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BUSINESS & Finance
%• The BluePrint |
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Refund Checks & Balances
By: Imani Love C’20i6
How to Keep Your Stomach & Wallet
Full During Homecoming
By: Taylor Curry C'2015
“Cashing out”, “On the come up”, and “Checked
up” are just some of the phrases that students use to
express their excitement about refund checks. Though
it is encouraged that these checks go toward paying off
student loans, judging from the sudden spike in classic
tall chestnut UGG boots and Michael Kors bags around
campus, students are probably not saving this money.
The checks are disbursed twice a year, once before
homecoming and again before spring break, and it seems
as if they are strategically given to students to spend on
everything but their educational expenses.
Refund checks are distributed to students whose
grants, loans, or scholarships exceed tuition. The money
that is not used towards school fees or tuition is given
back to them in the form of a refund check. However if
the loan is in their parents’ names, the check is directly
deposited or sent home.
Though the money is tempting to use for personal
expenses, there are still the wise few who choose to save
it, like Sophomore Trisha Barton.
“I go shopping and save most of it,” Barton
said. “I give [the rest] to my mom so that I can’t spend
it.”
Senior Chelby Handy thinks “a lot of people treat it
like free money.” Handy on the other hand used one of
her checks to put a down payment on a car, and another
to pay a month’s worth of rent. Though Handy is fiscally
responsible with her checks, she recognizes that not
everyone else is.
“They use it on stupid stuff,” Handy said. “Boys go
get tattoos, and I know this girl who used it to get a dog.
I’ve heard some crazy stuff. I never hear of anyone really
using the checks for necessities like a computer or a
printer—things they need for school.”
Despite the fact that a lot of students spend these
checks frivolously, most are unaware that they have to
pay back interest along with the loaned money. According
to Yahoo Finance, 66% of college students graduate four-
year institutions with an average of $26,600 in student
loans. It is also stated that 9.1% of students default on
their loans two years after school; that number rises to
13.4% hitting the third year.
“Student debt may be far more detrimental to
financial futures than once thought,” said writer and
policy analyst Robert Hiltonsmith. “Particularly for those
with the highest level of debt: students of color and
students from low-income families.”
Since Spelman College is a historically black college
with a large percentage of students of color, the student
body is projected to have a tougher time paying off loans.
In the long run, loan payments detract from funds that
could be saved for retirement or even used to buy a
home.
So when the next set of refund checks are sent out,
think twice about buying a pair of boots and think more
about the future. Don’t become a statistic, spend a little,
save a lot.
Homecoming has arrived. The alumni will
come, the musicians will come, the vendors will
come, but chances are your money will go. Here
are some helpful tips on how to eat well, enjoy
homecoming week, and budget responsibly.
B.Y.O.S. (Bring Your Own Snacks)
Sitting through a four-hour game to watch our
beloved Maroon Tigers take on a collegiate outsider
can spark some major hunger pains. But instead of
giving in to the often pricey hot-dogs, nachos, or
lemonade sold at the game, pack a snack before
hand like celery sticks dipped in sugar-free peanut
butter. Munch on some spicy nacho flavored dried
kale from home, and pack your own water bottle.
Utilize Spelman’s New Food Court
When your cool, grownup alumni friends
come to visit, they’ll probably want to grab a bite
in between Homecoming activities. Rather than
taking them to a local spot, show off the brand new
food court to which they never had access. If you
have them, use those extra dining dollars and tell
your friends and family you’d rather treat them to
a pumpkin spiced latte from the local Starbucks.
While they brag about their cushy Wall Street job,
revel in the fact that you don’t have to fork over
cash for good sushi.
Include Dear Old Mom(s) and/or Dad(s)
While going out for drinks or dancing with
friends in between Homecoming festivities is
always fun (if you’re twenty-one), when it comes to
getting in a real meal in between parties, never feel
ashamed to include the parents. Don’t think this
is parasitic; after sending you to college, generally
speaking parents tend to have an inherent urge to
buy food for you. Not only will this afford you some
much needed quality time with the people you
probably miss the most, but it will also prove to
be a very practical move in terms of staying within
your budget.
Happy, Healthy Tailgating
By: Chelsey Washington C’2015, Clark Atlanta University
Obama, Student Loans, and YOU
By: Lydia Hayes C2014
Social media has become a staple form of
communication in our generation. Its effectiveness
stems from its ability to reach wide ranges of people
instantaneously. Even government initiatives are starting
to include some element of social interactiveness,
particularly through Twitter.
Even before the Bipartisan Student Loan Certainty
Act of 2013 was signed in Aug, #DontDoubleMyRates
was designed to spread awareness about the act across
social media. But now that the bill has been signed, what
changes can we expect to see?
The act ensures that the interest rates of subsidized
and unsubsidized Stafford loans for undergraduate
students will be reduced to 3.86% by next year. According
to a press release from NBC, the yearly interest rate is
attached to the rate on 10-year Treasury notes. In other
words, there is room for the interest rate to increase in
the future.
For professional and graduate students, the interest
rate has been reduced to 5.41%, but because these loans
are also attached to the 10-year Treasury notes, they too
will increase. These clauses apply to any loans taken out
after July 1 of this year.
The Bipartisan Student Loan Certainty Act of 2013
seems to be a temporary solution to the permanent
problem of financing higher education. Even though
student loan rates won’t double, the act does not
completely rule out the possibility of these rates
increasing. Students can only hope that lawmakers find a
solution that is more beneficial in the long run.
One lawmaker from Massachusetts seems to be
searching for that solution. Sen. Elizabeth Warren is
pushing for more reforms regarding student loans,
including eliminating student debt to those who declare
bankruptcy. Warren has also proposed giving federal
financial assistance to states that fund public colleges—
the government no longer profits from student loans and
disciplining colleges whose graduates cannot manage
their debt.
Students should not expect to see an overnight
change in their loan payments. There are many Spelman
students who have an enormous amount of debt
waiting for them after they leave these pearly gates.
Be conscientious of interest rates, and keep up with
government initiatives that may be geared to help you.
As the date quickly approaches for the highly
anticipated Homecoming tailgates, many are preparing
to feast on an array of artery clogging foods and to
consume beverages with enough sugar in them to well
surpass the recommended caloric intake for the entire
day. Amidst the fog of BBQ ribs, Southern fried catfish,
funnel cakes, fried chicken, sugary beverages, and other
delicious, yet unhealthy foods at tailgate, there is hope
for those seeking healthy alternatives to these tempting
entrees.
Don’t be ashamed to pack your own food! This
may be the wisest alternative to indulging in the often
times greasy and unhealthy foods associated with
tailgates. Packing nutritious snacks such as fresh fruit or
vegetables, pretzels, yogurt, or trail mix and drinking lots
of water will help you remain full and energized, which
can help curb cravings for fatty foods.
If packing a nutritional snack just won’t fill you up,
it is still possible to make healthy food choices when
selecting food from a vendor or food tent. Try to pick
foods with good nutritional value and a small amount
of “useless calories.” Although weeding out the bad
foods may tremendously limit the variety of what you
can choose from, it is important to pick foods that are
beneficial to maintaining overall health.
Do your absolute best to stay away from fried foods
and sugary treats, but if you cannot resist the urge, simply
eat smaller proportions. Feeling guilty about ordering a
funnel cake? Top it off with strawberries and hold the
whip cream. Split a meal with a friend; choose water
instead of soda or juice; and be wise when choosing
good foods and bad foods.
Making conscious meal decisions that allow you to
enjoy the many delicious foods that tailgate offer, can be
as simple as adding a few tweaks to normal eating habits.
Selecting foods such as nonfat frozen yogurt, which
usually have half the calories of ice cream, skipping
over fried chicken for grilled chicken-which counts as
a great source of protein- choosing baked chips over
their greasier cousin the French fry, or even asking for
toppings and sauces on the side rather than drenched
on food, are a few healthy alternatives to having fun
at tailgate while still being able to stuff your face (in
moderation) with a variety of extremely appetizing foods.
Worst-case scenario, hopefully you’ll have done
enough walking and dancing at tailgate to help burn
those guilty calories.
Knowing Stocks Can
Get You Employed
By: Tyler Lee C’2015
Looking to impress an interviewer? What better way
than by knowing the stock price of the company in which
you have interest. To most, stock markets are intimidating,
because to the untrained eye, fluctuations of a company’s
stock price and their related charts looks like a bunch of
numbers and squiggles. However, the trending of a compa
ny’s stock prices can show the overall health of the compa
ny and also the state of the country’s economy.
A stock is a small percentage of ownership in a corpo
ration, thus the more stock someone has, the more risk she
or he has. As a business expands, makes favorable trans
actions, and conducts profitable business operations, stock
prices increase and ergo owning those stocks is valuable
and beneficial. Fluctuations in the stock price can show
if the company is becoming more and more profitable or
heading toward bankruptcy.
After every interview, the employer asks that infamous
question, “Do you have any questions for me?” and if you
have not thought of any during the interview, you can ask
questions pertaining to the financial health of the company.
You might even be bold enough to ask them how they feel
about their current financial state. Doing so you will sound
intuitive, informed, and show that you have a genuine in
terest in the company and not just looking for a job (which
many of us are).
Below are some companies and their stock prices
as of Oct. 16:
BAC
Bank of America
14.56
FB
Facebook, Inc.
51.13
MSFT
Microsoft Corp.
34.64
JPM
JP Morgan Chase & Co
54.00
DAL
Delta Air Lines, Inc.
24.42
C
Citigroup, Inc.
50.84
AAPL
Apple
501.11
GOOG
Google
898.03
VZ
Verizon
47.25
To stay up to date on stock prices, the “Stocks” applica
tion automatically downloads to the iphone, or you can
visit finance.yahoo.com!
Dow Jones Industrial Average 2 Minute
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Oct. 20-27, 2013
Sunday, October 20
“Fit 4 Fun"
4 Days of Wellness Centered, Relevant and Fun Activ
ities
Thursday, October 24
“Day 1”: Professional Wellness
(“Hire Spelman”- Alumnae and Students Career Expo;
“Art of l\letworking''-Museum Event)
Friday, October 25
“Day 2”: Physical Wellness
(Check in, walk the campus and learn some new dance
moves)
Saturday, October 26
“Day 3”: Social Wellness
(Homecoming Tailgate!)
Sunday, October 27
“Day 4”: Spiritual Wellness
(Closing Homecoming Worship Service)
**2013 Annual Giving Campaign
(July 1,2013-October 26, 2013 @5 p.m.)
Join with a group of women from your
residence hall, sorority, or from academic
and extracurricular interests. Represent
this group in the 2013 Homecoming
Competition where alumnae will vote
for their top two groups. These groups
will receive a one-time, current use
scholarship in their name to be awarded
to a deserving student!
Gifts will be accepted up until the
homecoming tailgate on October 26,
2013 at 5 p.m.
Sunday, October 20
9 a.m.
Opening Worship Service
@Sisters Chapel, Spelman College
8 p.m.
Homecoming Kick Off Jam
@Spelman Oval
(Enjoy music, socializing, and start off your homecom
ing week)
Monday, October 21
7 p.m.
Fashion Show & Hip-Hop Concert
@Forbes Arena, Morehouse College
Tuesday, October 22
7 p.m.
Neo-Soul/ R&B Concert
@Kings Chapel, Morehouse College
Wednesday, October 23
4 p.m.
Hump Wednesday
@Westview Drive, Morehouse College (Mid-Week
Block Party)
Thursday, October 24
11 a.m.
Homecoming Convocation
@Sisters Chapel, Spelman College
Saturday, October 26
9-11 a.m.
Homecoming Parade
12-6 p.m.
Homecoming Tailgate
@West End Ave & Wellborn St.
2 p.m.
Homecoming Game
@B.T. Harvey Football Stadium
5 p.m.
**End of Annual Giving Campaign
7 p.m.-11 p.m.
NPHC Step Show
@Forbes Arena, Morehouse Arena
(Watch as the Greeks Step to the finish line!)
Sunday, October 27
11 a.m.
Closing Worship Service
@King’s Chapel, Morehouse College
4 p.m.
Miss Spelman Hat & Glove Annual Tea
@Cosby Academic Center Lobby, Spelman College
-Invite Only-
Last Day to Withdraw from course with a “W”
Student Affairs Global Experience to London
Friday, October 25
12-5 p.m.
Market Friday
@Spelman Suites Amphitheater
(Listen to music and shop from many local vendors)
6 p.m.
Miss Spelman Coronation
©Sisters Chapel, Spelman College
(Watch the Official Crowning of Miss Spelman and
her Court)
7 p.m.
Miss Maroon and White Coronation
@Kings Chapel, Morehouse College
9 p.m.-1 a.m.
Coronation Ball (Dress to impress and enjoy music and
dancing)