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President Barack Obama’s budget plan will eliminate
approximately $10 billion in financial aid for students
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By Barbara Miller
Republicans introduced
cuts to education that include
the need-based Pell Grant and
56 other education programs.
Proposed cuts would reduce the
maximum grant by 15 percent, a
loss of $845 per year. Pell Grants
would drop yearly from $5,550
to $4,705. This cut is the largest
reduction in Pell Grant history.
During the 2009-2010
school year, 8.9 million
students qualified for a Pell
Grant. In 2008, 6.1 million
students received Pell Grants
and an estimated 9.6 million
are expected to receive grants
next year. There is a 45 percent
increase based on statistics from
the College Board Advocacy
and Policy Center. The amount
awarded also increased from
$2,970 to $4,115, doubling Pell
Grant expenditures in only three
years.
In President Obama’s 2010
federal budget proposal, he
introduced cuts that would
remove $10 billion from student
aid programs. His budget seeks
to maintain the Pell Grant for
the 2011-2012 school year and
beyond. The President’s budget
eliminates year round Pell
Grants, which cost more than
ten times what was expected.
US Education Secretary, Ame
Duncan, called the program
“unsustainable” in an interview
with USA Today.
Financial expert, Mark
Kantrowitz, publisher of www.
finaid.org and www.fastweb.
org, predicts that any cut in Pell
Grant awards would reduce the
number of bachelor degrees
earned by low-income students.
Groups that statistically
display the greatest need for
Pell Grants are single mothers,
African Americans, Native
Americans, Hispanics and
physically disabled individuals.
74 percent of recipients came
from families that made less
than $50,000 and could only
contribute $1,200 or less to their
children’s education.
The United States Student
Association Foundation (USSA)
opposes the Republican cuts.
They point out an $845 reduction
in the Pell Grant equals a year’s
worth of transportation or
textbook costs. For the poorest
families, losing $845 per year
increases loan burdens and may
lead to students giving up their
education.
9.0 Earthquake and massive Tsunami
japan, causing turmoil and death
By D.A. Baker
devastated parts of the country.
Although the extent of the dam
age is extensive, it is not what is
on the minds of most Japanese
Consumed by the aftermath of an citizens. This topic falls to the
earthquake and tsunami, Japan threat of radiation from one of
is now not only facing the hard- Japan’s nuclear power plants that
ship of rebuilding a nation after has been without power for two
Mother Nature wreaked havoc weeks now.
on its populous, March 11, but it Employees are working fer-
also faces the invisible danger of vently to cool down the reactors
nuclear radiation. that are causing the leaks in ra-
On March 11, Japan was hit by diation. It is not a uncommon to
a 9.0 magnitude earthquake that see pictures of Japanese citizens
caused a massive tsunami to hit wearing protective facial gear,
the eastern most part of the island, and CNN reported that iodine
According to CNN, the death toll pills, commonly used to protect
rose 10,500 over the weekend, the thyroid from radiation poi-
and there are still an estimated soning, cannot be kept in stock
7,000 people missing. In addi- throughout Japan. The radiation
tion, 2,612 were accounted for, threat is ever looming throughout
but injured. Patrick Fuller of the Japan, and Chief Cabinet Secre-
Intemational Federation of Red tary Yukio Edano told reporters
Cross and Red Crescent Societies “We will continue to monitor the
said that rescue efforts were being situation while making the neces-
hindered by snowfall in the most sary preparations.”
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Yamamoto town, in Miyagi Prefecture, is still partially
submerged in water Friday, March 18, 2011, a week after
the earthquake and resulting tsunami hit northern Japan.
f
Libyan Warplanes Continue To Pound Rebel Positions
By NPR Staff and Wires
Libyan warplanes struck the
coastal city of Ras Lanuf on
March 8, as rebels braced for what
they fear could be a more intense
assault, while reports emerged
that the western city of Zawiya
had fallen to government troops.
Air force jets carried out
multiple airstrikes against rebel
Libyan rGbels who are part of the forces against Liby- positions in the oil port city, NPR’s
an leader Moammar Gadhafi sit in their vehicle near petei- Kenyon reported. He said
Ras Lanuf, eastern Libya, Monday, March 7, 2011. loudspeakers broadcast requests
Dr. Walter Swan Talks Quality Enhancment Plan
for information on missing people
a day after aerial strikes reportedly
caused casualties.
Representatives of the
opposition said they have rejected
an offer of negotiations from
Moammar Gadhafi’s government.
A spokesman for the transitional
National Council, which was
established by the opposition as
a de facto government in the east,
said there will be no talks until
the man who has ruled Libya with
an iron-fist for more than four
decades steps down.
“We are not worried...
By Brittnee Exum
Dr. Walter R. Swan, an instrumental
member of the Quality Enhancement Plan
committee, was interviewed by Compass
Editor-in-Chief, Brittnee Exum. Below is
the correspondence:
Q: What was your involvement in QEP?
A: I serve on the subcommittee of the QEP
as the Chair of the Branding Committee
and the Chair of the Student Marketing
Committee. My assignment was to provide
the core committee with a brand that
would best serve the QEP and represent
the university. As the chair of the Student
Marketing Committee, my assignment is to
work with the certain students to promote
the QEP to the student body. I am working
closely with Mr Calvin Wright to accomplish
this goal.
Q: How often do universities have to
be evaluated for accreditation (re
accreditation)?
A: The university is reviewed every five
(5) years from the time it becomes initially
accredited.
Q: What did QEP set out to accomplish?
A: The purpose of the QEP at ECSU is
to enhance students' academic writing
skills, while strengthening their reading
comprehension and critical/analytical
thinking skills. The QEP describes a carefully
designed course of action that addresses
a well-defined and focused topic related
to enhancing student learning. Guided
by our mission statement and goals in our
strategic plan, the ECSU QEP is designed
to impact student learning positively. The
purpose of developing the QEP as a part
of the reaffirmation process has become an
opportunity for ECSU to improve academic
writing and enhance the overall quality of the
institution. As a result, we have implemented
a strategic plan to assess the implementation
of the QEP and its outcomes.
Q: Was it accomplished?
A: It is still in progress. Outcomes TEA
Q: How does QEP effect the students?
A: It is assist in strengthening the students at
ECSU in their prowess’to:
Improve writing
1.Improve critical thinking skills
l.Improve reading input and comprehension
skills
3.Improve students apprehension and
cognitive performance pertinent to
communication.
Q: When is SACS coming to review
ECSU?
A: April II-I4, 2011 there will be an on-sight
team to review the Quality Ehancement Plan.
everybody knows it’s either
us or him,” the spokesman,
Iman Bugaighis, said at a news
conference Tuesday in Benghazi.
“It’s a personal issue now. After
the blood that has been shed, there
is no return.”
Libyan state television denied
that Gadhafi had sent an envoy
to talk to the rebels. But NPR’s
Lourdes Garcia-Navarro said
Tripoli did make an overture “for
some sort of negotiated solution
to this crisis.”
Have an opinion on
current events you
would like to share?
Email The
Compass at:
thecompassfamail.ccsii.edu