Newspaper Page Text
Page 2
Wednesday, August 23, 2006
Financial Aid overhauls outdated system
By Larry Peel
Staff Writer
Uirry@ioncinema.com
Years of preparation,
hours of study, brochures
and applications all
led to the long awaited
acceptance letter.
So you made it to the
University of West
Georgia. Now comes the
big question....” How am I
going to pay for this?”
Few things cause
more stress and frustration
for students and parents
alike than the expense of
going off to college.
Fortunately Kim
Jordan and her staff at the
Department of Financial
Aid office are available to
lead students through the
often overwhelming process
of paying for college.
As Director of
Financial Aid, Jordan
manages a staff of 13
full time staff workers,
threecasual labor workers,
and two student assistants.
The Financial Aid
office located in Aycock
Hall is the primary source
for most students on
campus looking to gamer
Staying fit
jt ' j m
i SB % %
.B\ m ■
HP Iki. .ik gHBI fll
* -*•IB t wH ' ’ || i[fiinmTi
JUT- ' 'k^H
L ” A ' ' ►
Photo by Kevin Dorsey
Carl Boyles, Jr., an art major from Decatur, works out in the Campus Life Center.
The Campus Center is open seven days a week and has many activities for studetns,
including rock climbing, an accractive fitness center, and a full basketball court.
English department proposes new film minor
By Larry Peel
Stuff Writer
larry@ioncinema.com
The Department of
English at West Georgia
has announced that it is
awaiting approval from
the Board of Regents
to include a minor in
Film Studies for all its
students majoring in its
department.
Dr. Brickman,
a graduate of the
University of Rochester
with a concentration
in Film Studies, has
taken the helm of the
much anticipated Film
Studies minor program at
UWG which is currently
awaiting Regents
approval.
If approved, the
program will focus on
film as text, providing
funds for their education.
So far this year the
staff has received 37,866
files, processed 6,406
awards, 4,862 student
loans and 432 parent loans
as well as verifying 973
student files.
Records also indicate
that the office fielded
22,728 incoming telephone
calls during the period July
1 to July 30, 2(X)6.
The Financial Aid
office is truly the best place
to start looking for funds
to further your education.
Students can obtain
information regarding
the HOPH scholarship,
Perkins loans, and
virtually any other federal
or state funding.
While most students
choose to apply for all
their financial aid at once
on the Internet (www.
fafsa.ed.gov), Jordan
said that the Internet is
not the only option for
technology wary parents
or weary students.
“Some students feel
comfortable submitting
the FAFSA online w ithout
assistance. Others would
rather sit down with a
students with a
literary and academic
background that can be
used as a strong base
for pursuits in motion
picture production,
development, distribution
or promotion.
In 2005 a committee
was formed, headed
by Dr. Brickman and
representing many of
the departments in the
College of Arts and
Sciences, to discuss and
create the parameters for
such a program.
The end result was a
minor as diversified and
creative as the people and
products the industry itself
represents.
According to the
English Department’s
website, the proposed
minor consists of “a
series of courses from
staff member to complete
the process.”
Starting last November,
the Financial Aid office
began a reorganization plan
in order to better service
students needs.
One area that was
created specifically for this
purpose is the Customer
Service Team, headed by
Zina Coley.
The Customer Service
Team is specially trained
to assist students and their
parents with the processes
involved in obtaining
financial aid, while other
staff members are free to
process the actual files and
requests by students.
“Our Customer
Service Team members
have been training to assist
in the (application) process
and we have computer
stations set up where a
student can submit the
FAFSA online.”
When asked of the
progress the office has
made, Jordan replied
“With one summer now
under our belt we have
discovered areas that need
improvement, but feel that
we are on the right track.”
departments including
English and Philosophy,
Foreign Languages and
Literatures, History,
Mass Communications
and Theatre Arts, and
Psychology.”
These courses are
designed to provide
students with a solid
background in the history,
technical analysis,
aesthetics and cultural
significance of film.”
The interdisciplinary
program will present the
art of films to students as
“texts to read” according
to Brickman.
As the leading
proponent of the Film
minor and possible future
expansions of the program
and opportunities,
Brickman stands ready
to lead the university
through the dynamic and
*
As part of the overall
service stance of the
Financial Aid office,
Coley and her staff are
also working to find new
means of connecting
students to the financial
aid they need.
This year the team
began utilizing the
University’s campus
pipeline and the MyUWG
server to give students
timely information
regarding the information
they need via both home
page messages and email.
Other changes
incorporated this year
include changing the way
Ban Web processes award
information.
According to Jordan
the majority of students
accepted their financial aid
awards as a whole package.
In past years students
had to log into Banweb
and manually accept all
offered aid.
This year, through
cooperation with
Information Technology
Services, all students who
are awarded financial aid,
are automatically listed as
accepting all aid offered.
NAACP seeks students
who long for change
By Tim Sowers
Staff Writer
tsowerl @my.westga.edu
The school year is
well underway by now and
that means one thing, there
are lots of students with
free time on their hands.
However, West
Georgia has many great
organizations that students
can join.
Everyone knows
about the many social
organizations that the
university has to offer.
There are also many
political organizations that
are active on campus, such
as the National Association
for the Advancement of
Colored People.
The NAACP has
been active on the campus
since 2000, after being re
established, and has nearly
100 members.
Robert Kelly, vice
exciting plans for the
future of the program.
Among her goals for
the university are attempts
to garner a media room for
the unit inside the Ingram
Library, and she hopes
to eventually organize
a comprehensive film
resource website through
the University System.
Currently Dr.
Brickman has instituted
and is teaching
the beginning core
curriculum for the
minor, which includes
ENGL. 2080/Film 2080:
Introduction to the Art of
Film, and ENGL. 2100/
Film 2100: History and
Theory of Film.
Most departments of
the College of Arts and
Sciences already offer
courses that may be counted
toward the film minor.
In the event that a
student does not wish to
accept all aid offered,they
still may log into the
Banweb system and
decline any award they
choose not to receive.
Whether applying for
aid in person, or through
the internet, students
and parents must ensure
that they have the proper
information to avoid
processing delays.
According to Kim
Jordan, the most common
errors are incomplete
filling out of forms.
“Not answering a
question or using incorrect
information can cause
a student’s financial
aid process to back up
sometimes as much as
three weeks.
Another common
problem she finds that a
student does not know'
what they are applying for
or receiving.
“Sometimes students
have their parents
complete the financial
aid process so they aren’t
aware of what may be
required for their files.”
Along with other
president of the West
Georgia chapter of the
NAACP said, “Our goals
are to raise minority
awareness on political and
social issues as well as to
advance the economic,
education, social and
political status of minorities
on campus as well as in our
community.”
The NAACP was
founded in 1909 amongst a
background of great racial
inequality in the north and
the south.
The founding
members, such as Mrs.
Ovington, Mr. Walling
and Dr. Henry Moskowitz,
came from all walks of
life but shared a common
concern for equality.
Kelly wishes this
dynamic to continue as as
the years progress.
“We welcome
everyone regardless of sex,
race, or sexual orientation.
Brickman states that
classes taken prior to
the Regents approval of
the curriculum will be
eligible for application
to the program pending
committee review of the
student’s transcript.
“Students may
approach the committee
with proposals of
courses taken. We will be
considerate of schedules”,
she said, referring to
students approaching
graduation when the
minor is approved.
In preliminary
focus group studies, the
Film Minor Committee
surveyed approximately
600 students in 10 classes
last spring to determine
interest in the program.
Brickman stated
that approximately 75
percent of respondents
alje lUcat (fteunjian
changes, UWG, along
with Kennesaw State
University, became the first
university to rely solely on
the Higher One® card for
financial aid refunds.
By utilizing the card
service, offered by Horizon
Bank, the University has
saved thousands of dollars
in man hours, postage, and
supplies.
Students who receive
a refund of financial aid
funds will have their
refund deposited directly
onto a Mastercard debit
card which can be
accessed via any ATM
(free at the Higher One
ATM on campus), or at
any retailer that displays
the Mastercard® symbol.
Students can also
choose to have their funds
sent to an outside banking
account or to have their
checks mailed to their
permanent address.
The Financial Aid
office is in Aycock Hall and
is open on weekdays from
8 a m. to 5 p.m.
For information
regarding refunds, contact
Student Financial Services
at (678) 839-6421.
Our only requirement is
that you have an interest in
making a change.”
While great strides
have been made in these
past 100 years, there are
still issues to address.
It is important for
students to get involved
and make a difference.
Meetings are held
every second and fourth
Tuesday of each month at
7:30 p.m. in the University
Community Center in
Room 311.
Some upcoming
events that the NAACP
will sponsor are a movie
night, community day,
women's conference. Aids
Walk, and an Affirmative
Action forum.
For more information
about the NAACP as
well as other campus
organizations, students
can contact the Student
Activities Council.
were interested in films
in general, 78 percent
were interested in film
screenings and festivals
on campus and 43 percent
were interested in the
proposed film minor.
In developing the
Film minor, Brickman
is also looking ahead to
future possibilities for a
complete film department
at UWG.
While the film minor
utilizes personnel and
materials already in place
at the university, creating
a department or major
will entail much greater
resources, funding and
time.
The society is
planning free screenings
of recent Hollywood
hits as well as possible
first run independent and
student films.