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february 18, 2009

wednesday

Volume 98, Issue 52

Pell Grant Increase

Stimulus legislation serves higher education, cuts facility construction funds By Rachel Nelson News Reporter Higher education will reap some benefits from the $787 billion stimulus bill that was signed into law Tuesday, but the gains will not be what some hoped for when the plan surfaced. Allocated funds for higher education construction and the federal work-study program were reduced by U.S. Senators while making cuts to the package. President Barack Obama addressed the nation in early January before sworn into office, communicating his optimism about the proposal to build educational facilities. “To give our children the chance to live out their dreams in a world that’s never been more competitive, we will equip tens of thousands of schools, community colleges and public universities with 21st-century classrooms, labs and libraries,” Obama said during his economic recovery speech Jan. 8. “We’ll provide new computers, new technology and new training for teachers so students in Chicago and Boston can compete with children in Beijing for the high-tech, high-wage jobs of the future.” According to information provided by the Texas State Financial Aid Office, there was a 1.1 percent increase for allocated federal workstudy funds during fiscal years 2008 and 2009. However, the number of work-study positions was reduced as a result of the increase in minimum wage that occurred in July 2008.

Sarah Strick/Star photo illustration

The number of students receiving Pell Grants will see an increase, and the maximum amount of the grants are greater than previous years. The original House package sought to increase the grant amount by $500 and the number of recipients by 800,000 in the next year.

The maximum amount in the revised Senate version of the bill for a Pell Grant is up $281 during the 2009-2010 award year, but will jump to $400 in 2010-2011. The number of recipients will increase in 20092010 by 175,000 and 250,000 in 2010-2011, respectively. Sidencio Leija, College Democrats member, said he was dis-

appointed in the decision to cut educational facility funds because of the jobs they would have created for Americans. “I think by them increasing (Pell Grants) by this amount, it will hopefully reduce the amount of students going into debt over the four or five years in college,” Leija said. Leija is a veteran of the U.S.

Navy and said grants and the G.I. Bill have made it possible for him to focus on his studies rather than having to work while in school. The Financial Aid Office said 6,611 Pell Grants were awarded at Texas State, according to data from 2007-2008. The office encourages students to reapply for grants each year because they may be eligible for subsidized need-based loans, such as a Federal Direct Loan, if they do not qualify for Pell Grants. A higher tax credit is designed to provide relief for college students and their parents. The legislation states 100 per percent of tuition and related expenses paid by citizens during the taxable year will be credited provided the amount does not exceed $2,000. Twenty-five percent will be credited for costs between $2,000 and $4,000. Leija said he thinks it is a great time to be a student during this economic turmoil, especially for freshmen and sophomores because they will not have to struggle to find jobs until after they graduate. “They hopefully will be there at the point when things are going up,” Leija said. “If you’re a junior and senior, looking for a job is going to be tough.” Graduate school is something Leija said he is looking into to avoid the dwindling job market for two more years. “We don’t know what’s going to happen,” Leija said. “We won’t see any results until the beginning months of next year if we get lucky.”

‘It will hopefully reduce the amount of students going into debt...’ —Sidencio Leija College Democrats member

Citizen Summit engages greater numbers by offering multiple sessions By Theron Brittain Senior News Reporter Texas State students will have a chance to help shape the future of San Marcos this week. The 2009 Citizen Summit is underway. The annual event provides community members with an opportunity to discuss the direction of San Marcos and offer suggestions on improving the economy, environment and standard of life in their city. One of the meetings will be held for the first time on the Texas State campus. Kim Porterfield, community relations director and Place 1 City Councilmember, said the degree to which students will be included is significant. “Students, faculty and staff will have an oppor opportunity to participate in our annual city visioning,” Porterfield said. “Any time we can make it more convenient for student residents to participate in municipal government, that is a good thing.”

The community relations department will host the session at 1:30 p.m. Thursday in the LBJ Student Center. The 2009 summit is divided into six sessions to be held Wednesday and Thursday at different locations in San Marcos. The multiple sessions are designed to engage more of the community than if just a single, large meeting were held, as has been the case in previous years. Richard Lewis of the Round Top Consulting Group will moderate the summit and perform an analysis of resident input. The event culminates in a presentation to the City Council at a general community summit at the San Marcos Conference Center Thursday evening. Mayor Susan Narvaiz said input from previous summits aided the council in creating a vision for the future of San Marcos. “Every year we have been doing this, we have used the feedback to formulate our budget goals,”

Narvaiz said. She said more than 400 residents participated in 2007, 200 more than in 2008. “Every year we have changed it up to refresh the idea and the concept,” Narvaiz said. “Last year, we had a facilitator, and we decided to do it in multiple locations by demographic.” The council did not attend those meetings, but received a report at the end. A 2008 report compiled by Round Top Consulting Group listed four major areas in which residents agreed steps should be taken. Economic expansion, environment enhancement, cooperative efforts between major stakeholders in the city and transportation alternatives were foremost on the citizen wish list. Seventeen percent of those in attendance at the 2008 summit listed the need for a comprehensive transportation plan as the most pressing problem facing San Marcos, with 11.5 percent saying the

city should target economic development in order to achieve the Collective Vision for 2014. The Collective Vision is a formal statement of intentions for San Marcos to be accomplished by a set year. Round Top Consulting Group constructs the vision from descriptions provided by residents during the summit. Narvaiz said she believes progress has been made on objectives set in 2008. “From an economic standpoint, we have been trying to draw in the economic development master plan,” Narvaiz said. “We have all put money together — the county, the university, the hospital — different people have come on board with us to reach that regional goal. We are highly involved in the region on rail relocation and transportation. I would say we are realizing (progress).” An online survey was provided to residents Feb. See SUMMIT, page 3

Sagewood fire lane causes parking difficulties Correction regarding By Theron Brittain Senior News Reporter Sagewood Circle has earned its stripes. Residents of Sagewood say parking is hard to come by, and they are receiving fire-lane relat related offenses to prove it. A fire lane installed in 2003 stretches along one side of the street for its entire span. There is no curbside parking on that side, and residents must ensure vehicles in the driveway do not extend into the street. “It is a hassle,” said Matt Whit Whitig, industrial technology junior. Whitig has lived on the fire-lane side of Sagewood for a year, and received a ticket for parking too Bobby Scheidemann/Star photo far away from the opposite curb. “That ticket cost me $30,” RED STRIPE: People have disputed over the necessity of the fire he said. “There is absolutely no line at sagewood.

Today’s weather AM Showers

70˚

Precipitation: 30% Humidity: 75% UV: 3 Moderate Wind: S 7 mph

Two-day Forecast Wednesday

Thursday

Partly Cloudy Temp: 80°/44° Precip: 10%

sunny Temp: 66°/34° Precip: 0%

parking available on this street, and even people who live here do not have room for their cars. You can get ticketed for letting the back of your truck stick out over the fire lane.” The fire lane runs along the west side of the street. It stretches across curbs and driveways, and is designated by a red stripe. Whitig said the residents of his threebedroom house can not all park in their driveway without at least one vehicle extending over the stripe. Fire Marshall Ken Bell said he ordered the lane in 2003 in response to incidents during which emergency personnel were unable to gain entry to the street because of vehicle congestion. Bell said ambulances, fire trucks and police cruisers had all been denied acSee SAGEWOOD, page 3

staff-hiring freeze The headline about the hir hiring freeze in Tuesday’s UniverUniver sity Star should have stated the university will halt hiring new staff positions. Provost Perry Moore explained the “fexible” hiring freeze in greater detail. Moore said critical staff positions will be filled. “Our highest priority is to continue employing them,” Moore said. Moore reiterated the university has no plan to cut jobs. He said all vice presidents will review staff positions not filled and decide if they are critical or not. “We do not know what the

future budgets hold,” he said. “We don’t now what the legislature will do or what the economy will do.” Moore said the university official’s goal of creating new faculty positions stems from the institution having one of the highest full-time faculty to student ratios. He said when including part-time adjunct faculty that statistic is lowered somewhat. “That is the goal. If we maintain tuition as currently advised we will recruit new faculty,” he said. “If we do not, I’m not sure we can recruit new faculty.” The University Star regrets this error.

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