W?e A^t unaa da Volume 84, Number 7
Striving for the Apperance of Relevancy Since 1920
Nearly Hall of All Undergraduates Do Not
Will Read For Food Deemed a Rousing Success
Apply for Financial Aid, New Report Shows Xational Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators
The report estimates that 1.7 million low-and moderate-income In 1999-2000, almost one-half of students, representing 21% of all all undergraduates did not apply students who did not apply for for federal financial aid, aid, came from famiaccording to a new study lies with income of from the American less than $20,000. Council on Education's About half of these (ACE) Center for Policy students may have Analysis. qualified for Pell ACE's report, "Missed Grant aid had they Opportunities: Students completed a FAFSA. Who Do Not Apply for The proportion of Financial Aid," shows individuals not h nd ara t d,d n H that 49.8% of all under- J™**'-? °lfn*f?"n" " f™ " ?fl " applying for federal graduates, or roughly 8 «"' * '"9-2000. - ^ ACE -qij^ financial assistance million students who varies by income were enrolled in academic credit also were unable to receive aid level, financial dependency status, courses at postsecondary educa- from state or institutional grant and institution type. About 83% tion institutions during the 1999- and loan programs. of independent students with 2000 school year, did not file a While the majority of these annual income of $50,000 or Free Application for Federal students were from higher- more did not file a FAFSA, comStudent Aid (FAFSA) the form income families that may not pared with 57% of dependent needed to qualify for federal stu- have applied for financial aid, a students from families with dent aid. substantial minority of them may income of $80,000 or higher. Because the FAFSA is also have been eligible for Federal Pell Grant aid or other assistance. See FINANCIAL p. 5
October 28, 2004
used by many states and postsecondary institutions to determine eligibility for their aid, it is likely that most non-FAFSA applicants
Charity reading benelits PJl County food banks
. Susan Stinson, Lecturer in English at Longwood, reads. thoto by Scott Dill Janet Jones Staff Writer On Tuesday night, Ix>ngwood's creative writing program hosted their second annual Will Read for Food charity event. The event involved writers from Longwood volunteering their time to read their own poems, fiction and non-fiction in return for an admission cost of one can of food, all of which went toward the Prince Edward County food bank. Mary Caroll-
Hackett and her student Ed board hosted the reading in the cafe of Lankford Student Union. There were twenty-two readers in all, including students, faculty and alumni. Poems were read dealing with the issues of love, lust, escape and hot sauce in North Carolina. Dr. Salyer shared some poetry about a catfish apocalypse and playing basketball of which he said, "I wrote this when 1 was in Alabama and it was not a good time. I have not written any poetry since then, probably because I have been relatively happy." Other faculty members that read were Dr. Burgess, Dr. Stinson, Dr. Hursey and Dr. Frazier.
See READ p. 5
Unity Alliance Celebrates National Coming Out Dan Ashley Dow Staff Writer On Monday, October 11th National Coming Out Day was celebrated for the first time at Longwood The day celebrates and raises awareness concerning the experiences of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) people when they reveal their sexual orientation to friends and family. Many closeted GLBT individuals also use the day to "come out" themselves. Unity Alliance (UA), a campus organization for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and straight students sponsored the day. To honor the day, many members of UA wrote of their coming out experience on large cards, which were attached to lampposts on Brock Commons with multicolored yarn. Members met at 2am to hang-up the cards. "The purpose of the cards were to make students, faculty
and staff aware that there are gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students on campus," said Walter Gray, co-president of UA. "We also wanted the cards to reach out to students who may be struggling with their own coming out experience. We want them to know we are here to
since 1981. Since then, UA has at one time been an underground organization and or very selective in choosing members. Presendy, UA is a strong student organization working toward promoting
gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender students at Longwood," said a sophomore member of UA. "We want to promote a general openness by the student body
One of the first steps in creating openness among students and faculty would be to change the equal opportunity statement in the student handbook. Currently the statement does not protect sexual orientation. However, the Student Government Association protects sexual orientation in their statehelp." ment of non-discrimination. Unfortunately, a large portion "We have no protection accordof the student population was ing to the handbook," stated a unable to view the cards on sophomore member of UA. Brock Commons. All of the "The statement needs to be cards were removed from the changed to prevent current and lampposts early Monday mornfuture discrimination." UA is planing. It is unclear as to why the ning to celebrate National Coming cards had to be removed or who Out Day annually from now on. asked for them to be taken On December 1st they will be down. observing National Aids "We have gotten most of the Awareness Day. cards back," stated Gray. "I am National Coming Out Day logo (left). One of several signs put "There has always been initiain the process of talking to the UP b? UA members on Brock Commons (right). rhoub/Am,mipfk tive within UA to do things on administration as to why our campus," said Gray. "This year we cards were removed. We hope to the acceptance of gay, lesbian, and faculty. We should be able to have great student members who display the cards somewhere on bisexual and transgender people. walk across campus holding are dedicated to planning events campus very soon." "A lot of students do not real- hands and not have people star- which help promote awareness UA has existed on campus ized that there is a large group of ing at us." and tolerance."