What's Real, What's Not by Vanesa Dangerfield Charged for Something That This College Provides for Free
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is Financial Aid Fraud What's real, what's not By Vanesa Dangerfield charged for something that this college provides for free. How is anyone able to get away with these kinds of a rip- Staff Writer ofifs? Typically, it involves a business that contacts well- You could be leafing through "Rolling Stone", meaning entrepreneurs with an opportunity to make money. "Seventeen", or "Spin", and there nestled among the These businessmen can tap into a database that lists govern- 'Sally Struther's home schooling' and the 'How to ment aid, obscure scholarships, grants, loans, and work- attract the opposite sex' advertisements is a caption study programs. When you call up the toll-free number that is that reads something like this: Scholarships! Grants! listed at the bottom of the flyer, they usually will send off to Free Money! We award annually $12 million in free you a basic questionnaire. You're supposed to return the money! And then you wonder, "now how do they do questionnaire with a check or money order, that?" You wonder if a philanthropist greater in scope, What you get in return is a print-out of sources of financial and wealth, than the uberphilanthropist Andrew aid, which is a given (every student in America can receive a Carnegie just died and his last request was that his government loan). Some ofthese sources might even include lawyers disperse the money through music and fash- scholarships which you may not even qualify for. For ex- ion magazines. Then you see the reality check-sent to ample, based on your questionnaire, the printout will say you Scholar Search Inc., 163 Take the Money and Run Rd., qualify for the IBM scholarship; but, upon further investiga- San Quentin, CA in the amount of just $19.95. tion you discover that this is only applicable to employees of The advertisements that the average college stu- IBM who are returning to school. Oraprmtoutmightsayyou dent sees in the back of a magazine are usually too are eligible for a government loan-contact your financial aid preposterous to be believed, but there are some busi- office. nessmen or 'companies' that reach students through If you are a student who has financial need, go to the mailing addresses and college bulletin boards. These school's financial aid office. This branch of the school has businesses make claims that, at best, they shouldn't be See FRAUD, page 8 making; and at worst, is a rip-off. These flyers and advertisements usually claim to find you scholar- ships and grants, but they make it sound as if they are the ones that actually give the money out Worse yet, they charge you money for a service that is offered for free at most colleges. Paul Phillips, the director of fi- nancial aid and scholarships at CSUSM urges students seeking financial aid to come to the financial aid office in Craven Hall, room 4204. He calls these types of advertisements misleading because^ you are being Financial Aid Director Paul Phillips urges students to use free services in the Financial Aid Office. Trish NagyI Staff Photographer :m New classroom li space planned Ei.lt By Tony Barton Editor-in-Chief A loan of up to $337,000 from the CSUSM Foundation will help Cal State San Marcos carry the expenses of a new building, which will provide much needed classroom space. The University is committing $600,000 of if s own funds to the creation of the planned ll,500sq. ft building which will lie behind Science Hall, adjacent to the faculty parking lot Planned occupancy is Jan. 1997, with construction beginning in July of this year. "This is thefirst tim e (the Foundation) has been able to provide this The new building will lie on this plot of land, behind Science Hall. Photo by trish Nagy/ Staff Photographer kind offinancial assistance, " said Foundation Director Marti Gray. The Foundation board members were very excited about being able to provide visible support" 7,200 ft of the structure has been designated for 9 classrooms, Teacher report reveals seating a total of360. Offices for the Division of Extended Studies and a relocated duplication center, currently in Science Hall, will fill additional space. With Prop. 203, we won't have Building 15 completed until 1998. strengths, weaknesses This is shorter term," said Campus Physical Planning Director which is coauthored by him and Burr, will Russell Decker. "It provides the funding needed for more classroom By Paul Hilker space immediately." Staff Writer effectively provide for great improvement in The loan will be paid back over afive yea r period. As far as the pay teacher education programs. back goes, Decker is confident The CSU Institute for Education Reform Major ideas covered in the report include "If s at a reasonable rate over the appropriate time period for the released its report on teacher education pro- strengthening ties between K-12 schools and University," he said. grams in the California State Universities. The higher education, strengthening links be- report, which recommends new perspectives tween schools of education and liberal Stud- of teacher education reform in the CSU sys- ies, and creating teacher "Diversity Programs" tem, is called "The Teachers Who Teach Our which have the goal of recruiting more Free tax service available Teachers." Evaluations of teacher education underrepresented (minority) teachers into individual is in class. programs were made by the Institute's Direc- By Tony Barton Said Heinle, "We've had stu- the state teachers system. tor Gary K. Hart and Associate Director Sue Editor-in-Chief dents come in that didn't think Cal State San Marcos was specifically men- Free income tax service is they made enough (to receive Burr as they visited the twenty CSU campuses tioned in the report as a model for other CSU available to the campus commu- returns). We start to tell them which offered programs in the 94-95 school systems to follow. CSU San Marcos has a nity again this year through Vol- about earned income credits and year. program that uniquely establishes and ini- unteer Income Tax Assistance their eyes light up." The objective of the report, Hart says, is to tiates the future of teacher education reform. (VITA). The service has been open focus upon weaknesses and strengths of the This program, called the Distinguished VITA consists of 8 volunteers since Feb. 5, but so far business teacher education program in order to improve Teacher in Residence program, allows K-12 from the Accounting Society and/ has been slow. the methods ofteache r preparation. Hart speaks or Business Dept who have been teachers to interact as part of the university "We've had a lot of people come about the necessity for teachers that are ready trained by the IRS. in with questions. We do a couple faculty, creating strong links in the university for the future of education reform in constant "Volunteers went through of returns each day," said Heinle. and public school system. flux. The CSU system grants about 12,000 training with the IRS. There was "If s starting to pick up." Enacting legislation to authorize the Com- a substantial test to pass and Heinle began preparingforthis multiple and single credentials each year. mission onTeacher Credentialing to approve 1 qualify forthe position, " said VITA year's VITAin August after being "Standards setting, school site management, of model programs within the CSU system is Coordinator Mark Heinle. selected by Mike Figaroa, the and better funding are all important, but if stressed in the teacher education report as Walk in appointments are president of the Accounting Soci- teachers are not properly prepared for the well. taken in ACD 207 on Mon. 3- ety. Since then, phone calls, re- extraordinary demographic, technological, and If you would like a copy of the report feel 5p.m.,Thurs. and Fri. 2:30-6p.m. cruiting, readying rooms has marketplace changes now occurring in Califor- free to contact Norma Yuskos,Executive Di- According to Heinle, appoint- dominated much of his time nia, we will not produce the kind of student ments usually take 15 minutes if rector of Public Affairs at 7504010. If you Income tax services are avail- success we deserve in our public schools," they go well. Work can then be have any questions on the Teacher In Resi- able until April 12. VITA is un- says Hart done on one's taxes while the available during spring break. dence Program, contact the Dean of the Col- Hart believes that the Institute's report, lege of education Steve Lilly, at 7504311. ALGI introduces culture WHAT'S NEWS B y Andrew Bailey ties in the United States. In order for a foreign student Staff Writer to enter an American college or University they must obtain a certain score on the TOEFL exam. ALCI One of the programs at CSUSM is the Ameri- students take the TOEFL test many times until they LibraryBooks the librar offersy does no interlibraryt posess can be obtaine dloan through can Language and Culture Institute (ALCI). The get the score that they need. interlibrary loan. Almost any book or article can be made program, which has been part of CSUSM's cam- Most of ALCFs graduates have gone on to attend available in one to two weeks and checked out for a period of two pus for three years, is part of the Extended Stud- community colleges such as Palomar and Mira Costa weeks. Renewals are sometimes available for up to two addi- ies Department and is located at 5205 Craven and a few are applying at CSUSM as regular students.