ARTS
SPECIAL
ARTS
Students make stand at “Take Back the Night”
Panel discusses“Please Don’t Bury Me Alive”
See page 5
Casa 0101 tells real-life story of Lorenzo Alfredo
See page 4
Volume 72, Issue 20
See page 5
Single copy free - additional copies 50 cents
Wednesday, May 6, 2015
www.elaccampusnews.com
Student wins $40,000 scholarship BY JADE INGLADA Staff Writer
Change BOG regulation to affect students FAST FACTS Requirement changes to BOG fee waiver
Requirement changes to student loans
Alternatives to student loans
Students must have a 2.0 GPA and complete at least 50 percent of the units attempted per semester starting in the Fall 2015 academic year.
The U.S. Department of Education will stop paying interest on subsidized loans if the student exceeds the maximum period in their academic program.
Students can avoid loans by seeking help from Pell Grant, Cal Grant or scholarships.
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BY ALEXA SANTANA Staff Writer
ew regulations to the Board of Governor’s fee waiver and subsidized loans offered to East Los Angeles College students will come to effect in fall 2015. In order to continue receiving the BOG waiver, students must meet district academic
standards. Students must have a 2.0 GPA and complete at least 50 percent of the units attempted per semester starting in the Fall 2015 academic year. This must be completed continuously and this rule will determine if a student will continue to receive the BOG fee waiver for the Fall 2016 academic year. If a student fails to meet both requirements for one semester, they will lose their BOG waiver eligibility. It is important that students are aware of this rule because it may affect their eligibility for the next school year. The previous requirement for BOG waiver eligibility was based on California residency and household income or by the information that was provided on their Free Application for Student Aid Form. “The new requirements will not only benefit the school but also the students. It will work as a tool to motivate students who don’t pay (for classes) to come to school (and) get better grades,” Maria Ravelo, an ELAC student, said. “It will make the students who are serious about furthering their education stand out from the slackers” There will also be changes with student loans. The U.S. Department of Education will stop paying interest on subsidized loans if the student exceeds the maximum period in his or her academic program. For example, if a student is declared as an advertising
News Briefs
major and has an academic plan of 4 years to finish the program, then the Department of Education will only pay interest for those four years. If the student continues to enroll in classes after four years, the student must pay the interest out of pocket. It is important to meet with an academic counselor to see how long an academic plan is. This will help students avoid paying interest. The program length of study is determined by the major provided in the Students Information System (SIS). Although loans are available to assist students, the financial aid office advises community college students to stay away from loans as much as possible. Even if students do not receive loans while attending ELAC, it is still important that students are aware of this change especially those who plan to transfer out of ELAC. Students can avoid loans by seeking help from Pell Grant, Cal Grant or scholarships. For students who have yet to fill out their FASFA, it is not too late. The deadline for priority financial awards was March 2, but that doesn’t mean students can’t still turn in an application. Once a student has completed his or her application, they must check the ELAC campus website or SIS for any other information the school might require. Failing to do so may cause a delay in the process. Making mistakes on FAFSA can also delay a student’s award status. Students who have any questions regarding the changes being made to the BOG waiver, loan updates or any other financial aid questions can get more info at the Financial Aid office. Their hours of operation are Monday through Thursday 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., Fridays 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. and every first Saturday of the month 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Sheriff dispatch number
In case of an emergency, call the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Dispatch for community colleges at (213) 974-8000.
Ceramic sale
The Art Department’s ceramic classes are hosting a mother’s day sale at the Northeast parking lot 4 today from 10 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Sophomore Eric Huynh became the seventh person from East Los Angeles College to receive the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship, valued at $40,000. It is the largest private scholarship available to community college transfer students in the country. Huynh will receive that amount each year for up to three years as he completes his bachelor’s degree. The award will help pay for tuition, books and supplies, living expenses and other necessities while he attends university. Huynh was the only winner this year from the Los Angeles Community College District. “ELAC’s last winner received the scholarship last year,” Transfer Center Director Paulina Palomino said. “We have a good track record with students and this scholarship.” The last student who won the award transferred to the California Institute of Technology. Although counselors and instructors usually promote scholarships such as the Jack Kent Cooke scholarship and encourage students to apply, Palomino said few actually end up completing the process. “It’s very time consuming and students often get disheartened by the lengthy application,” Palomino said. The process is lengthy because
applicants have to work on answering questions correctly and finding professors willing to write recommendation letters. Palomino leads workshops in the fall for students to learn how to write a competitive application. “Students who have done this type of application (will) tell you it gets easier to create a profile of yourself for the future,” she said. Palomino said, from the perspective of the review board and what the members look for in applicants, they look out for students who go beyond what’s required and make an effort to get involved with their colleges. Huynh is involved in various programs and activities on campus such as MESA, Honors, Extended Opportunity Program & Services (EOPS) and is the Commissioner of Mathematical Concepts for the Associated Student Union. “He (Eric) is an example of taking advantage of what ELAC has to offer,” Palomino said. About 85 students throughout the nation win each year. Huynh was accepted to his first choice public school the University of California, Berkeley, but is still waiting to hear from private universities Columbia and Stanford before he makes his decision of where to go. Applications for the Jack Kent Cooke scholarship are open from October to December. For more information and the criteria, go to jkcf.org/scholarship-programs, or call Palomino at (323) 265-8977.
CN/JESUS FIGUEROA
Thieves target local store BY JADE INGLADA Staff Writer Six Monterey Park Police vehicles arrived on the scene of an armed robbery at Daniel’s Jewelers located in the Atlantic Square Shopping Center on April 30. The robbery occurred at around 4:22 p.m. when an unidentified man entered the store with a handgun and stole jewelry. Detective Sergeant Frank Duke described the suspect as an adult African-American man. The suspect escaped on foot through the shopping center parking lot. No one was harmed during the robbery. “We’re trying to see if anyone saw anything at this time, so we can hopefully find a witness who maybe saw him get in a car,” Duke said. “We’re still interviewing people and trying to find out if we can find anymore details, or if someone saw something else.” It is unclear how much jewelry was stolen.
Correction
In last issue, the schedule for the extended library hours on page 3 had incorrect times. For the correct extended library hours, check page 3.