Financial aid: The Signpost 10/18/22

Tuesday | October 18, 2022 | Volume 96 | Issue 41

STAR NEIL | The Signpost

DO YOU KNOW YOUR NEWS? 2 | thesignpostwsu.com | October 18, 2022

By TIM COSTELLO Section Editor

1.

What hit television show is kicking off its third season with a theatrical release of its premiere episodes on November 18?

2.

Following his expulsion from Twitter, Kanye West is buying which social media platform?

3.

How much was Alex Jones ordered by a Connecticut jury to pay for his role in the spread of misinformation about the tragic shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary?

4.

How many migratory birds are there being threatened as the Great Salt Lake dries up?

A. The Winchesters

A. Parler

A. $596 million

A. 1,000

B. The Crown

B. Facebook

B. $1.6 billion

B. 50,000

C. The Chosen

C. Gettr

C. $965 million

C. 800,000

D. Abbott Elementary

D. Instagram

D. $50.1 million

D. 10 million

ANSWERS AND EXPLANATIONS ON PAGE 15

CORRECTIONS: •

A story about the Student Health Center in the Sept. 13 edition incorrectly reported that the center doesn’t provide contraceptives and reproductive health resources. These resources are available to all students.

A story in the Oct. 11 issue incorrectly identified the composition of the Utah Board of Higher Education. It consists of 16 citizens appointed by the governor and two students members from a technical college and university.

ASPYN JONES | The Signpost

•

Opera singer Kirsten Chambers singing in “Ebben?....Ne andro lontana.”

By ALMA BELL Reporter

On Oct. 14 Ta’u Pupu’a, gave a master class with Kirsten Chambers to a group of students to help them refine their talents through better breathing techniques and using other instincts aside from head voice.

Pupu’a is an acclaimed opera singer who got his start as a defensive tackle for Weber State University’s football team. Drafted by the Cleveland Browns, Pupu’a was traded to the Baltimore Ravens.

Pupu’a changed career paths after an injury forced him to retire. He was then able to attend Julliard in pursuit of an opera career.

In an interview with Pupu’a, he said that opera and football are quite similar. In football, you wear pads and tell the story of two teams fighting. In opera, you wear dresses and wigs and tell stories of love and sadness. Both convey emotions through their body language and the specific tone of their voice.

“I was ready, my aria felt polished, but when I went up it was like the song was new,” Rebecca Schull, one of five students chosen to attend the master class, said.

Schull got involved because she was able to attend the last master class Pupu’a gave four years ago.

WSU is Pupu’a’s alma mater, and when asked about how it felt to come back after having been on the football team for so long, he talked about how it was like a child in a candy

shop. He also mentioned how appealing it is that there is now a dedicated track for opera.

“I believe that everybody has a purpose in life, and that purpose is to become a master of your own art,” Pupu’a said.

“The Hearts of Fire” concert was held at WSU on Oct. 15, where Pupu’a and Chambers performed duets together. “Ailine’s Touch of Polynesia” had performance dances from Hawai’i, Tonga and Tahiti.

Towards the end of the performance, Pupu’a took his phone out and took several selfies onstage with the audience behind him, after he was done, he encouraged the audience to do the same.

Deborah Uman, the dean of the college of arts and humanities, was given the opportunity to perform as part of the orchestra and played the trumpet.

Patti Ehle, an audience member, attended the event and has been coming to the Browning center for performing arts since the ‘90s, before she lost her vision.

“It doesn’t matter that I”m blind, I do all kinds of things,” Ehle said. “It’s beautiful, better than I could ever imagine.”

KENNEDY CAMARENA | The Signpost

KENNEDY CAMARENA | The Signpost

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Share this story at Opera singer Ta’u Pupu’a singing in his opening act. thesignpostwsu.com

Testing Locations

Center

DAVIS CAMPUS D3 Room 231 · 801-395-3495

LINDQUIST HALL LH Room 024 · 801-626-6524

MORGAN 241 E. Young Street, Morgan, Utah · 801-829-3136

STEWART LIBRARY SL Room 101 · 801-626-6847

STUDENT SERVICES CENTER SC Room 262 · 801-626-6803

TRACY HALL TY Room 101C · 801-626-7019

WEST CENTER (ROY) WW Room 114 · 801-689-4007 Through Testing Services, you can evaluate major and career goals and be placed in correct courses. Testing Services also offers ACT, ACCUPLACER, CLEP, and graduate school preparation in addition to the tests you take for class.

Check the website each semester for hours.

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KARLI AKI | The Signpost

thesignpostwsu.com | October 18, 2022 | 5

Dani Richins spikes the ball during the Oct. 13 game against Sacramento State. Richins finished the game with 10 kills and 11 digs.

By ANGELINA FONTENOT Reporter

Facing their long-time rivals, Weber State University’s volleyball team snapped their five-game winning streak, falling to Portland State University 3–0 on Oct. 10 at Swenson Gym. After being defeated by PSU earlier this season, the Wildcats came into the match wanting to make a statement. WSU was the first to put points on the board, scoring as two Vikings collided while trying to return middle blocker Baylee Bodily’s serve.

The set remained close until outside hitter Makayla Lewis rallied the Vikings towards a lead. A kill by outside hitter Sophia Meyers,

along with a Lewis service ace and kill, put Portland State up 7–4.

The Vikings continued to widen the gap, getting WSU to call a timeout with the score at 11–5. During the break, the Wildcats subbed in outside hitter Jayda Tupea.

After an attack error by Wildcat libero Makayla Sorensen, Weber State began to rally back from their 12–5 deficit. WSU put up three unanswered points.

Lewis, Meyers and outside hitter Parker Webb were able to respond to the run, capping the Wildcats off at 15 points on the set and driving their team to an early lead.

The Vikings started the second set with three unanswered points while Meyers was serving. Attack errors by Meyers and Webb put the Wildcats on the board, but it wouldn’t

be enough to catch up.

At 15–9, veteran outside hitter Dani Richins put up back-to-back kills, closing the gap to four points. After a Webb kill, Webb would take over as server, driving the Vikings to an 18–11 lead. The Wildcats were able to rally to 18 points by the end of the match but couldn’t score enough points to fend off Portland State.

Ready to fight for extra sets and a reverse sweep, the Wildcats were able to lead 3–2 early on after a service error from libero Ellie Snook, a kill from Richins and a service ace from designated setter Macy Sumrall.

Unlike the previous two sets, Weber State kept up with the Vikings, tying them several times during the match. Portland State began to pull ahead late in the set. Lewis and

Webb combined for three kills at the end. Viking middle blocker Ashlyn Blotzer made the final kill of the set to end the match, 25–22.

Portland State had 55 overall kills to Weber State’s 28. Lewis ended the match with 16, Meyers with 15 and Webb with 12.

As for the Wildcats, Richins ended with 11 kills, Bodily with 5 and Sorensen with 3.

During the match, Richins hit her 150th service ace, tying her at No. 6 of all time in the team’s history.

The Wildcats will head to Missoula, Montana, for their match on Oct. 20 against the University of Montana at 7 p.m.

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6 | thesignpostwsu.com | October 18, 2022

Asst. Section Editor

Weber State University’s football team kept their undefeated streak alive with a 42–7 win against Portland State University on Oct. 15.

After the Vikings beat the Wildcats in Stewart Stadium 30–18 last season, WSU made a strong statement at the start of the game by getting to the end zone on their opening drive.

On third down with 14-yards to go, quarterback Bronson Barron threw a 32-yard pass to wide receiver Ty MacPherson and put the Wildcats in Portland State territory. Barron controlled the drive from there, throwing for 28-yards across five different plays.

Lining up in the red zone, Barron found receiver Haze Hadley behind the line of scrimmage. Hadley rushed through to find his way in for a touchdown. An extra point made the score 7–0 for the Wildcats.

After being stopped at midfield, Portland State punted to set up the Wildcats’ offense at their own 10-yard line. Barron found MacPherson for a 9-yard pass, putting Weber State near the 20-yard line.

Lining up on second down with 1 yard to go, Dontae McMillan rushed for 31 yards to put the Wildcats at midfield.

WSU was able to drive to the Vikings’ 23-yard line. Lining up in pistol formation, running back Damon Bankston ran through the middle and maneuvered out of multiple tackles on his 17-yard run to the end zone. A field goal put the score at 14–0 for the Wild-

cats.

WSU found the end zone again before the end of the half. Lining up on their own 27-yard line after a punt, Barron found wide receiver Jacob Sharp for a 26-yard pass, putting the Wildcats at midfield.

Pushing their way to the Vikings’ 15-yard line, the Wildcats put the ball back in McMillan’s hands. Running down the sideline, McMillan bounced through defenders, miraculously staying in bounds for another Wildcat touchdown.

The last points of the half, WSU came into the third quarter with a 21–0 lead.

After struggling offensively on their opening drive of the half, Portland State punter George Triplett was only able to place WSU at midfield. Making quick work of their great field possession, Barron threw to Sharp on a

slant route on the first play of the drive.

Sharp carried the ball near the sideline, where he outran Vikings’ defenders to the end zone; the extra point put the Wildcats up 28–0.

After a pass interference call on cornerback Maxwell Anderson put the Vikings at WSU’s 28-yard line, it looked like PSU was going to score their first points of the night. However, a sack by linebacker Jack Kelly and defensive tackle Kalisi Moli put the Vikings back at the Wildcats’ 37-yard line.

On fourth down with 17-yards to go, PSU quarterback Dante Chachere tried to findl wide receiver Mataio Talalemotu in the endm zone. Surrounded by WSU defenders, thec ball bounced out of the hands of cornerback S Eddie Heckard.

Looking like the play would fall dead,i K t t WSU Athletics

By SIMON MORTENSEN

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Bronson Barron (10) looks for an open receiver down the field. Barron completed 21 passes for 274 yards and three touchdowns against Portland State University.

WSU Athletics

thesignpostwsu.com | October 18, 2022 | 7

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Garrett Beck (54) tackling a Portland State player trying rush the ball down the field. Beck had four solo tackles against the Vikings.

cats up 35–0.

Portland State started off the fourth quarter with a punt. Running the punt back, Hadley slammed his knee into a Portland State defender, ran further and was wrestled down by cornerback Isaiah Avery.

While pulling Hadley down, Avery sat on the returner’s shin, twisting the knee. Medical personnel put Hadley’s leg in a brace and helped him to the sideline.

Portland State eventually found their way to the end zone in the fourth quarter. Over the course of four plays from midfield, Chachere

threw for 48 yards, finding Talalemotu in the end zone on a 12-yard pass.

With the score 35–7, Weber State came back onto the field without starters like Barron. A failed onside kick attempt by the Vikings put the Wildcats at midfield to start their drive. With quarterback Kylan Weisser under center, running back Steven Shoats-Thomas pushed through Portland State’s defense, winding down the clock.

Slowly, the Wildcats fought their way to the endzone. Weisser completed a 12-yard pass from the 19-yard line to Treyshun Hurry.

With 7 yards to go, Shoats-Thomas ran to the outside and scored for the final touchdown of the game.

The match marked Weber State head coach Jay Hill’s 100th as a Wildcat. Hill’s overall record with the team is 63–37.

Staying on the road, Weber State will take on Montana State at 1 p.m. on Oct. 22.

Share this story at thesignpostwsu.com WSU Athletics

U dlinebacker Winston Reid caught the ball modments before it hit the ground for an intereception. k Setting up at their own 2-yard line, Weber State fought their way back to midfield. Lining , up in the pistol formation, running back Kris Jackson found an opening and ran down the sideline for 23 yards. Barron then found tight end Justin Malone for a 26-yard pass.

Playing from the Vikings’ 2-yard line, tight end Hayden Meacham jumped to grab Barron’s pass in the back of the endzone for a touchdown. A made field goal put the Wild-

Quarterback Bronson Barron (10) looks for an open receiver down the field.

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In-Person Fair

OCT.18

Shepherd Union Ballrooms

10 a.m.–2 p.m.

Virtual Fair

OCT.19 Online in Handshake

2–5 p.m.

Login to Handshake through your eWeber Portal prior to the event to register and sign up for one-on-one sessions.

weber.edu/careerservices Please contact Katie Browning at katiebrowning1@weber.edu in relation to a disability.

WSU Athletics

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By RAYSHAUN BAKER-LYNCH Columnist

Four teams in the Big Sky are ranked in the top 10 of the Football Championship Subdivision, with Weber State University being one of them. The University of Montana, Sacramento State University and Montana State University are also in the top 10.

The Wildcats sit at No. 5, with Sacramento State above them at No. 3. Montana State is at No. 2, with Montana sitting at No. 7. Next week, the Wildcats face Montana State and hope to keep their undefeated season alive.

In a preseason FCS poll, WSU was ranked at No. 20. Last year, the Wildcats went 6–5 and missed the playoffs, causing their ranking to drop lower than previous years.

The Wildcats have an excellent chance to go far this season, with their record being 6–0. Sacramento State is also undefeated.

In the weeks to come, the Wildcats face both of the teams from Montana. These games will be the most significant challenge the Wildcats have faced all season.

The four ranked teams are at the top of the Big Sky Conference and show how the Big

Sky has become more competitive. I think the development of these schools shows how Big Sky has improved their conference as a whole in recent years.

WSU has a more formidable defense and offense this year, and it’s been proven so far. Weber State University’s football team running out onto the field for their With all the adjustments they make during game against Western Oregon on Sept. 1. games and the athleticism of their players, they have a good chance of knocking off the top teams.

Sophomore quarterback Bronson Barron has had a great season running the offense so far. The Wildcats got a new offensive coordinator this year, Mickey Mental, and he has their offense flowing right now.

On the defensive side of the ball, Junior If you’ve put off dental care, it’s easy to get cornerback Maxwell Anderson is a leader back on track. Call Physicians Mutual Insurance and has led the defense minimizing points Company now for inexpensive dental insurance. from opponents and has five interceptions on the year.

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The Wildcats are led by Head Coach Jay Hill in his 9th season. Hill has done a great Getting back to the dentist job at recruiting and developing players that got them to this rank. Hill started his couldn’t be easier! coaching career with a 2–10 record, and now they’re ranked in the FCS and are 6–0.

These teams have good records and will make the playoffs this year, making it exciting to watch. I think these top teams will keep their rankings for future years.

If they keep developing and building Dental50Plus.com/utah teams the way they are, the Big Sky will be more prominent in the NCAA. When you think of NCAA Football, the Big Sky isn’t the Get your Information Kit top division, but teams like these four will be dangerous to the other divisions.

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KENNEDY CAMARENA | The Signpost

KENNEDY CAMARENA | The Signpost

10 | thesignpostwsu.com |October 18, 2022

The Financial Aid office located in the Student Services building.

By HUNTER LINDSEY Reporter

non-traditional students in their senior year of college apply for federal student aid.

The average cost of attending Weber State University for in-state residents living on campus in 2021 was anywhere between $12,500 and $18,000. This estimate doesn’t account for food, entertainment, gas and maintenance for vehicles or university sponsored events.

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid is a database where students ranging from recent high school graduates to

The U.S. Department of Education reported that the average Pell Grant given to students totals around $13,000 to $15,000 per year. The amount is determined by a formula that will take into account students’ financial need, cost of tuition and expected family contribution.

A Pell Grant is money given to students by the government to help pay for the costs of attending higher education. Unlike federal

NEED SOME

Find free academic resources:

weber.edu/StudentAffairs/academichelp.html

?

Fake $100 bills hanging in the window of the Money Management Center.

student loans, Pell Grants do not need to be repaid and don’t accrue any interest.

For WSU students, the cost of tuition is relatively lower compared to universities in other parts of the country, so a grant of $13,000-15,000 could almost entirely cover cost of attendance.

National College Attainment Network, a non-profit organization, conducted a study that showed “the high school class of 2021 left an estimated $3.75 billion in Pell Grants on the table.” These billions of dollars could have been easily claimed by students in need by filling out the FAFSA form.

For those who have not filled out a FAFSA form before, there is an option on the online application that says “new to the FAFSA form? Start Here.” After clicking that button, students will be asked who they are filling the form out for and prompted to create a login for future use.

From there, the application asks an array of financial, personal and work-related questions to determine a student’s financial need. After submitting the form, it will take about three to five business days for students to hear back. The response will typically announce whether the student qualifies

for Pell Grants and, if so, how much they are being awarded.

Some best practices to maximize Pell Grant amounts include filling out the FAFSA form early. More specifically, it is recommended that students fill out the application before Oct. 1.

It is also recommended that students fill out the online application as opposed to the physical application.

Online applications are processed faster and results are usually communicated within three to five business days, as opposed to five to seven business days for the physical application.

During the online application, students have the option to use the IRS data retrieval tool. This will prompt students to enter some of their personal tax information and the IRS retrieval tool will gather all the requisite information that is found from tax filings, making the process a bit faster.

Students can submit FAFSA applications on studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa.

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A sign near the enterance of the Student Services building pointing visitors to the location of the Financial Aid office and Registration services.

By HUNTER LINDSEY Reportero

POR MARIANNA LOPEZ-LURITTA Traductor

El costo promedio de asistir a la Universidad Estatal de Weber para los residentes del estado que viven en el campus en 2021 fue entre $ 12,500 y $ 18,000. Esta estimación no tiene en cuenta la comida, el entretenimiento, la gasolina y el mantenimiento de los vehículos o los eventos patrocinados por la universidad.

La Solicitud Gratuita de Ayuda Federal para Estudiantes es una base de datos donde los estudiantes, desde los recién graduados de la escuela secundaria hasta los estudiantes no tradicionales en su último año de universidad, solicitan ayuda federal para estudiantes.

El Departamento de Educación de los Estados Unidos informó que el promedio de la Beca Pell otorgada a los estudiantes asci-

ende a un total de entre 13.000 y 15.000 dólares por año. La cantidad se determina mediante una fórmula que tiene en cuenta la necesidad económica de los estudiantes, el coste de la matrícula y la contribución familiar prevista.

La beca Pell es el dinero que el gobierno otorga a los estudiantes para ayudarles a pagar los costes de la educación superior.

A diferencia de los préstamos estudiantiles federales, las becas Pell no tienen que ser devueltas y no acumulan ningún interés.

Para los estudiantes de la WSU, el coste de la matrícula es relativamente más bajo en comparación con las universidades de otras partes del país, por lo que una beca de entre 13.000 y 15.000 dólares podría cubrir casi por completo el coste de la asistencia.

National College Attainment Network, una organización sin fines de lucro, realizó un estudio que mostró que “la clase de la escuela secundaria de 2021 dejó un estimado de $ 3,75 mil millones en becas Pell en la mesa.” Estos miles de millones de dólares podrían haber sido fácilmente reclamados

por los estudiantes necesitados al llenar el formulario FAFSA. Para aquellos que no han llenado un formulario FAFSA antes, hay una opción en la solicitud en línea que dice “¿nuevo en el formulario FAFSA? Comience aquí”. Después de hacer clic en ese botón, a los estudiantes se les preguntará para quién están llenando el formulario y se les pedirá que creen un inicio de sesión para su uso futuro.

A partir de ahí, la solicitud hace una serie de preguntas financieras, personales y laborales para determinar la necesidad económica del estudiante. Después de enviar el formulario, los estudiantes tardarán entre tres y cinco días laborables en recibir una respuesta. La respuesta suele anunciar si el estudiante cumple los requisitos para recibir las becas Pell y, en caso afirmativo, la cantidad que se le concede.

Algunas de las mejores prácticas para maximizar los montos de las becas Pell incluyen llenar el formulario FAFSA con anticipación. Más concretamente, se recomienda que los estudiantes rellenen la solicitud an-

tes del 1 de octubre.

También se recomienda que los estudiantes llenen la solicitud en línea en lugar de la solicitud física.

Las solicitudes en línea se procesan más rápidamente y los resultados se comunican generalmente en un plazo de tres a cinco días hábiles, en comparación con los cinco a siete días hábiles de la solicitud física.

Durante la solicitud en línea, los estudiantes tienen la opción de utilizar la herramienta de recuperación de datos del IRS. Esto les pedirá a los estudiantes que introduzcan parte de su información fiscal personal y la herramienta de recuperación del IRS reunirá toda la información necesaria que se encuentra en las declaraciones de impuestos, haciendo el proceso un poco más rápido.

Los estudiantes pueden presentar las solicitudes FAFSA en studentaid.gov/h/applyfor-aid/fafsa.

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WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY

WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY

WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY

12 | thesignpostwsu.com | October 18, 2022

As of right now, there is no data on the amount of student loan forgiveness that WSU students will receive.

The nation wide cumulative student debt is currently around $1.6 trillion.

Students pay for their tuition in different ways, with a common solution being student loans.

By BRISA ODENTHAL

Reporter

On Aug. 24, President Joe Biden announced a three-part plan to slow down the current student debt crisis the country is facing.

According to The White House, the nationwide cumulative student debt is currently estimated at about $1.6 trillion and continues to rise, with the average cost of attending a four-year institution nearly tripling since 1980.

It is estimated that the average undergrad student graduates with around $25,000 in

student loans.

Biden’s three-part plan begins with the U.S. Department of Education providing targeted debt relief to those affected by the pandemic. This part of the plan played a big role in Biden’s campaign and has already begun.

As of right now, graduates and current undergrad students can apply for debt relief through studentaid.gov and find out if they are eligible for debt relief.

This debt relief will mostly impact those who have received Pell Grants, as the Department of Education will provide up to $20,000 in debt relief to those eligible for Pell Grants and up to $10,000 in debt relief

for those who are not eligible for Pell Grants.

To be eligible for this debt relief, one must have an individual income of less than $125,000 or $250,000 for married couples.

Anyone who makes more than that will not be eligible for that debt relief.

The U.S. Department of Education has also allowed for a pause of payments through Dec. 31, in order to help the process go smoothly.

The second part of this process is to create a better system for current and future student loans. In order to do this, the Department of Education plans to lower monthly undergraduate loan payments and fix the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program.

The Department of Education proposed an income-based plan that caps monthly payments for student loans at 5% of the student’s income. The PSLF program has been undergoing changes, both temporary and permanent, and the Department of Education has worked on rebuilding the program.

The beginning of this program has helped up to $10 billion dollars in loan forgiveness be achieved for public servants.

The third and final part of Biden’s plan is focused on the institutions rather than the students. Biden hopes to reduce tuition costs and prevent institutions from price gouging.

The Department of Education has reestab-

lished enforcement in the Office of Student Aid in order to not leave students with so much debt. The Department of Education plans to propose a rule that will hold higher education institutions accountable for leaving their students with debt that they will not be able to pay off after the Trump Administration previously repealed the rule.

In a survey conducted by The Signpost’s Street Team, students were asked about student loans and financial aid. Students on campus were asked if they had student loans and if they had received student loan forgiveness.

Though most interviewed students said they have had student loans, only two out of

the 36 interviewees claimed that they had either had loans forgiven or were eligible for loan forgiveness.

Leah Murray, director of the Walker Institute of Politics and Social Services, said this debt relief plan is good for our economy.

“In my opinion, there are collateral consequences for students who have student loan debt that sometimes stops them from taking other steps we would like our citizens to take, such as owning a home,” Murray said. “To the extent that forgiving student-loan debt would make it possible for them to be more economically secure.”

As of right now, there is not enough data to find out exactly what percentage of Weber

State University students will receive student loan forgiveness, but Biden’s debt relief plan is estimated to help millions of Americans with student debt. With 41% of WSU students receiving financial aid as of 2018, this will be beneficial to WSU students.

This Student Debt Relief Plan is incredibly beneficial to American students; however, international students do not qualify for debt relief because they cannot receive student loans from the U.S. government. This will affect many WSU students, as it hosts approximately 300-400 international students a school year.

As Biden’s plan starts to go into phases two and three, more and more undergrad-

uate students will find that schooling and loans will be much more affordable and will be less inhibited by debt in the future.

Biden and the Department of Education hope this plan will encourage higher education institutions to stop raising costs unnecessarily and help more and more people succeed financially later in life.

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14 | thesignpostwsu.com | October 18, 2022

Student loan forgiveness might allow for some relaxation in the minds of current students.

By BRISA ODENTHAL Reporter

POR MARIANNA LOPEZ-LURITTA Traductor

El 24 de agosto, el presidente Joe Biden anunció un plan en tres partes para frenar la actual crisis de la deuda estudiantil a la que se enfrenta el país.

Según la Casa Blanca, la deuda estudiantil acumulada en todo el país se estima actualmente en unos 1,6 billones de dólares y sigue aumentando, ya que el coste medio de asistir a una institución de cuatro años casi se ha triplicado desde 1980.

Se calcula que el estudiante universitario medio se gradúa con unos 25.000 dólares en préstamos estudiantiles.

El plan de Biden, que consta de tres partes, comienza con la provisión por parte del Departamento de Educación de EE.UU. de un alivio de la deuda dirigido a los afectados por la pandemia. Esta parte del plan desempeñó un papel importante en la campaña de Biden y ya ha comenzado.

A partir de ahora, los graduados y los actuales estudiantes de grado pueden solicitar el alivio de la deuda a través de studentaid.gov y averiguar si son elegibles para el alivio de la deuda.

Este alivio de la deuda afectará principalmente a los que han recibido becas Pell, ya que el Departamento de Educación proporcionará hasta 20.000 dólares en alivio de la deuda a los que son elegibles para las becas Pell y hasta 10.000 dólares en alivio de la deuda para los que no son elegibles para

las becas Pell.

Para ser elegible para este alivio de la deuda, uno debe tener un ingreso individual de menos de $ 125,000 o $ 250,000 para las parejas casadas. Cualquiera que gane más que eso no será elegible para ese alivio de la deuda.

El Departamento de Educación de EE.UU. también ha permitido una pausa en los pagos hasta el 31 de diciembre, con el fin de ayudar a que el proceso se desarrolle sin problemas.

La segunda parte de este proceso consiste en crear un mejor sistema para los préstamos estudiantiles actuales y futuros.

Para ello, el Departamento de Educación planea reducir los pagos mensuales de los préstamos para estudiantes y arreglar el programa de condonación de préstamos

para el servicio público.

El Departamento de Educación propuso un plan basado en los ingresos que limita los pagos mensuales de los préstamos estudiantiles al 5% de los ingresos del estudiante. El programa PSLF ha sufrido cambios, tanto temporales como permanentes, y el Departamento de Educación ha trabajado en la reconstrucción del programa. El inicio de este programa ha ayudado a conseguir hasta 10.000 millones de dólares en condonación de préstamos para los funcionarios públicos.

La tercera y última parte del plan de Biden se centra en las instituciones más que en los estudiantes. Biden espera reducir los costes de las matrículas e impedir que las instituciones suban los precios.

El Departamento de Educación ha restab-

WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY

thesignpostwsu.com | October 18, 2022 | 15

The potential for new students might grow with the possibility of student loan forgiveness.

lecido la aplicación de la ley en la Oficina de Ayuda al Estudiante para no dejar a los estudiantes con tanta deuda. El Departamento de Educación planea proponer una norma que responsabilice a las instituciones de educación superior por dejar a sus estudiantes con una deuda que no podrán pagar después de que la Administración Trump derogara previamente la norma.

En una encuesta realizada por el equipo de calle de The Signpost, se preguntó a los estudiantes sobre los préstamos estudiantiles y la ayuda financiera. A los estudiantes del campus se les preguntó si tenían préstamos estudiantiles y si habían recibido la condonación de préstamos estudiantiles.

Aunque la mayoría de los estudiantes entrevistados dijeron que habían tenido préstamos estudiantiles, sólo dos de los 36

entrevistados afirmaron que se les habían condonado los préstamos o que podían optar a la condonación de los mismos.

Leah Murray, directora del Instituto Walker de Política y Servicios Sociales, dijo que este plan de alivio de la deuda es bueno para nuestra economía.

“En mi opinión, hay consecuencias colaterales para los estudiantes que tienen deudas de préstamos estudiantiles que a veces les impiden dar otros pasos que nos gustaría que nuestros ciudadanos dieran, como tener una casa”, dijo Murray. “En la medida en que la condonación de la deuda de los préstamos estudiantiles les permitiría estar más seguros económicamente”.

Por el momento, no hay datos suficientes para saber exactamente qué porcentaje de estudiantes de la Universidad Estatal de We-

ber recibirán la condonación de sus préstamos estudiantiles, pero se estima que el plan de alivio de la deuda de Biden ayudará a millones de estadounidenses con deudas estudiantiles. Con el 41% de los estudiantes de la WSU que reciben ayuda financiera a partir de 2018, esto será beneficioso para los estudiantes de la WSU. Este Plan de Alivio de la Deuda Estudiantil es increíblemente beneficioso para los estudiantes estadounidenses; sin embargo, los estudiantes internacionales no califican para el alivio de la deuda porque no pueden recibir préstamos estudiantiles del gobierno de los Estados Unidos. Esto afectará a muchos estudiantes de la WSU, ya que acoge a unos 300-400 estudiantes internacionales por año escolar.

A medida que el plan de Biden comience

a entrar en las fases dos y tres, cada vez más estudiantes universitarios se darán cuenta de que los estudios y los préstamos serán mucho más asequibles y estarán menos inhibidos por las deudas en el futuro.

Biden y el Departamento de Educación esperan que este plan anime a las instituciones de enseñanza superior a dejar de aumentar los costes innecesariamente y ayude a más y más personas a tener éxito financiero en el futuro.

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By COBY CRISLER Columnist

College can be extremely expensive, running thousands of dollars just for initial course charges and fees. On top of that, books and materials for classes can add

thesignpostwsu.com | October 18, 2022 | 17

hundreds of dollars each onto those already monstrous fees. This is all without even considering housing if you’re traveling far from home for school.

I found myself facing such terrifying totals when beginning my college search back in 2020 after I graduated high school. I weighed whether or not I would go into debt, taking guidance from my sister and mother to avoid it at all costs.

We already knew I needed to apply for financial aid if I even wanted to consider college at all. My first year of college I went to Southern Utah University and financial aid cut my expenses in half.

With the aid I was given through FAFSA, my mother was able to pay for my housing each semester while I covered course materials, and the aid finished out the rest of my charges.

FAFSA allowed my first year in college to be a breeze financial-wise, letting me go debt free. But as the 1 year came to an end, I was now stuck on choosing a viable major for myself.

With SUU not really offering anything I wanted, I looked to The University of Utah for better options. They had a perfect major for my dreams of becoming a video-game developer, with a school in computer science and degrees in game design.

I prepared myself to attend The UofU, being accepted and then planning the cost of everything. But with the first day of school around the corner, I quickly learned just how expensive The UofU was compared to schools like Weber State University.

I was once again back to that major decision of taking out loans or not. To be in debt or not to be, that was the question. The answer was still no, and even with the assistance of financial aid I found I would still need to take out loans.

Last minute I switched to attend WSU. Already having previous classes with Weber through CE courses in high school, it was very easy to apply again and be accepted quickly.

With my time at Weber, I learned how affordable school really was. FAFSA is still offering the same amount it did before, but

covering nearly everything I needed. In addition, my mother living in Ogden allowed me to return home and not stress about housing and the extreme cost it brings.

For the past three semesters I’ve been able to attend college and pursue a major I’m genuinely interested in and passionate about. In addition, my time at the Signpost allows me a scholarship that ensures I spend even less on my attendance here at WSU. Financial aid remains a wonderful solution to me and my mother’s worries about tuition, allowing us to both live stress free in regards to cost. With this I am more able to focus on school and what I’m learning rather than worrying constantly about my racking debt or my looming course fees. Financial aid is truly an improvement on not just my tuition, but my future as well.

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18 | thesignpostwsu.com | October 18, 2022

Fall is for FAFSA and applying for financial aid and tuition assistance. However, there is a difference between this process for domestic students and international or undocumented students.

“As of fall 2022, we have 313 International students, and they come from 70 different countries,” Shannon Sandau, internationalization specialist at the International Student and Scholar Center, said.

Kerstin Bernreuther and Trees Niemann, WSU international students, shared their experience transferring to WSU for the semester from the Hof University of Applied Sciences in Germany.

“Our home university has a partnership with Weber State, so we didn’t have to pay tuition,” Bernreuther said. “We still were charged tuition, but our home institution paid it.”

They said Hof University assisted them throughout the process of applying to study abroad. Once they got to WSU, they had an unexpected class fee and needed to purchase some insurance.

Niemann said options to receive aid had not been communicated to them once arriving at WSU. International students can receive merit-based scholarships based on their academic records and high school transcripts.

“They can receive up to $8,000 a year, split into two semesters, fall in spring, you know.

So again, all of those are dependent on their transcript.” Mary Machira, ISSC director, said.

Many international students like Bern-

SARA STAKER | The Signpost

By AARON LOWE

Reporter

reuther and Niemann find it difficult to receive aid even when the application process is completed.

“After the initial scholarship opportunity upon acceptance, it is very difficult for international students to receive additional schol- Sachin Chhetri working at the front desk in the International Student and Scholar Center. arships,” Sandau said.

Domestic students can receive aid through FAFSA, but that is not an option for undocumented or international students.

Many scholarships are still available to students who fill out the Specialized Scholarship Application. This puts students’ names in an ongoing database to potentially be awarded aid that applies specifically to them.

The ISSC is working on finding more ways and opportunities to provide scholarships to international students. They have worked hard in the past to be able to provide the scholarships that are available now.

“They’ve made a lot of sacrifice to come here, and if we can help them while they’re here because of unforeseen circumstances, then I think we should be able to do that.“ The International Student and Scholar center at Weber State.

Machira said. “International students can bring a unique perspective to campus, so domestic students and international students definitely have the opportunity to learn from each other.”

The process for International students to be able to study at WSU can be lengthy, and there are many sacrifices these students have to make, but the ISSC is actively working towards supporting these international Drop in Weekdays students.

Your one-stop shop for career prep 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. at SSC 230

or visit: weber.edu/careerservices

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SARA STAKER | The Signpost

SARA STAKER | The Signpost

thesignpostwsu.com | October 18, 2022 | 19

The International Student and Scholar center at Weber State.

By AARON LOWE Reportero

POR MARIANNA LOPEZ-LURITTA Traductor

El otoño es para la FAFSA y la solicitud de ayuda financiera y de matrícula. Sin embargo, hay una diferencia entre este proceso para los estudiantes nacionales y los estudiantes internacionales o indocumentados.

“A partir del otoño de 2022, tenemos 313 estudiantes internacionales, y provienen de 70 países diferentes”, dijo Shannon Sandau, especialista en internacionalización del Centro Internacional de Estudiantes y Becas.

Kerstin Bernreuther y Trees Niemann, estudiantes internacionales de la WSU, compartieron su experiencia al transferirse a la WSU para el semestre desde la Universidad de Ciencias Aplicadas de Hof en Alemania.

“Nuestra universidad de origen tiene una asociación con Weber State, por lo que no

Weber State University International Program display.

tuvimos que pagar la matrícula”, dijo Bernreuther. “Aún así, nos cobraron la matrícula, pero nuestra institución de origen la pagó”.

Dijeron que la Universidad de Hof les ayudó durante todo el proceso de solicitud de estudios en el extranjero. Una vez que llegaron a la WSU, tuvieron una cuota de clase inesperada y necesitaron comprar un seguro.

Niemann dijo que las opciones para recibir ayudas no les fueron comunicadas una vez llegados a la WSU. Los estudiantes internacionales pueden recibir becas basadas en el mérito en función de sus expedientes académicos y de los certificados de estudios de la escuela secundaria.

“Pueden recibir hasta 8.000 dólares al año, divididos en dos semestres, otoño en primavera, ya sabes. Así que, de nuevo, todo depende de su expediente académico”. dijo Mary Machira, directora del ISSC.

Muchos estudiantes internacionales, como Bernreuther y Niemann, tienen dificultades para recibir la ayuda incluso cuando el proceso de solicitud se ha completado.

“Después de la oportunidad inicial de obtener una beca al ser aceptados, es muy difícil para los estudiantes internacionales recibir otras becas”, dijo Sandau.

Los estudiantes nacionales pueden recibir ayuda a través de la FAFSA, pero esa no es una opción para los estudiantes indocumentados o internacionales.

Muchas becas siguen estando disponibles para los estudiantes que rellenan la Solicitud de Becas Especializadas. Esto pone los nombres de los estudiantes en una base de datos en curso para potencialmente ser concedido ayuda que se aplica específicamente a ellos.

El ISSC está trabajando en la búsqueda de más formas y oportunidades para proporcionar becas a los estudiantes internacionales. Han trabajado mucho en el pasado

para poder ofrecer las becas que están disponibles ahora.

“Han hecho muchos sacrificios para venir aquí, y si podemos ayudarles mientras están aquí por circunstancias imprevistas, creo que deberíamos poder hacerlo”. dijo Machira. “Los estudiantes internacionales pueden aportar una perspectiva única al campus, así que los estudiantes nacionales y los internacionales definitivamente tienen la oportunidad de aprender unos de otros”.

El proceso para que los estudiantes internacionales puedan estudiar en la WSU puede ser largo, y hay muchos sacrificios que estos estudiantes tienen que hacer, pero el ISSC está trabajando activamente para apoyar a estos estudiantes internacionales.

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20 | thesignpostwsu.com | October 18, 2022

STORY BY HUNTER

LINDSEY

Weber State University will be hosting its career and internship fair on Oct. 18 in the Shepherd Union ballrooms from 10am to 2pm. For those unable to attend, there will be a virtual event the following day from 2-5pm and students can register on the Handshake app.

“It’s a great opportunity to go around and see employers,” Katie Browning, WSU Career Services employer and events specialist, said. “To connect and network and follow them on LinkedIn.” A total of 95 employers will be present

TRANSLATION BY

MARIANNA LOPEZ-LURITTA

with employment and internship opportunities, including America First, England Logistics, Fidelity Investments, Intermountain Healthcare, Oregon State Police, Boeing and Vivint.

This year’s career fair will include employers from represented industries such as STEM fields, construction, healthcare, finance, social work, manufacturing, marketing, advertising, public relations and defense.

“I would recommend checking who’s coming, have an idea who you want to talk to,”

PHOTOS BY KENNEDY

Browning said. “Also, have a resume ready or anything that you can give to an employer that shows you are a good candidate.”

Browning also recommended students dress in a business or business-casual attire.

She highlighted that students will have the opportunity to practice talking with employers, building connections and relationships that will help them in their future.

The career fair will also be a unique opportunity for students to have a large amount of employers in one spot.

“I think the internet is broad and bad at

CAMARENA

times; it’s hard to know where to even start,” Browning said. “If they’re all in one spot, you can go around, talk to them and network.”

Browning also mentioned how a university career fair helped her find employment post-graduation and helped prepare her for her current role with Weber State.

“I benefited hugely when I was in my undergrad and was able to connect and network,” Browning said.

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LEFT: At the Career Station, students can get help with their resume for jobs, practice interviews with the staff and get headshots done. RIGHT: Brittany Hales works at the Career Services office.

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HISTORIA POR HUNTER

LINDSEY

La Universidad Estatal Weber organizará su feria de carreras y prácticas el 18 de octubre en los salones de baile de Shepherd Union de 10am a 2pm. Para aquellos que no puedan asistir, habrá un evento virtual al día siguiente de 2 a 5pm y los estudiantes pueden registrarse en la aplicación Handshake.

“Es una gran oportunidad para recorrer y ver a los empleadores”, dijo Katie Browning, especialista en empleadores y eventos

TRADUCIDO POR

MARIANNA LOPEZ-LURITTA

de WSU Career Services. “Para conectarse y crear redes y seguirlos en LinkedIn”.

Un total de 95 empleadores estarán presentes con oportunidades de empleo y pasantías, incluyendo America First, England Logistics, Fidelity Investments, Intermountain Healthcare, Oregon State Police, Boeing y Vivint.

La feria de carreras de este año incluirá empleadores de industrias representadas como los campos STEM, la construcción, la

FOTOS POR KENNEDY

atención sanitaria, las finanzas, el trabajo social, la fabricación, el marketing, la publicidad, las relaciones públicas y la defensa.

“Yo recomendaría comprobar quién va a venir, tener una idea de con quién quieres hablar”, dijo Browning. “Además, tened preparado un currículum o cualquier cosa que podáis dar a un empleador que demuestre que sois un buen candidato”.

Browning también recomendó a los estudiantes que se vistieran con un atuendo

CAMARENA

de negocios o informal. Destacó que los estudiantes tendrán la oportunidad de practicar para hablar con los empleadores, construyendo conexiones y relaciones que les ayudarán en su futuro.

La feria profesional también será una oportunidad única para que los estudiantes tengan una gran cantidad de empleadores en un solo lugar.

“Creo que Internet es amplio y malo a veces; es difícil saber por dónde empezar”, dijo Browning. “Si están todos en un solo lugar, puedes ir de un lado a otro, hablar con ellos y hacer contactos”.

Browning también mencionó cómo una feria de carreras de la universidad la ayudó a encontrar empleo después de graduarse y la ayudó a prepararse para su papel actual en Weber State.

“Me beneficié enormemente cuando estaba en la universidad y pude conectarme y hacer contactos”, dijo Browning.

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TOP LEFT: The Career Services office has a room available to students called the Career Station. TOP RIGHT: A career services sign outside of the office located in the Student Services building. BOTTOM: The front windows of the career services office.

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12 | thesignpostwsu.com | June 28, 2022

thesignpostwsu.com | October 18, 2022 | 13

DO YOU KNOW YOUR NEWS? 2.

3.

The answer is C, according to The Associated Press, at the conclusion of a hearing held in Connecticut last week, Alex Jones was ordered to pay a hefty sum of $965 million. This is due in large part to his website, Infowars, spreading misinformation about the shootings.

Infowars has spread false information about Sandy Hook and many conservative movements over the past several years. This is likely to bankrupt Alex Jones and his company.

4.

The answer is D, according to The New York Times, the Great Salt Lake has already dried up more than twothirds of the way. Scientists fear that the brine shrimp and flies in the lake might begin to disappear as early as this summer, endangering the 10 million migrating birds who pause at the lake each year to devour the small creatures.

2022 Ghetty Images

The answer is A, Parler. According to KSL, with Kanye West being booted off of twitter, he is taking to the outcast conservative platform, Parler, to make his posts. Not only is he migrating to that platform, but he is purchasing it for an undisclosed amount.

2022 Los Angelos Times

1.

The answer is C, The Chosen. According to Deseret News, on Nov. 18, the global phenomenon of a TV show, The Chosen, is debuting in theaters with its premiere episode. This is following the massive success of the series’ Christmas special last year, which was also a theatrical release. The episodes will be in theaters for a limited time, with the episodes premiering on the series’ free mobile app in December.

QUIZ ANSWERS FROM PAGE 2

THE SIGNPOST TEAM Editor-in-Chief Breanna Hart breannahart@mail.weber.edu

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The Signpost is a student publication, written, edited and drafted

by Weber State University students. Student fees fund the printing of this publication. Opinions or positions voiced are not necessarily endorsed by the university. The Signpost reserves the right to edit for reasons of space and libel and to refuse to print any letters. Letters should be submitted online to thesignpost@weber. edu and read letter to the Editor in the subject box. Letters should not exceed 350 words.

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