ASG slashes Student Help Center Funds Despite stiff opposition, the Associated Student Government unanimously voted to cut the Student Help Center's total hours per month to 85 and to combine the SHARE program with the Help Center. The debate, which lasted almost one hour, saw the Help Center questioned by the ASG on the amount of service provided compared to the amount it cost to run the center.
Carol Hanley and Michael Lesher, directors of the center, argued that without the Center the Book Swap would be discontinued. However, Dean Norman Price, informed the ASG that the job of handling the swap could be let out for bid to a certain club since the swap does show a profit.
claim, "I'm sorry they feel that way, but it just isn't so . I can see why they're bitter having to leave, but I feel in the long run everything will work out for the best. SHARE is a good program and I'm positive they will do a good job."
Hanley also pointed out that she felt it even more unfair because, "We were all hired for two semesters and now we're going to have to decide who is going to leave and which one of us is going to stay."
The Palomar chapter of the SHARE program is funded by the college district and provides tutoring throughout the college district. The program has the largest enrollment in the country and is run by Albie Armistead, who has a master's degree in Psychology.
ASG Legislator Andy Wright pointed out that the Center cost over $8,000, which accounts for approximately 15% of the ASG budget. "The Student Help Center started in 1972 After the meeting Hanley said that she as a strictly volunteer organization receiving felt that the ASG mishandled their money, no funds, and in 10 years it has developed "Because of that fact I suppose that the move into an expenditure of over $8,000," observ- was something they had to do." ed Dr. Ken Burns. Legislator Tim Jordon disputed Hanley's
Plans call for the reduction of paid personnel in the Student Help Center from three to one, who will work 85 hours a month. The SHARE program will then
QiD TltE TElEscopE Pelomer College
Volume 35 No. 12
A Publlclltlon for the Aeeocleted
Student•
Frldey, Februery 211, 1882
terest and without the in school interest subsidy). Currently at Palomar an estimated 1478 students are receiving $1,621,585. This includes all loans, grants and forms of employment here, other than District monies. Based upon proposed reductions, Palomar would lose approximately $686,899, which can be translated into 500 students that would be unable to attend Palomar because of financial aid cuts. The impact on the campus itself of the loss of the enrollment as well as the loss of Federal College Work/Study employment positions here, would be as follows: First, the campus would have a loss of $810,000, caused by the drop in the average daily attendance of 450 students that would be unable to attend Palomar. Second, approximately 50 College Work/Study positions on campus would be eliminated, thus making it necessary to spend District money to perform tasks formerly performed by College Work/Study Students.
J.C. Lowery, ASG legislator, expressed his opinion. "I think it is a good idea to combine the talents of students and the professional organization to provide better service." In other ASG actions the board appointed Lisa Noonan, Andy Wright and Bruce Baker as new legislators. Also Dan Trunk was appointed as the new Judicial Advocate. The ASG also agreed to review the college grievance policies.
library card, services given free for asking
Sen Mercoe, CA
Campus groups fight aid cuts Campus groups are uniting to fight the possible reduction offinancial aid that is occurring nationwide. The Faculty Senatt, the Classified Staff of California State Employees Association (CSEA), the Associated Student Government, the Inter-Club Counce! (ICC), and the American Indian Organization are all attempting to minimize the problems caused by the financial aid cuts. Students applying for the Guaranteed Student Loan Program, after the financial aids cuts, will find themseves faced with some major restrictions. They are the doubling of the college fees from five to ten percent, also borrowers will now have to pay market interest rates two years after entering repayment. The last restriction is the removing of graduate and professional students from eligibility for Guaranteed Loans (They would continue to be eligible for the new program of Auxiliary Loans to assist students, at 14 percent in-
move into the Help Center's office and provide for the center's duties when the employee is not there. Armistead, director of the SHARE program, expressed her happiness. "I am pleased to receive the chance to help the students. Helping people is my goal in life. I love the students here."
The District may not be able to absorb the additional cost. The picture nationwide also does not look good. In fact the cuts would remove over a million students from Pell Grants (formerly called Basic Grants) and eliminate another 1.3 million awards under the campusbased programs. Grants to the neediest students would be sharply reduced, and the programs would no longer be available to most students from families with incomes between $10,000 and $25,000. The Guaranteed Loan modifications would increase debt burdens for all borrows and force many to change their educational plans or drop out of school. Students should contact the Financial Aids Office in Staff Building 4 for more information. The hours during the day are Monday through Friday are 8:30 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. and nights Tuesday and Wednesday 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. or students can call Financial Aids at 744-2366.
It has never been easier to get a library card at Palomar College Library. Students registering for the Spring semester have founder's card attached to the receipt they receive after registering for classes. The detachable card may be used to borrow a wide range of materials from the Main Library or the Fine Arts Library. Library staff would like to remind local residents that community library cards are available, free of charge, at the circulation desk of the Main Library. To be eligible for borrowing privileges, community members must be over the age of 18 and reside within the Palomar College district. New library users are encouraged to ask the staff for assistance in finding library materials. During the library's transition from the Dewey Decimal classification system to the more versatile Library of Congress system, materials may be temporarily out-of-place.
Library users who have grown up on the Dewey system may need to familiarize themselves with the new classification system. Briefly, the Dewey system relies on a number/decimal means of classifying books while the Library of
Congress scheme uses a combination of letters (A-Z) and numbers. To make students and the community more comfortable in the library, a multi-page guide to the library is free for the asking. For those who like the guided tour approach, a 20 minute cassette audio-tour is also available.
Social security benefits available Students between -the ages of 18 and 22 may be eligible for social security benefits earned by a retired, disabled or deceased parent or grandparent. By the May 1 deadline, a student must be enrolled in a college or university full time to take advantage of this program. Students already receiving Social Security benefits under this program will have these monies continue until age 22 if they maintain full time student status. A student may attend college while still in high school with the consent of a high school counselor. Those who qualify should contact a Financial Aids counselor here.
Traffic improvements far down the road By Ken Baer It's twelve noon and your classes are over for the day. The weather has changed from drizzily overcast to warm dry sunshine. You look forward to getting home to relax, eat lunch, soak in some rays. But first you must wait. And wait. The scene is a familiar one which has plauged Palomar students year after year: the traffic encountered when attempting to exit campus. It is frustrating and monotonous. When it is raining it takes even LONGER to get out. Some drivers refer to them as "the Tijuana lines,'~ a realistic comparison. No matter what you may call them, the wait is definitely a pain in the neck. You can not seem to · avoid it, whether your'e coming to school in the morning for an 8 a.m. class, or exiting at noon or 9:30p.m. As usual, though, the first weeks of the semester are the worst for traffic. John Kratt, campus Traffic Coordinator, asks students to "grin and bear it," until the traffic thins in a month or so, or until the time comes that a veritable solution is presented. In the December 4 issue of 'The Telescope' a story was printed which told of traffic improvements which were
scheduled to have begun by now. However, the city of San Marcos has run into fianancial problems, and it is apparent that road improvements are far down the ..oad. According to San Marcos city manager Henry Ford, the entire construction project, which consists of the installation of four traffic signals and the widening of existing streets as well as the construction of new streets will cost an estimated 4.5 million dollars. As of now, the city has come up with only 1.7 million dollars. "Wev'e tapped every source," says Ford. "The municipal bonds are not being purchased by property owners because of the high interest rate." Improvements which will aid Palomar's traffic woes will be the widening of Mission Road and the Las Posas access to campus, which will create a second entrance, via parking lot #12. This second entrance, according to Ford, will be funded by a private contractor who is developing a housing tract north of Las Posas Road. Alan Schuler, civil engineering assistant for the city, said that the biggest step left for construction to begin is to get railroad right of way at the intersection of
Pacific and Pico. He also said that the original design of Mission Road has drainage problems, soon to be worked out, and that San Diego Gas and Electric Company has yet to submit their engineering report. Both Schuler and Ford agree that a June beginningconstruction date is not improbable, design-wise. Where the money will come from, however, is a question left unanswered. San Marcos city officials felt that by undertaking a traffic improvement project of this magnitude the city would save money in the long run. It is now felt that instead of going ahead with the entire project, the widening of Mission Road will begin first, with the city's 1.7 million dollars. "The widening of Mission Road · from a two-lane road to a fourlane will only turn the street into a speedway," says Palomar's Robert Jackson, Public Service Coordinator. "The speed limit on Mission is currently 45 mph, and the possibility of the limit going even higher is not impracticle." Jackson, who sits on the San Marcos Traffic Safety Board, explained that a speed limit is determined by the average speed of vehicles traveling on the road and also from an engineering aspect: road surface, sidings,
visibility."San Marcos sees Palomar College as a headache, and doesn't regard the college as beneficial. The city is concerned with ·getting as much business inside it's influence as possible," according to Jackson. "There is some kind of prestige of having a college in town," remarked city manager Ford.
"But I don't see how the city benifits. I'm not saying that Palomar is a detriment to the city in a material way, but I don't see that it is an asset, economically." Jeri Brennenan, assistant administrator for the San Marcos Chamber of Commerce,echoes Continued to page 2
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TWELVE NOON BLUES- A student ponders the situation while waiting for outgoing traffic to exit the campus.