JMU ranked among top The Breeze research schools James Madison University's Student Newspaper Ismw -V. Ihursdau. March 22, 2007 Opinion, page 6 Sports, page 11 A&E, page 9 No taxation without representation Women's lacrosse team win Look inside for your spring revisited. fifth-straight match. fashion guide. Investigation launched to find links between colleges, loan companies ■VSAIAH Sun IVAN preferred lender agreements with student loan benefits staffwriter tion available to them." said Debra Turner, aaaod companies. These agreements allow financial aid The investigation into the alleged corruption ate director of operations of the Office of Financial officers to strongly entourage students to use cer- has found that Certain undisclosed lenders pro- Aid and Scholarships. "We are always looking for Controversy concerning exclusive student loan tain lenders. In return, the financial aid office re vided benefit! that included, among other things, lenders who give the best benefits to students companies or possible contracts between student ceives certain benefits. all-expense-paid vacations to exotic spots and The preferred lender list, supplied by the finan- loan companies has sparked investigations into JMU's financial aid office is not one ol them Compute* systems tor schools. cial aid office, contains the names of lenders for the university financial aid offices across the country. "We have never signed contracts like that, nor JMU's financial aid office provides loan infor- Stafford Uwn, the type of loans JMU predomi- Accordinv. to the tasodated Press, New York At- will we ever," said Brad Barnett. senior aasmialii mation to help students make divisions Its Web nantly deals with. JMU will, however, process a ion n General Andrew I uomo accused colleges dire, tor of the Office of Financial Aid and Schol- lite Contains a list Ol preferred lenders whom JMU loan with any bank or loan company a student of collecting benefits and gaining perks tmm van- arships "We do not have any agreements, at all. financial aid advisers think otter students good .houses ous loan companies to give any lenders any specific amount of busi loan packages. "We have identified those who we think an- Investigators have found that some univer- ness. we don't push students to take par- "We have all of our information on the Web and sities across the country have formed exclusive ticular loans and we don't receive we try to make sun- students have the Informa- see LOANS, page 4 Bill rejected bySGA Going the Senate majority defeats measure ■V AlFX HllION contributing writer distance The Student Senate granted sever.il clubs funds Tuesday night amidst heated debate ConcerningSGA's role in freshman orientation. More than 300 JMU students The Hxecutive Council and staff orienta- tion bill, authored bv sophomon' Vice Pres. Jeff volunteer with ASB program Watson would make tin>se in executive or staff |H-Miu>n>. ineligible lop parbcipabng in fresh- man onentation ■v BFNIAMIN BAYNTON While some ASB programs go out "I here is no effective planning and leader- staff writer of country, others stav m the United ship when everyone is unable to meet dunng States. One group went to Kansas City, the summer, said Watson. "I his is dis* rediting More than MX) JMU students Mo., to work with Operation Breath- ti i st .A hei ause we serve the students." participated in 27 student-led rough, a day care center for under- Watson does not feel this would hurt either tnps, both international and do- organization privileged children between 6 months mes! i,, as part of the university's and 16 years old during their parents This is not limiung, because even though Alternative Spnng Break program. workdays there are g.xid leaders in SCA, there are other "What I hope comes out of I lie i enter is a safer place than good leaders outside of this organi;MUon," he all the tnps is that students have thes« kid's homes," said coordinator said. "IbceCUti ve st,iM is the most seri<ius posi- an experience that opens their of first-year onentation staff Dan Mur- tion m Sc,A, and with that comes senous time eyes and encourages thero to get phy. "We didn't expect to get as dose and commitment." engaged in all their communities to these kids as we did." Sm Itimmy Bluestein (Soph.) agreed. and connected with the world around Parents who use the center are It uould make people think long and hard them," said ASB pmgram director if |the\| want k) M in required to pav only what they can af- Lorelei Ksbenshade. ford. Many children attend for bee. Orientation or 91 .A," he One of the furthest destinations said. 'Tins could give 'Most of the children come from SGA was ( aiatemala. where participants single-parent homes," Murphv said. us better uindidates Tuesday were introduced to local vulture and 'The six hours of the day we spent because people would history want to Waft reallv with these kids is the highfaghl of their "We got to meet these widows day." hard to win .ind follow whose husbands had been lulled in the Even closer to home was the tnp to thmugh with their plat- massacres of the 1980s (in Guatema- forms." Washington, D.C. to the bather McK- la!," senior Sarah Robarge said. "We Daspita the potnti enna Center to help the local homeless got a lot of history lessons throughout male population fighting substance made to pavs the bill, then- was an over* helm- the we. - * abuse. ing majontv against the amendment. The Guatemala tnp worked on "We, wOre able to hang out with "|ML is all about opportunity; there are the Highlands Prorect, focusing the men and listen as they told their over ^organizations because even one wants ^^^ on the environment and stones," waid ASB student coordina- to get involved and dabble and leel everything ^fe reforestation. tor Rebecca Bourne. "We played chess out,'' said Sen Heather Shuttleworth (Soph.). 'We were making and learned card game*a* well as If someone is tonimitted enough and t.vl like ™ environmentally friendly prepared them lunch ever)1 day." they have enough determinism to take on both stoves.' Robarge said. "It 111 u ally, Alternative Spnng Break roles, win not let them pfOVC it' was really coo! because tnps are composed of two student co- Sen. Oeary Go* (graduate student) also WC were making something leaden, a faculty learning partner and voiced his opinion against the bill. £ radical that they would use seven participants "I recognize the leadership and commit- ur or five times a day." 'The trip leaders pick their site, or- ment il takes the onentation staff to give them- Sometimes language was ganize their service, find their hou*ing selves to the fn*shman class, and we shouldn't abarnerun International trips. and create their budget," Psbenshade limit the strongest members of this orgamz.i- Participants of the (.uatemala said. "If it were all up to me to do it tkmtobtFftOCSorOPA*' CoxaeJd This tnp had to use creative commu- all. ue would have three tnps bill regulates tin* much personal responsibility, nication. Trip leaders must attend training and that is now hen* else m the constitution." "The children ol the village from mid-October through November. Uatson said he understands that onenta- spoke some Spanish, but the "You learn a lot of different things tion ends in September, but said the bill is to- adults spoke a May an dialed." through activities and speakers such t used on work done dunng the summer. Robarge said "We had tocom- as risk assessment, conflict, leadership "I he chief ot statt is getting paid. 1 don't mujrfcate through smiles and hand think its right lor them lohavea (obomampus gestures " see ASB. page 5 and not pmperlv do it," he said. Main senators lell tliat being leaders in other arras than St .A is vital to lielp build char- a.ter and get in touch with the n-st ol tlie student body Other points wen- brought up in opposi- tton, BUCh as the factthat S .Aiould possihh rv stn.t a student having a fob dunng the summer "" "'l<'r to tullill his or her S<. \ dtities Virginia schools 'educationally efficient' Student Body Pn-adent. Brandon Eickel •s«d that sctcunvc member* pertcponnri in Card on Educational Bfltctivmeea," Whether it's high school or col- n\ law what implojran look lor br- l,nentauoii2(Xlr> created a district in executive Schools ranked by Civs each state i report card' on lege, new requirements yfld new skill ctUM thing! chain .ill tht Hmo." '"nn.il and stall >v\ well it is doing according to the sets coma OUl that we have to adapt '"When we ask out Krddu.itrs. 'We didn't start to build those relationships U.S. Chamber of organization"s standards to," Thomas Dan Irwin. assistant il s i'vrrwh»'lmin£ the number who ■nd statt was not property trained by exec." Overall Virginia achoola received vice president of Assessment & Pub- would recommend JMU,' Frank 1 fckeJasJd Commerce i' H" lor acadtmk achievement, rig- lu Polu \ at |MLi said. "We regularly I Miertv dlnctof ot lnvliliilion.il Re- I he bill, which would have taken ette«t in or ol standards, postsecondarv and search, said. i moved to a roll-call vote and did not BY SHAVNA STRAW. workforce readlneea, return on In- 66 In order to help Itudtnti prepare pen. staff writer vestment tnith in advertising about (or the future, there are several as- Noto-orietv. the lirsl all-female a cappella student prohueiuv, and llcxihilit\ in sessment program m pUce bo M Recently, the I S v lumber of ...It'sovenohdming, gOUn established at |MU.