for our school. Having a football program, we think, would allow the average student to be more connected to the school." SmartCookie MikeJacobsen Athletic Director ating a football program from scratch would be very expensive; suggesting off-hand that the increase could be as high as $45 per semester, per student for football alone. "I'm not here necessarily to sell football, but I think it'd be great for our school," Jacobsen said. "Having a football program, we think, would allow the average student to be more connected to the school." The other big issue at the hearing was UV Link. Dave Toller and Ray Walker presented the budget report for the Center for Student Computing (CSC) - the department that handles UV Link. They proposed that CSC should maintain its current funding as well as provide additional space for laptops to connect to the network, and have printer access. The CSC is a broad division that is mostly funded by student fees, UVSC's technology fee being, by far, the lowest in the state. CSC covers the computer labs on campus, the kiosks, UV Link, the student network as well as the computer labs in the school of HAAS. At the meeting, Toller and Walker predominantly handled questions related to UV Link and frustrations some students and faculty members have had implementing the new system, which replaced On Access last fall. When asked if he expected these problems to go away. Toller said, "Everything is new, so there's a lot of a learning curve going on ... we See STUDENT FEES-A4 Student Aid on the chopping block From MONEY - A 1 UHEAA has been helping students and graduates afford school by buying student loans and offering competitive and affordable interests rates. Feitz has been with UHEAA for the past 18 years and has seen the market fluctuate during that time. He has been following the controversy surrounding the proposed budget deficit cut with a close eye. "It is becoming a more accepted way of life for students to 'go into debt' for a higher education," says Feitz. But Feitz thinks the government is heading in the wrong direction. He feels that not enough is being done to meet the current demand for financial aid. "The dilemma is: we need a bill," he says. There are two issues at present, Feitz believes: First, is that the government needs a bill to give financial aid programs direction; second, this proposed cut will hurt students and parents more than help them. These deep cuts to student aid are bad public policy. Although Feitz believes the government needs something, and something is better than nothing, but it should not come in the form of the biggest cuts to student aid in history. "I may sound like a flaming liberal with Hollywood friends, but this is not going to help students," Feitz said. But he believes that the proposed cut is asking too much from one program and that it should share the pain with other programs. "The money should not drive the policy, the policy should drive the money," Feitz said. One problem, in his opinion, is that congress is not working well with each other. There is a deep division between the parties and it is more political than helpful, he added. "I feel personally fortunate that they have not done more to student aid," says Joanna McCormick. Director of UVSC's financial aid department. "If the budget cut passes, students will see a raise in the amount they have to pay back," McCormick said. "But students view their loans as an investment in their future." As McCormick sees it, students at Utah Valley State are willing to work more and borrow less for the most part. "We are better off at Utah Valley State," says McCormick referring to the schools history of a low default rate. McCormick is confident that even if the bill passes, students at Utah Valley State will be fine and not as affected as other schools. Yet she was concerned over the delay in action regarding financial aid, in which congress has If the budget cut passes, students will see a raise in the amount they have to pay back. But students view their loans as an investment in the theirfuture/' Joanna McCormick Director of Financial Aid Department permitted to happen over the last few years. "This is one thing congress has never done before," says McCormick. "Which is, to allow the Higher Education Act revisions to be delayed." In fact, the amendments to the HEA have been postponed for over two years. Although, she is hopeful to see it back in place by the end of March. Feitz is not so reassured. The Higher Education Act are guidelines showing how financial aid operates. He believes that there is a chance that the Budget Reconciliation Act will pass, though he thinks it will be a close vote between the party lines. The big problem institutions, like UHEAA, will face is a rise in the fixed interest rate - making harder to help students go to school, and borrowing money for college, less attractive. Ideally, there should be no fixed cap according to Feitz; 517 S. 1230 W. Orern, Utah 84058 80I-22I-IGDD the rate should have the potential to fluctuate with the economy. "This would be more advantageous to students, it would allow for fair market value in interest rate when students except loans," he said. "I think that 6.8 percent is a terrible deal," says Feitz. Referring to the new raise in the cap that goes into effect in July, and potentially the cap could be raised to 8.25 percent. For now, Dave Feitz and UHEAA, in Feitz's opinion, will do what they can to reduce the cost of debt for students in repayment and offer some of the best options out there for borrowers. 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