Verlander Hakuna Matata! The Lion King returns Sports • pagE 28 DEtAils on pagE 9 Arts & EntErtAinmEnt • PAgE 20 TheonnectionSchoolcraft Volume 25 Issue 02 C Serving the Schoolcraft Community for 25 years September 26, 2011 STUDENTS IN DEFAULT Harsh realities of a tough economy prevent the harsh penalties that may By Leah Esslinger Staff Writer fall upon those in default. The govern- ment has the right to garnish wages and deplete bank accounts with little or no othing’s worse than being a poor N notice. They can put liens on any prop- student … unless you’re a poor student erty owned by students or their parents in a bad economy. Student loan defaults if they co-signed on the loan. Failure reached 4.5 percent in 2003, after to understand the terms of an steadily dropping during the ‘90s. In the agreement will not avert current financial crisis, student defaults these consequences. are following the same trends as other Figuring out how to forms of debt: they are on the rise. prevent default is the At the end of 2009, loan defaults hit best course of action. $50.8 billion, a 30-percent jump from It is important to the previous year. The Chronicle of understand that Higher Education reports that “one applying for gov- in every five government loans that ernment loans is entered repayment in 1995 have gone the easiest way to into default.” The rate is higher for those go. Federal loan who attend two-year institutions but it interest rates is the for-profit schools that really fail. are capped at These for-profit institutions are the 6.8 percent, epicenter of the loan debacle, which while accounts for a only 26 percent of bor- private rowers, but 43 percent of defaulters loans do as reported by The New York Times. not cap For-profit colleges, such as Everest interest Institute, have been accused of charg- rates. ing maximum expense. They do not, however, offer highly marketable skills necessary for the increasingly competitive job market, earning them Although the moniker as a “diploma mill.” For- it is impor- profits defend themselves by asserting tant to con- most of their students are low-income sider future minorities and are often the first in Default Rates as reported by the National Student Loan Data System salaries, it also (NSLDS) their families to seek out higher educa- pays to know about tion. Three-fourths of their students Public Service Loan are employed full-time. These char- Forgiveness. This acteristics are often correlated with program offers forgive- high dropout rates which, according to ness of debt to people FAFSA, are the leading cause of student who work in low-paying debt. – but vital – positions Although the numbers are not as dra- like law enforcement matic, the rise in community college and public health. defaults is also a cause for concern. The As with any loan, Chronicle of Higher Education says that be sure to contact the the 15-year default rate for community lending institution if a college students is 31 percent, which monthly payment will is only 9-percent less than the 15-year CONTACT US be missed. Most insti- default rates at for-profit colleges. This [email protected] tutions are willing to is especially concerning because only 734-462-4422 work with students. 10 percent of community college stu- Deferment and forbear- dents took out any loans. When asked ance are also popular to explain these numbers, the Career options, but use them College Association President, Harris N. wisely as both defer- Miller responded, “Four-year public and INSIDE ment and forbearance non-profit colleges and universities have do not prevent a loan more affluent populations.” He added from collecting inter- News .......................2 that the Parent Loan for Undergraduate est. The most critical Students (PLUS) further complicates Editorials ................6 step one can take is to the issue because it is mostly awarded Campus Life ......... 10 make sure to graduate. to parents of students who go to tradi- That is the best way to A&E .......................20 tional universities. make a loan worth it. Sports ....................26 Some experts believe private finan- Diversions .............32 cial institutions are partially to blame Photo Story ...........36 for student debt. There may be some validity to this argument but it does not Photo by Mandy Getschman 2 the Schoolcraft connection ews September 26, 2011 N In our news By Ramon Razo Through the eye of Irene News Editor The chaos, the devastation, and everything afterwards National news By Ian Mark Staff Writer A Michigan man was found mauled to death by a bear in Yellowstone Hurricane National Park on August 25. The Irene made death was the second that month – landfall late prior to 2011, bear-related deaths had this August, not occurred in Yellowstone for over rampaging 25 years. Authorities say that John across the Wallace was likely killed on a solo East Coast. hike as he passed through the Mary According to Mountain trail, due to the abundances The New York of animal carcasses that die over the Times, there winter. In July, a couple was attacked by a was at least mother bear who park authorities say $7 billion was protecting her cub. The couple in property was attacked eight miles from where damages and Wallace’s body was found. 55 people The park also reported nine grizzly were killed. bear-related injuries, almost doubling While not on last year’s total. the same level as Katrina, College students of Linn State which leveled Technical University were greeted with a new, legally questionable policy New Orleans when returning to the Missouri school. in 2006, the The new policy requires all students to hurricane was undergo mandatory drug screenings. nothing to be An ACLU lawsuit claims that the drug taken lightly. screenings violate students’ civil rights The and the restraining order placed on Hurricane’s the program will remain until a court path was hearing can be scheduled. Federal and predicted to state courts have consistently upheld stretch from student drug tests, such as public the Carolinas school students who play sports and students at private schools. to Cape Cod, putting an Regional news estimated 65 million Adnan Hana, a local business man, was among the 13 arrested in connec- people at risk, tion with an international car theft according ring. The ring operated by obtaining to MSNBC. rental cars and SUVs, then driving Residents them illegally to Canada where they along the hit South Carolina, the Hudson River over- a quarter-of-a-million would eventually be shipped and sold coast stocked extra gales ripped across flowed into much of people in Quebec in Iraq. amounts of food and the state, knocking out the city. Sewage plants without power, accord- The thieves left behind a v paper prepared by boarding power and uprooting were overwhelmed ing to CBC. trail, which included car agreements up their houses and trees. The storm contin- causing overflow and So was all the hype and police reports. “Criminals should businesses. Shelters ued up the coast, raging polluting the area. about the storm war- be aware that just because they are were organized and through North Carolina Dams failed, leaving ranted? One student, transcending international borders doesn’t mean the investigation will hundreds of thousands and Virginia. The hur- parts of the state in over Christa Bloxsom, said ricane created several eight feet of water and “I know lots of people stop there,” said U.S. Attorney Barbara of people evacuated McQuade. the area. Mayors and tornadoes, which oblit- isolating many areas. along the East Coast, erated homes and over- According to The New and they said it was no The 13 suspects were arrested on governors urged people charges of conspiracy to transport to take the hurricane turned cars. York Times, DJ Big Jay big deal.” stolen goods. The arrests came after seriously, even though The Mid-Atlantic Fink stayed on the air It has been claimed a two-year investigation dubbed it was classified as States were hit the for 13 hours, spreading that the storm was “Operation: Hot Wheels.” Authorities Category 1. Fifteen hardest by the storm, information about shel- overblown and over- are also on the lookout for a 14th states declared a state particularly New Jersey. ters and playing sooth- hyped. People still died suspect. of emergency, mass Many drowned and ing music. “I didn’t and many more could transit was shut down thousands were left want sad songs, I didn’t have lost their lives Local news and mandatory evacu- homeless when rivers want happy songs,” he if there had been less In mid-August, authorities arrested ations were ordered for flooded. High winds said, “I wanted songs diligence in warning Robert Paul Miller on suspicion of low-lying areas of some also plagued the state, about being together.” about the storm. Irene arson. The first fire was at 11:30 p.m. in states. Oddly enough, knocking down electri- The storm continued was responsible for an Sherwood Village trailer park located many New Yorkers cal poles and leaving along the coast, even estimated $7 billion in on Old Michigan Avenue, southeast of Michigan Avenue and Haggerty. At said the city felt more thousands without reaching into Canada. damage. If everybody electricity. Getting While New York and had simply scoffed at 8 a.m. the next day, another mobile relaxed and had a “com- home was set ablaze. The first home’s munity feel” before the the power grid back New Jersey were hit learning the hurricane together proved to be the worst, every state was only a Category 1, resident was in the process of moving storm hit, according to out but was not home at the time.