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KEEPING THE WOLVES FROM THE DOOR HOW CAN STUDENTS STAY OUT OF THE RED?
KEEP THE WOLF FROM THE DOOR (PHRASE): HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO AVERT HUNGER OR POVERTY. The rising cost of tuition is a common factor in every student’s life. Colleges and universities across the nation are seeing higher prices for tuition and fees -- prices that have steadily risen over the past several decades. With so much importance placed on obtaining a college degree, students and parents are bearing the burden of student loan debt following graduation.
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According to CollegeBoard. org, tuition at four-year public colleges has risen more than 100 percent since 2001, after taking inflation into account. Nationally, the average cost of tuition and fees, as well as room and board for the 20172018 school year is $20,770. While tuition prices continue on a steady increase, students are forced to find ways to keep up the with the demanding price of a college education. Seemingly small increases can add up over time and students may continue paying for their education long after they have received their degrees. Within this special edition, The Herald’s editorial staff has examined the ins and outs of tuition and aimed to provide a more comprehensive understanding of what A-State students pay for and what resources are available to help students pay for their education.
WHAT’S INSIDE 2 A: T U I T I ON AN D F EES 2 A: F I N AN CI AL AI D & SCH OLARSH I P S 3 A: M ARI AN A’ S STORY 4 A: M ARI AN A’ S STORY, CON T. 4 A: ST U D EN T SP EAK : ST U D EN T LOAN D EBT 1 B: N EWS, CAM P U S CRI M E 2 B: SP ORT S 3 B: N EWS, CON T. 4 B: PHOTO
WWW.ASTATEHERALD.COM
WEDNESDAY, NOV. 29, 2017
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Officials discuss university tuition, p
KEITH TURNER NEWS EDITOR
Many students said tuition at Arkansas State University is overpriced, especially compared to other universities in the state. But Len Frey, vice chancellor for finance and administration, said that isn’t true. “We do the very best job we can to keep tuition and fees as affordable as we can,” Frey said. A-State ranked fifth on a comparison of annualized tuition and fees of public universities in Arkansas, from most to least expensive. Frey said five years ago, the school was ranked second.
“You can see that Arkansas State University Jonesboro has been very aggressive at keeping our total tuition and fees down,” Frey said. Compared to the tuition and fees for Sun Belt Conference universities and other peer institutions, A-State ranked in the lower half of the list, with an average annual tuition of $8,200 compared to an overall average of $8,757. However, the school requires an annualized $2,178 in mandatory fees -- the third highest in the state, after the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and the University of Arkansas at Monticello. A majority of students don’t know what the fees that they pay every year
entail, or what they go to. “I absolutely do not know what all I pay,” said Anna Collins, sophomore nursing major. “I think some of (fees) are good. I think others are just sort of unnecessary for me to paying. The Office of Finance and Administration provided The Herald with a description of the various required fees charged to students each semester, listed alphabetically below. Fees are either a flat rate, meaning they are the same for all students, or per credit hour, meaning they may vary depending on how many hours a student is taking. Fees include: Academic Excellence Fee- provides salary adjustments to teaching and re-
searching faculty. $7.25 per credit hour. Arkansas Assessment Feeprovides tests used to assess student’s academic progress. $5 flat rate. Athletic Fee- provides scholarships, tutoring services, and athletic equipment. Allows students to get into every athletic event on campus with special seating. $19 per credit hour. Deferred Maintenance Fee- provides upkeep and maintenance of the university’s buildings,
POLL: HOW D 14.6%
17.1%
12.2%
A-State Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships offers financial assistance, resources to students KIRSTEN LARRISON LIFE EDITOR
Many current and future college students look for various ways to pay for their education. Some students choose to look into loans, others consider scholarships, and still others may be forced to pay out of pocket. However, when looking through these different options, students should be aware that they are not alone. “We consider anything a student uses to pay for their tuition as financial aid,” said Terry Finney, assistant vice chancellor for Enrollment Services and director of Financial Aid and Scholarship. The Financial Aid and Scholarship office is on the second floor of the Reng Student Union and focuses on helping students pay for college through external means. “That could be scholarships, that could be grants, like a
If students don’t qualify for need-based aid or loans, scholarships are also available. Some scholarships are available through the school, but there are more scholarships available through secondary sources. “We have a lot of information and do information sessions, but you have to go out and look (for scholarships),” Finney said. “There are scholarship search websites like fastweb.com and fundmyfuture.org. Nothing is guaranteed with those, but you can go out and ask for information about scholarships you can apply for.” Other websites, like Chegg, not only provide scholarship opportunities but also help students find cheap textbooks, tutors and internships. The website offers ways to prep for standardized exams such as the ACT, SAT and the LSAT. Meanwhile, A-State offers seven levels of institutional scholarships to incoming
freshmen. All institutional scholarships have certain qualifications that must be met. The Scholar requires a minimum ACT score of 32 and a 3.50 GPA. The highest ACT score is 36. Two of the scholarships, the Promise Scholarship and the Out-of-State scholarship, are less competitive. The Promise Scholarship requires that you apply with the required materials, and the Out-of-State Scholarship requires the student is either from a bordering state or a transfer student. The biggest scholarship, A-State Scholar, gives a student $15,000, which is divided between fall and spring semesters. The other six scholarships give out less money and have less demanding requirements, respectively. For example, the A-State Excellence scholarship requires an ACT score of 30 or 31 and a GPA of 3.50, but only awards
26.8%
$5,500. The rest of the official requirements are all listed at astate.edu/scholarships. “We hear a lot that we have the earliest deadline in the state, but we really don’t,” Finney said. “A lot of schools will have a preliminary deadline of Dec. 1, and they’ll try to award later on but they may not have the funds. We do that because we want people to know what they’re going to get early so they can make a decision.” Finney and the rest of the staff of the Financial Aid and Scholarships office are always ready to help students. Students can walk in and ask to talk to a representative of the office, or they can email or call the office to ask questions. The frequently asked questions list is also on their website. “There is a wealth of information on our website if you want to go explore it,” Finney said. “There’s all kinds of information out there.”
ALUMNI FEEDBACK: HOW MUCH DID YOU PAY? “1978. Freshman fall tuition was $242.”
- Scott Benedict
“I’d estimate about $4,500 a semester for tuition and fees in the late 90s.”
- Stan Foley
- Brandi Hinkle
“1989. A flat rate of $700 and could take up to 21 hours.”
2000
- Melissa Morrison
- Roy Ockert
1970
“$30 per credit hour in the early 80s.”
1990
$90 per semester in the fall of 1963 for a full-time student.”
1960
treats everyone equitably. That determines the Estimated Family Contribution, or EFC.” The EFC is used to determine the eligibility of a student to receive aid. “If the EFC is below the cost of attendance, or $22,000, then there’s eligibility for the need-based aid,” Finney said. “It allows a student to be able to get subsidized student loans and be eligible for the work study program.” Subsidized student loans are loans in which the government takes responsibility of paying the interest. There is a sixmonth grace period, where interest is still not applied, but after that time has passed, the interest begins to accumulate. “The last few years of graduating seniors have had about $22,000 or $23,000 (in debt), which is below the national average,” Finney said. “The national average is about $27,000 or $28,000.”
1980
“
Pell Grant that some students receive,” Finney said. “It could be work study, it could be loans. They’re all considered financial aid.” Finney added, there are about 7,500 to 8,000 students who receive some type of federal aid. “Our federal aid that we disperse is about $110 million, including Pell Grant and work study,” Finney said. To determine if a student is eligible for certain types of financial aid, Finney recommended that students complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). “Need-based aid is determined by filling out the FAFSA,” Finney said. “It’s based on the student and parent income, how many people are in the family, and other items that are involved with that. The federal government runs that through a calculation that
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plans to keep cost of attendance low
DO YOU PAY?
Pa rt i al Sc h o lars h i p + Loans Pa rt i al Sc h o lars h i p + Income O n l y L oan s
$10 per credit hour. Library Fee- provides library material and electronically accessible materials. $6 per credit hour. Recreational Fee- provides funds to the construction of the Red Wolf Center. $7 per credit hour. Student Activity Fee- provides action funds for student organizations, “Spring Fest”, concerts, and lectures. $20.00 flat rate, charged to students with 3 or more credit hours. Student Union Fee- provides funds for renovations for the Reng Center and to maintain construction of the new Student Union. $10 per credit hour. Yearbook Fee- covers printing cost, repair and replacement of computer
equipment, and software to submit the yearbook for printing. $10 flat rate, charged to students with 12 or more credit hours. A variety of additional fees also may be charged to certain students, including the Honors Fee, Graduation Fee, and Academic Probation and Suspension Fee. According to Frey, the cost of these fees are recommended by an executive committee to the ASU System President, who then presents them to the Board of Trustees. The Board of Trustees make the final decision. The committee makes the recommendations based on the university’s monetary need for the fee. “Those fees would primarily be
determined by our needs, irrespective of what’s going on in the marketplace,” Frey said. He also said that the cost of fees does not change based on what other universities charge. Frey said the Office of Finance and Administration understands the cost of tuition and fees can be frustrating. However, the fees are necessary for the upkeep of the university. He said the university makes sure the price of attendance stays at an affordable rate for students. “And that will increase under Chancellor Damphousse,” Frey said. “He’s as committed as anyone we’ve ever had to maintaining affordability for students.”
Mariana’s Story: How one A-State student balances school, work and the cost of tuition
Other
DESTINI LATTIMORE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Thirty hours a week at work. Sixteen credit hours in the classroom. Mariana Arredondo, a 19-year-old sophomore strategic communication major at Arkansas State, balances two jobs, a demanding class schedule and an active social life. Arredondo mastered the art of completing her schoolwork and working two jobs by utilizing her “free time” on the job. “When I work at the library, I work at a desk. So when people aren’t coming up to me, I do homework, I do research, I write papers,” Arredondo said. The student also said Tuesdays and Thursdays are much harder to manage because those are her longest class days and she works late hours as a hostess at Outback Steakhouse. “I get out of class at like 3:30 and I usually have to be at work at 5:30,” she said. “I usually close so I get home around 11. Either I have to stay up late or I wake up earlier in order to finish my assignments.” Arredondo’s story -- working multiple jobs while still in college -- is common but it certainly becomes more difficult when you discover she receives no financial assistance from A-State or the federal government.
“My dad is currently paying out of pocket,” Arredondo said. Alan Arredondo is a mechanical engineer at NuCor in Blytheville. He received his degree in mechanical engineering from Facultad de Ingeniería Mecánica de la Universidad de Guanajuato (Faculty of Mechanical Engineering of the University of Guanajuato) in Mexico. A native of San Luis Potosi, Arredondo’s family immigrated to the United States when she was just 9 years old. She spent the next nine years of her life in Mobile, Alabama, a place Mariana calls her true hometown. Although the student identifies mostly with her Alabamian roots, her immigrant status has hindered her ability to receive financial aid. Before transferring to Arkansas State, Arredondo attended the University of South Alabama where she was only eligible for one scholarship. According to Arredondo, the Bay Area Freshman Scholarship only covered about $1,500 of her tuition and fees. Arredondo’s older sister also attended the University of South Alabama where she received her bachelor’s degree in December 2016. Her father also paid her tuition. Since her move from the University of South
DESTINI LATTIMORE | EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Mariana Arredondo, a sophomore strategic communication major, helps a patron find a book at the Craighead County Public Library. Arredondo works at the Information Desk in the library and also works as a hostess at Outback Steakhouse.
ARREDONDO, 4A
PER CREDIT HOUR TUITION + MANDATORY FEES: 2008 - 2018 3,918
4,039.25
154 10 10 4 9 6 5 5 20 10 -
163 12 10 4 10 6 5 5 20 10 -
163 12 10 4 10 6 5 5 20 10 -
170 12 10 4 10 6 7 5 20 10 -
176.8 15 10 4 10 6 7 5 20 10 -
181 17 10 4 10 6 7 5 20 10 2 -
187 17 10 4 10 6 7 5 20 10 4 3 -
192 17 10 4 10 6 7 5 20 10 6 3 -
200 19 10 4 10 6 7 5 20 10 6 4 -
202 19 10 4 10 6 7 5 20 10 6 4 3
210 19 10 4 10 6 7 5 20 10 7.25 4 3
2 0 1 7- 2 0 1 8
3,885
2 0 1 6- 2 0 1 7
3,734
2 0 1 5- 2 0 1 6
3,659
2 0 1 4- 2 0 1 5
3,562
2 0 1 3- 2 0 1 4
3,467
2 0 1 2- 2 0 1 3
3,320
2 0 1 1- 2 0 1 2
3,150
2 0 1 0- 2 0 1 1
3,150
2 0 0 9- 2 0 1 0
I n - St a t e Tui ti on P CH A t h le t i c Fee P CH S t u d e n t U n i o n Fee P CH I nf ra st ru c t u re Fee P CH Te c h n o l o g y Fee P CH L i b ra ry Fee P C H S t ud e n t C e n t e r Fee P C H Ar kans a s A sse ssm en t Fee S t u d e n t A c ti vi ty Fee Ye a r book Fee A cade mi c E xc e l len ce Fee Fa c i li ti es Fee De f e r re d M a i n t e nan ce Fee
3,005
2 0 0 8- 2 0 0 9
15 C re d i t Hou r Total
2 0 0 7- 2 0 0 8
3%
F u ll Sc h o lars h i p
grounds, and infrastructure. $3 per credit hour. Facilities Fee- for critical maintenance work, upgrades, and renovations where needed. $4 per credit hour. Infrastructure Feeprovides instructional equipment, computer equipment, and library materials. $4 per credit hour. Information Technology Fee- provides funds to support increased use, adaptation, and implementation of emerging technologies.
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ARREDONDO, CONTINUED
Alabama where she received her bachelor’s degree in December 2016. Her father also paid her tuition. “My first semester of college was my sister’s last semester in college. My dad had to pay both of our tuitions at the same time,” Arredondo said. Since her move from the University of South Alabama to Arkansas State, Arredondo and her father have had to bear the burden of out-of-state tuition and fees, along with the lack of resources for students like Arredondo. “I’m paying out-of-state right now because I’m still technically a resident in Alabama. So, I pay at least $1,000 more than I had to in Alabama.” Out-of-state tuition adds roughly an additional $3,150 to a student’s tuition and fees in comparison to in-state students. Lucky for Arredondo, her father has taken responsibility for all her school finances. “My dad said that as long as I’m studying, he’ll pay for anything school-related. The parking pass, books, everything. He covers it all.” Avoiding the looming threat of student loan debt is one plus to having her father pay her tuition. “I have a lot of friends who are in debt already and they’re only sophomores because they’re taking out so many loans,” she said. “I’ve never had to do that because, you know, my dad.”
Arredondo’s father recognizes the challenges his daughter faces as a non-citizen and cites that difficulty as one of the reasons helping her achieve a college education is so important. “Young kids need to start their financial life fresh,” he said. “Starting with debt before making real money is not a right set up.” Alan Arredondo also said the federal government and universities should review their approach to college tuition and consider a more nonprofit focus. “Lower cost would make it achievable even for the low incomes,” her father said. “Most countries abroad have a low cost on public universities. That’s the way to go.” While there are endless scholarships available to college students, those like Arredondo often have issues applying for scholarships because of their immigrant status. At the same time, Ana Saucedo from the A-State Office of Recruitment, said the federal government prohibits giving federal financial aid to students who are recipients of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) or students who are undocumented. Also, because Arkansas State is a public institution, the school is unable to award those students institutional scholarships. “The state has tried on multiple occasions to pass a bill
within the state to award instate tuition to these students but it has failed to pass each time,” Saucedo said. The bill to which she was referring is AR SB915, The Postsecondary Education and Economic Development Act of 2013. SB915 was a bipartisan bill sponsored by Arkansas Senator Joyce Elliott. Saucedo said, “This situation is very unfortunate because these are students and families that are making a lot of sacrifices in order to achieve their
“My dad said that as long as I’m studying, he’ll pay for anything school-related. The parking pass, books, everything. He covers it all.” dreams and the majority of the population is not aware of that or does not realize the hoops they have to jump through to achieve a higher education.” Because she has only lived in the United States for nine and a half years, Arredondo is not yet an American citizen. She is, however, a green card holder.
Her family had to wait five years after their arrival before she was an eligible applicant. No one in Arredondo’s family is an American citizen, but in a year and a half, her father will take the citizenship exam. Although obtaining federal financial aid is a difficult accomplishment, scholarships are still available. However, Arredondo said she and other immigrant students she knows are still unable to receive certain scholarships because many of them require U.S. citizenship. “I have a friend, we moved to Mobile at the same time,” she said. “He’s way smarter than me and he applied for so many scholarships, but he didn’t get any of them because he doesn’t have his green card. He made a 30 on his ACT.” (The highest ACT score is 36.) Arredondo recognizes that citizenship status hinders a number of immigrant students from attaining financial help in earning a postsecondary education. She wants that to change in the future. “I feel like there should be more options for people who weren’t born in the U.S.,” Arredondo said. Arredondo also said scholarships should focus more on community involvement and volunteerism to allow more students to have scholarship eligibility. “I feel like all scholarships have the same prerequisites -- the
Mariana Arredondo poses with her father, Alan Arredondo, at her high school graduation.
GPA and the ACT. I think maybe they should look more into if students are volunteers or other efforts people put into the community.” Throughout her college career, Arredondo said she plans to remain focused and work toward her goal of becoming a public relations specialist.
Although paying for an education is not the most ideal situation, Alan Arredondo acknowledges that an education is of great importance and he is determined to do whatever he can to see his daughter succeed. “I firmly believe that the best legacy for kids is education,” he said.
The crippling cost of college tuition and student loan debt ALEXANDRA SIMS OPINION COLUMNIST
Alexandra Sims is a junior strategic communications major from Paragould. It is no secret that the cost of a college education is something that many students struggle with. In fact, this notion is so common that it is often joked about among students and professors alike. While it may seem like an inevitable part of life, the college finance system in this country is really no laughing matter. The United States has created a workforce where a college
degree is a virtual necessity, and a college education is the standard. Granted, education is extremely important, and an educated public can genuinely make or break a society. However, that does not change the fact that 20 years ago someone could likely find a modest job right after high school and live comfortably their whole lives, and they wouldn’t have to cripple themselves with debt to do so. The rising cost of living and a competitive workforce make that an impossibility today. Because college is becoming more and more necessary, and tuition is steadily rising, many students are left with no choice but to take out hefty loans. In fact, many students are forced to take out so many loans that they will be unable to pay them off in their entire lifetime. College students are expected to make these lifechanging decision when they are only 17 and 18 years old and have no idea about the financial repercussions. This puts them under immense levels of stress that
members of Generation X could not even imagine, and all the while they are expected to focus on excelling in school. It’s difficult for students to revel in their education and enjoy their twenties when they’re almost always on edge about the future. Ironically, these students have likely been told several times that their college years will be the best of their lives. A vast amount of a student’s tuition each semester goes towards fees for amenities that many don’t even use. These fees are non-negotiable and they add up to a very large amount of money over the semesters. While handing out free tuition is not the way to change the system, it is undeniable that there is a deep-seeded problem and the negative repercussions of this system can literally ruin lives. The amount of greed associated with education system in America is sickening, however, society has always been money-driven and likely always will be.
KAVIN ALEXANDER | STAFF CARTOONIST
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Scarlet Chess Club invites A-State students to winter tournament A-STATE HERALD STAFF REPORT
A-State’s Scarlet Chess Club will host a winter tournament Sunday. Registration for the event will begin at noon, and the event will be held in room 1049 of the Humanities and Social Science Building. A-State players who are interested in forming a team are especially welcome to attend and compete. The A-State Scarlet Chess club is a student organization that hosts tournaments and weekly chess games. This event is open to any interested chess players. The tournament will be a 4-round Swiss tournament competition. The event is scheduled to conclude by 6 p.m. During the event, players will be invited to form a chess team to challenge other clubs. There will be two categories of play consisting of “A-State Students” and “Open.” If sufficient number of elementary and secondary students register, then a “Youth” division will also CHESS, 3B
Campus Crime CLINTON SUMMERS CAMPUS CRIME REPORTER Campus Crime is compiled from weekly reports from the University Police Departmental logs.
Nov. 13, 2017 4:48 a.m.—Norbert Kade Endl, 18, was cited for criminal trespass in Kays Hall after being previously banned from the building. Officer Sean Calaway was on patrol during the night when he recognized a White Dodge pickup truck in the McDonald’s parking lot on Johnson Avenue. Dispatch confirmed it was Endl’s truck, and after previous incidents of Endl sneaking into Kays Hall, Calaway decided to check a particular female student’s residence hall room to see if Endl was present. Endl had also been issued a notice of persona non grata for Kays Hall on Oct. 30. Knowing this, Calaway knocked on the female student’s door. He could hear someone rustling inside and knocked several times. The female student answered the door and admitted Endl was there when asked. Endl came to the door, and Officer Calaway asked why he was there. According to the report, Endl claimed he and his roommate had gotten into a verbal altercation, and he felt like he had nowhere else to go. Calaway explained that he had been criminally banned from the building and could be taken to jail for being present inside the residence. Due to the jail being overcrowded and not accepting misdemeanors, Endl was not arrested but was cited
COURTESY OF GREG HANSEN
Brandon Hargrave (left) and Alex Myers face off in a recent tournament. Myers finished as runner-up in the tournament.
for criminal trespass. The notice of persona non grata that Endl received by email on Oct. 30 included the wording, “Should you be found in Kays Hall, you may be arrested for criminal trespassing.” Nov. 14, 2017 12:17 p.m.—Officer Micheal Yocum made a routine traffic stop that resulted in two arrests involving marijuana and drug paraphernalia. The Jeep Patriot was driving North on Marion Berry Parkway when it was clocked going 36 m.p.h. in a 20 m.p.h. zone. Officer Yocum asked the driver, 24-year-old Cody Roberts, to step out of the vehicle to bring his proof of insurance to him. As Roberts exited, Officer Yocum noticed a pistol in the driver-side door that Roberts did not mention before. Officer Yocum could also smell the odor of marijuana coming from both Roberts’ and the passenger’s persons as they exited the Jeep. While the two were out of the vehicle, Officer Yocum was able to locate a glass pipe loaded with a burnt substance in the front passenger seat. Both Roberts and the passenger, 25-year-old Drake O’Connor, were placed in custody at that time. O’Connor stated that there was marijuana under the front passenger seat. During a search of the vehicle, officers also found a small amount of marijuana inside a plastic bottle in the center console. A combined weight of 45 grams of marijuana was secured as evidence. Multiple items of drug paraphernalia were also
seized. Behind the front seat of the vehicle, officers located a Marlin .22 caliber rifle with a scope in addition to the 9mm semi-automatic pistol in the driver’s door. Both suspects were arrested and charged with possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. Roberts was also cited for hazardous driving. Nov. 17, 2017 12:45 p.m.—On the day before the home football game against Texas State, officers responded to the Pavilion where the Jonesboro Fire Department was extinguishing a grass fire. When Officer Terry Phipps arrived, Fire Department personnel explained that a smoker grill had been left unattended and caused the fire. According to the report, whoever had placed the coals inside the smoker had evidently left the “coal trap” underneath it “wide open,” which caused the hot coals to fall through and ignite the dead grass beneath. A passerby spotted the fire among the area of the tents and called 911. The Jonesboro Fire Department was able to put out the fire, but the report indicates that the entire area burned was approximately half an acre. The smoker belongs to First Community Bank, with it’s name on the side of the grill. But the report does not indicate who left the smoker unattended.
Food pantry offering holiday bags
CRYSTAL CARTER-HARRELL STAFF WRITER
The A-State Food Pantry is offering groceries to A-State students, faculty and staff. The A-State Food Pantry serves around 15 to 20 households each week, and that number is constantly growing. A valid A-State ID will guarantee a three-day supply of groceries based upon household size. “The pantry could not serve without our awesome student volunteers,” said Katey Provence, advisor of Volunteer A-State. The Volunteer A-State Council has two food pantry co-chairs who work to ensure
the pantry is staffed with volunteers each week and stocked with as much food as possible. These students work with an array of campus and community groups to host drives and other projects. Most recently, they coordinated a competition amongst local banks to see which bank could collect the most monetary and food donations. The pantry was officially opened in October 2015 after a resolution was passed by the Student Government Association in February 2015, which provided startup funding and designated PANTRY, 3B
Chancellor to present 1,474 diplomas at fall commencement A-STATE HERALD STAFF REPORT
Chancellor Kelly Damphousse will participate in his first commencement ceremony since becoming the chancellor at A-State. He will confer a record 1,474 diplomas at the fall graduation at 10 a.m., Dec. 9, in the First National Bank Arena, 201 Olympic Drive. The number of 2017 fall graduates surpasses the previous mark of 1,405 in the fall 2016 graduation. Graduates from six colleges including Agriculture, Engineering and Technology;
Business; Education and Behavioral Science; Liberal Arts and Communication; Nursing and Health Professions; and Sciences and Mathematics will receive bachelor, master and associate degrees. The class includes 66 students who meet the criteria for honors: 38 cum laude (3.60-3.79 grade point average overall and institutional), 25 magna cum laude (3.80-3.99 GPA) and three summa cum laude (4.00 GPA). Nathan Johnson of Jonesboro will provide remarks DIPLOMAS, 3B
ROTC to induct distinguished alumni into Hall of Heroes A-STATE HERALD STAFF REPORT
The Arkansas State University Department of Military Science will induct four distinguished ROTC alumni into the Hall of Heroes prior to the football game with Troy University on Saturday. The induction ceremony will begin at 2 p.m. in the Military Science Building, 1921 Aggie Road. A-State ROTC pays tribute to the ROTC alumni who have distinguished themselves through heroic service, government service and outstanding representation of the university. This year’s ROTC Hall of Heroes inductees are 1st Lt. Johnny F. Davis (posthumously recognized), who earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration in 1968 and was killed in action in Vietnam; Dr. Mark D. Diggs, a retired captain, who earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics in 1970; Judge Keith Blackman, a retired lieutenant colonel, who earned a bachelor’s degree in general business in 1971; and Ronald C. Meeks, retired captain and professional football coach, who earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism in 1978. The Hall of Heroes induction ceremony is open to the public.
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Trustees approved The Vault expansion A-STATE HERALD STAFF REPORT
The Arkansas State University Board of Trustees approved a lease that will facilitate construction of $29 million in new athletics facilities at Centennial Bank Stadium and the refinancing of $12.28 million in housing bonds. ASU System President Chuck Welch said the unrelated actions warranted a special meeting for timing reasons. The board approved A-State and the Red Wolves Foundation (RWF) entering into a 20-year ground lease and space lease agreement. It will allow the RWF to facilitate and pay for the construction of a 66,533-square-foot athletics operations facility, premium seating and other enhancements in the north end zone of the stadium. No public funds will be used to finance construction. “This is going to be a great addition to our athletics facilities and fulfill a lot of needs,” said Welch, noting that it will also help the university address
potential Title IX issues. “I want to commend Athletics Director Terry Mohajir and his team for raising the private funds to accomplish this. We appreciate the Red Wolves Foundation donors for their significant support of our program.' Construction began Monday with a fall 2018 completion deadline. The athletics facility will include a weight room and training/rehabilitation area,
new locker room areas, meeting rooms, players’ lounge, coaches’ offices, academic rooms and a theater-style meeting area for teams. Revenue-producing additions will include 150 loge boxes and 68 premium seats that replace the current bleacher seats. Trustee Price Gardner of Little Rock said he had many questions about the costs, fundraising and financing for the
GRAPHIC COURTESY OF A-STATE ATHLETICS
project and is impressed with the final plan with realistic and conservative estimates. “As a former player, I recognize the need for the facility,” Gardner said. “But it’s not a decision that is taken lightly or without a lot of additional diligence. All the boxes have been checked when questions have been asked. Like it or not, the realities of having a program that competes at the level that ours does make this a
GRAPHIC COURTESY OF A-STATE ATHLETICS
Red Wolves look to secure Sun Belt Championship A-STATE HERALD STAFF REPORT
The Red Wolves posted a school and Sun Belt Conference Record of 781 total offensive yards in Saturday’s 67-50 victory over ULM. The win moves A-State to 7-3 overall and 6-1 in league play as the Warhawks drop to 4-7 and 4-4 in SBC play. The Red Wolves have now secured a school-record seventh winning season and now 21-5 in games played in November since the 2011 campaign. Justice Hansen threw for a school-record 520 yards and had 550 total yards for another school record. The junior quarterback threw four touchdowns and added two more on the ground for a career-high six touchdowns. Justin McInnis hauled in nine receptions for 211 yards, both career highs with the 211 yards representing the third most in school history. Chris Murray had five catches on the evening with two of them going for scores to give him nine for the season, which is the second most in school history. Warren Wand led A-State’s rushing attack with a career-best 173 yards and a touchdown, while Johnston White chipped in with 64 yards and a score. The A-State defense forced four turnovers despite giving up 580 yards of total offense. Kyle Martin tallied his first two career interceptions and became the first player this season with multiple interceptions for the Red Wolves, while Blaise
Taylor had another and now has an SBC-record 34 passes defended. Darreon Jackson led the team with nine tackles, while Ja’Von Rolland-Jones had two half-sacks to bring him within 1.5 sacks of tying the NCAA record. “This was a fight to the finish,” A-State head football coach Blake Anderson said. “I thought ULM played offense about as well as you could because our defense is really good so I wasn’t expecting them to do that. I’m proud of our guys though and this was a team win. We made the plays when we had to and were able to get the win.” Arkansas State appeared to take control of the contest in the third quarter when Hansen scored rushing touchdowns on the team’s first two drives, one from eight yards out and the other a career-long 38yard run, to extend A-State’s lead to 42-21. However, ULM climbed within 14 at
42-28 after Marcus Green returned a kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown. The Warhawks scored on their next possession to get within a touchdown at 42-35, but Hansen found Murray for a 17-yard touchdown strike late in the third quarter to set the score at 49-35. “I thought the kickoff return gave them some momentum, but we were able to run the ball late in the game and shorten the game. Our size played a huge factor in the one-on-one battles, but I never expected us to score 67 points and need most of those points to win the game. We’re looking forward to next week now against Troy. It will be a slugfest because we’re two really solid football teams.” The Warhawks were able to march down the field after receiving the opening kickoff with Green hauling in three catches for 90 yards on the drive, the last being a 32-yard touchdown reception for a
need in my opinion.” Trustee Niel Crowson of Jonesboro said, “When I first saw the project a number of months ago, I was concerned about the cost. But Terry and his team acted in a very responsible manner to value engineer this project and get the cost down.” Welch said the system requested the refinancing of Series 2009 and Series 2010 housing bonds in anticipation of pending federal tax legislation
7-0 edge. A-State responded with an eight-play, 72-yard drive, capped by a four-yard touchdown toss from Hansen to Murray, who also had a 35yard catch to help set up the score. However, ULM used a 16-play, 99-yard drive to regain the lead at 14-7 at the end of the first frame with a two-yard rush from Evans representing the scoring play. The Red Wolves scored early in the second period on a five-yard touchdown toss from Hansen to Blake Mack to tie the contest again at 14-14, but the home team immediately responded with a 29-yard score from Evans to Brian Williams to finish a five-play, 77-yard touchdown drive. The Red Wolves are set to compete against Troy at Centennial Bank Stadium Saturday. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. The Sun Belt matchup will be broadcast on ESPN.
COURTESY OF A-STATE ATHLETICS
Junior Warren Wand slides into the endzone for a touchdown in Saturday’s 67-50 victory over ULM.
that would discontinue the practice of refunding taxexempt bonds. The resolution requires that the refinancing produce a net present value savings of at least 4 percent of the refunded balance, which is $491,200. However, the longterm savings are expected to be $2.6 million or 11 percent. “Interest rates remain favorable to refinancing,” Welch said. “This is an aggressive plan to close the refinancing by the end of year, but our underwriters and bond counsel are confident we can do it. It’s worth the effort for the longterm savings in financing costs, and the option may not be available to us after Jan. 1.” Stephens Inc., of Little Rock and Crews & Associates Inc., of Little Rock will be the bond underwriters. Friday Eldredge & Clark LLP of Little Rock is the bond counsel. Trustee Price Gardner of Little Rock, an attorney for the Friday firm, abstained from the vote. The ASU Board will hold its next regular meeting at 10 a.m. Dec. 8 at the ASU System Office in Little Rock.
Su n B e l t Co n f e re n c e Fo o t b a l l St a n d i n g s 1. Troy
6-1
2.
Arkansas State
6-1
3.
Appalachian State
6-1
4.
Georgia State
5-2
5. Louisiana
4-3
6. ULM
4-4
7.
New Mexico State
3-4
8.
South Alabama
3-4
9. Idaho
2-5
10. Georgia Southern
2-5
11. Coastal Carolina
1-6
12. Texas State
1-7
WEDNESDAY, NOV. 29, 2017
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PAGE 4B
A-State Brings Robotics to Local Schools
T
he A-State American Society of Mechanical Engineers partnered with Jonesboro local elementary schools to teach young students about engineering and to encourage them to be creative in robotics. Beginning on Oct. 4, A-State engineering students met with elementary
school children every Wednesday at elementary schools in the Jonesboro area. Those schools included Westside, Valley View, Jonesboro Math & Science and Jonesboro Health and Wellness. For seven weeks, each college student was paired with 3-5 elementary students. 20 students in each school that
participated in the program. Each group was given a Vex Robotics kit containing modular robotic parts and an instruction manual. On the final visit, the groups competed in a point-based challenge. The team that won was invited to the high school vex competition. BILLIZA JOHNSON | PHOTO EDITOR CHASE KINCAID | PHOTOGRAPHER
Team members work together to place a grip arm onto a Vex robot’s body. Vex Robotics specializes in providing robotic kits to schools around the country, aiming to foster youth intrest in engineering and other STEM fields. Each age group will compete against each other, advancing to higher rounds of competition, competing against more advanced robots. These smaller events culminate in a national competition.
Students work on the wiring of Ike, one of several Vex models. The parts provivded in the kit are easy and safe to assemble for aspiring engineers of all ages.
A Jonesboro Math and Science Elementary student reads an instruction manual guiding robot construction for the Vex Robotics Competition.