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Show fODMUGVI g Nuclear Waste in Utah frvgrfij EBpv been more than 70 decisions by the NRG and its Atomic Safety and Licensing Board regarding these and other safety and environmental concerns. In most cases, the NRC lias ruled in favor of PFS. Despite NRCs decision to grant the PFS license, the proposed site still faces some stiff opposition. Before construction can begin on the Skull Valley site, two other government agencies, the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), have a say in t the sites future. The Bureau of Indian Affairs must issue final approval of the lease between the Skull Valiev Band and PFS before the lease is made effective. The BLM must also approve the construction and operation of a rail right of way through BLM land in order for PFS to connect the site to the Union Pacific Railroads main line. The governors office is actively challenging the ' NRCs decision. According to a press release issued by Huntsman on Sept. 9, the state is preparing to take the issue to court and is inviting Congress to interv ene through federal legislation. Huntsman is also hoping to persuade the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the BLM to kill the plan by withholding necessary regula- tory approval. 4 r ' R t 1 HU " it i-- i l 5 i HU Hii:11 t ureases Poscosssedl Its one those inevitable facts of life for students at Westminster and across the nation. The cost of tuition increases. Despite all kinds of speculation by fellow students and others, this increase is a phenomenon few can explain. Trustees final say over the specific amount tuition increases each year. We do everything we can to try to hold expenses down while try-o- f ing to increase financial aid, said Morgan, whose office is responsible for presenting the board with an annual bal- anced budget. Every jear the Sixty-fou- r percent of the budget goes toward personnel, 35 percent toward operating expenses such as utilities, insupplies and insurance, and 1 percent towards equipment, said Morgan. Even with all of this explanation, however, some might wonder why Westminster continues to offer things like salary increases to faculty and staff when instead the school could do away with these increases and keep the cost of tuition down. It has to do with quality and competitiveness, explains Morgan. And its true, are highly competitive entities engaged in a constant pursuit of excellence, reported the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges in 2000. They want to attract the best students possible, and they try to proinh vide them with struction, facilities, and quality of campus life. to try to hold expenses down while trying to crease financial aid. -Stephen Morgan Stephen Morgan, execu- tive vice presi- dent, treasurer and chief financial for officer Westminster, un however, derstands the and whys hows of yearly tuition in- creases. There are many factors that go into the decision to raise tuition costs, he explained. These factors include inflation, facility upkeep and maintenance, increases in faculty and staff salaries, increases in scholarship and grant programs, and others. Even the increase in the price of natural gas will affect the cost of tuition, because the college needs to heat its buildings, he said. And Westminster is not alone. Research published by the College Board in 2004 indicates that the price of tuition at private, institutions across the nation rose roughly 6 percent from 4 school year to the school year the four-ye- ar 2003-200- 2004-200- 5 (source: Trends in College Pricing, 2004). Though students all over the country experience these tuition hikes, many do not find comfort in knowing they are in good company. The mystery of how an administration decides on the amount of a tuition increase is still puzzling. At Westminster the Board hardest decisions we wrestle with, he said. Financial aid is a huge factor in the amount students actually pay for their education. Almost 60 percent of undergraduate students and of fullabout time undergraduates receive some form of financial aid to help them pay for college, reported the College Board. For the majority of students, the actual price of college is lower than the published price. So, while the sticker price for tuition may increase each year, so too may the amount of financial aid each student receives. For example, tuition at three-quarte- rs Westminster rose from $18,482 in 2001-200- 5 to $19,730 in 2005-200At the same time, scholarships and grants increased by about $783,000 or 5.6 percent, said Morgan. 6. Westminsters largest expense is financial aid, Morgan pointed out, and the school receives help acquiring money for aid in the form of outside endowments and donations. To put this in perspective, Westminsters current oper- - ir! i i IP t 1 l!j. 'if. M t V He hn Oil! i 1 QIIOaI struction. We do everything we can 5 t ating budget is roughly $10 million. Of that $10 million, $14 million is budgeted for financial aid. The school foots the bill for $11 million of that $1 1 million, said Morgan. As for the rest of Westminster's expenses, for 2005-200- 6 the college is spending $13 million on faculty and in- - iU too i j- - i immmm t 4! 2$, 2005 Ufonrairys mffoiH) What Students Pay Many Factors ofAffect has the It happens every year. csm'smmsm 0 TosiDCDEn) Sefztan&er fA'&jffir. Griffin Search, Coming Soon! posted next to the honorary Griffin in Givale Library's home page. On Friday, Sept. 30, this new online database will be up and running. Jennifer Foy, systems librarian and administer of the Griffin Search, said Griffin Search is technically a federated search engine. What that means is that now when people do research for a paper and they have to research each database individually, with Griffin Search they will be able to search up to 8, 10 or all of our databases at the same time. Foy said. This will come in handy Giovale as currently supports is 110 databases. Despite the large amount of databases included in the search, the Griffin Search is very user friendly. It allows users to choose what subject categories and individual resources to use when entering a search, including other features such as what date range the desired publications should be. Having subject categories is useful because it helps take the guess work out of having to know which individual resource to use, which was a bit of an issue in the past. Morgan explained that Sometimes the names Westminster is no excepof the resources arent altion. We try to keep costs ways intuitive. Foy said. as affordable as we can but Once a search is entered not we will not compromise on only are the results neatly catquality, he declared. He but also above them pointed to new facilities like egorized, chosen databases list of the a the Jewett Center for the appear with how many hits Performing Arts, the Emma each database has. Eccles Jones Conservatory To use the Griffin Search, and the Health and Wellness users need to log in with their Center as examples of how Novell user name and password. Westminster is constantly However, any computer will be trying to improve. able to access it online, whether The Jewett Center has in the library or not. enhanced music and theater WebFeat, the leader in programs here, he said. In Cenfederated search engines for January, the Wellness add real will value ter libraries, built the search. to the campus and it will Any library can get it, feature many new amenities and then they customize it for the library, said Foy. Giovale (including parking spaces), Morgan explained. worked closelv with WebFeat By examining the big to adapt it for the webpage and school, including what catpicture, the initial sticker shock some experience reegories the library wanted and how to design it. of garding increasing prices The plans and work put tuition will not be a lingering into the search were very parfeeling. Financial aid helps make quality higher education ticular. This also included the name for the search and the affordable for all kinds of stulogo it would be associated by. dents. And though the price We came up with a of tuition at Westminster name that would be easily and around the nation may recognized by Westminster continue to rise, students can students, Foy said, and the appreciate this increase to a mascot fit perfectly. certain degree by acknowledg. Amelia Davis, a junior ing the effort schools make at at Westminster College, is trying to improve and main, the artist behind the Griffin tain high standards of faculty graphic for the search. They and facilities. had a really specific idea Morgan put it this way: about how they wanted it to Students make an investlook, Davis said. She was ment to come here, and were given a picture for an idea of make to an investment going how it should look, and went in the student"!. from there. top-notc- |