THE March 8, 1988 Vol. 86, No. 40
VISTA
Tuesday Edition
Central State University, Edmond, Oklahoma
Pell grants not affected
Scholarships, fellowships targeted by 1986 tax law By Mary Martin Student Writer A law passed in 1986 that is designed to tax certain scholarship and grant funds has caught many people on Central State University's campus off guard. Beginning in 1987, the law taxes money students receive that is not used for tuition, books, fees, supplies and equipment, according to David Stell, spokesman for the Internal Revenue Service in Oklahoma City. 0
"Amounts from a scholarship or fellowship grant used for expenses such as room and board or travel are not excludable from income," Stell said. The changes apply to those scholarships granted after Aug. 16, 1986.
Photographic Services: Tom Gilbert
Thursday afternoon's snowfall didn't slow down Frank Alvarez as he crossed campus. Approximately one inch fell, but by Friday afternoon, there was no snow to be found.
According to some students and coaches at CSU, athletes on scholarships will be hit particularly hard.
a catch-22," said Mary Butler, a former scholarship athlete from Pennsylvania State University.
scholarship programs will be effected most," said CSU Assistant Football Coach Kenny Blair.
"You cant work to pay the taxes on your scholarship. I can just imagine the IRS raiding a football field when you have millionaires beating the system for hundreds and thousands of dollars," Butler said.
In addition to the requirement of paying taxes on scholarship funds not used for school related expenses, the latest tax laws also make taxes mandatory for all scholarship and grant funds received by students after Aug. 16 1986 if they drop out of school.
"All I can do is read the new rules and try to go by the regulations as to what is legal and what is right," said John Kelly, CSU assistant athletic director. "We take it semester by semester and advise the kids accordingly. We are here to educate the kids," Kelly said. "Even the students who don't live on campus will feel the crunch, but as a whole, the athletic department and all
"If there is some doubt whether a student's grant qualifies as a scholarship or fellowship, the person can call toll free 1-800-424-1040 or refer to publication 520of the IRS, Scholarships and Fellowships, to answer the questions," Stell said. According to Yvonne D. Maxwell, assistant director of financial aids at CSU, federal grants are not considered fellowship grants.
"The NCAA states that athletes on scholarship are not allowed to work and compete, so it is sort of
Police still searching for attackers By Scott Wheeler
Student Writer
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Edmond Police are still searching for two suspects whom they believe are responsible for the rape of one Central State University coed and attempted rape of another, according to Jan Montgomery, spokesperson for the Edmond Police. Police said a suspect in one incident, described by the victim as a black male, approximately fivefoot-seven-inches, 140-155 pounds, entered through a window at Brentwood Forest apartments.
The suspect waited until the victim returned home at approximately 3 a.m. and then raped her. Police said an apparently unrelated rape attempt occured at 10:45 a.m. Feb. 10 near campus. Police said the attacker, who could not be identified, placed a knife to the victim's throat and forced her toward a nearby building. The victim pulled a pin from her pocket and stabbed him in the groin and again in the lower abdomen. After the attacker reportedly let
go, the victim ran to her van and left the scene. She received a slash wound on the right side of her neck. Montgomery said the attacker could not be identified because he wore a gray ski mask with a red top. "These two incidents were probably not done by the same individual," Montgomery said. The man who raped the CSU coed at Brentwood Forest apartments is also suspected of raping an elderly woman in February, Montgomery said.
Extension courses granted regular credit From Staff Reports Oklahomans will have a greater opportunity to pursue college degrees under a plan approved by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education at its February meeting. The plan abolishes the distinction between regular academic credit and extension credit courses. Extension courses will earn
regular credit beginning in the Fall 1988 semester. Bob Parker, coordinator of on campus programs with the Outreach Program, said extension courses will have to meet higher standards to qualify for the credit. The regents' staff indicated the proposed outreach program change would help bring that facet of higher education into the mainstream of public higher
education. "The staff believes that the policy represents a major step forward in moving Oklahoma higher education toward the 21st century," a report released by the board said. The regents said they recognized that many non-traditional students benefit from approved courses at off-campus locations or through the electronic media.
Jon Heyvaert played dead while Pam Goodyear took his picture last week, as the two worked on an advertising project for a class. Their project was to promote "Turf Mafia," a monopolylike board game.