THE STUDENT VOICE SINCE 1904
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2010
WWW.KANSAN.COM
FARMVILLE, KANSAS
VOLUME 123 ISSUE 25
ADMINISTRATION
State University Tuition vs. State Funding
By Aleese Kopf
Source: Kansas Board of Regents
Board of Regents propose $10 million in financial aid
BY STEPHEN GRAY sgray@kansan.com
The Board of Regents recommended a much-needed $10 million financial aid program last week to be forwarded to the 2011 Legislature.
The program, which is designed to help low- and middle-income Kansas students, would be partially funded by recouping $6 million in sales taxes collected on university campuses that would have been forwarded to the state treasury. The remaining $4 million would be sponsored by each state university and their athletics department.
Kip Peterson, director of government relations and communications for the Regents, said the plan was designed to offset rising tuition fees in the state.
"There is a need here to lend a hand to Kansas students," Peterson said.
During the past 25 years, state university tuition and fee rates have risen steadily to balance stae funding reductions. The University of Kansas has seen a 200 percent tuition increase
since the 2001 fiscal year. At the same time, the state's need-based financial aid program has seen only slight increases, and it has been cut by 5 percent the past two years.
In addition, the state of Kansas ranks 36th in the nation and last among Big 12 states in per capita state need-based financial aid contributions per student.
Gary Sherrer, regents chair, said all of these factors went into the Board's decision to recommend a new financial aid program.
As tuition fees rise, student debt also continues to increase, creating an even bleaker situation at universities. In 2008, 62 percent of graduates from public universities had student loans and the average student debt was $20,200 — 20 percent higher than in 2004, according to the Kansas Board of Regents' website.
Melinda Robinson, a senior from Hutchinson, is one student in favor of the proposed plan.
"It became clear that we ought to be doing something," he said.
"Any tax going back into education is worth it," Robinson said.
would provide loans to students whose families are at or below the statewide median family income, which is currently $50,174 per year. Students who live and work in Kansas for a certain amount of time after graduation would then be eligible for complete loan forgiveness.
Further details regarding loan amounts and eligibility will be determined in the coming months before the legislature convenes in January.
Peterson said the new plan
Sherrer sees the proposal as long overdue and only the start in making education affordable in Kansas.
"The effect would be to grow the workforce and improve the state's economy," Peterson said.
"The whole concept of a public university is that all of our students have a chance to better their lives through education." Sherrer said. "If people are capable of going to a university, the state should make sure they get that opportunity without building huge amounts of debt."
Edited by Joel Petterson
PARKING
Towing tie-ups confuse students
BY CARLO RAMIREZ
cramirez@Kansan.com
When Jeff Jacob, owner of Bull Dog Towing in Lawrence, started his business seven years ago, there were a total of four towing companies in Lawrence. Today there are 11 companies Jacob is competing with.
"No regulation for police department rotation," Jacob said. "All you have to have is a truck and a place to park the cars."
The increasing number of towing companies in the area has led to an increase in surveillance of private lots. This means an increase in towed cars and a dog-eat-dog mentality among competing companies. Towing companies either monitor lots every few hours or wait for owners of apartment complexes to call and request them to tow from
To make matters even trickier, the double-digit number of tow companies causes confusion for those who have their cars towed about which company to contact. Since the majority of tow signs in lots do not say what number to call or which company has what car, many are left confused and angry.
Each towing company charges a little bit differently, but the average payment to get a car back is anywhere between $150 to $200 dollars. From the time a car is towed the owner has 24 hours to come up with
"There are no signs that say what tow company to call or anything like that," said Tim Cooper, a senior from Des Moines, Iowa. "You have to come up with, in my case, 180 dollars cash in 24 hours and each day that price goes up. That's 180 dollars wasted."
the money in cash. Any additional time is considered storage and each company charges an extra $35 to $40 dollars a day.
a certain lot.
The majority of towing companies in Lawrence must notify the police department that they will be towing from a specific parking lot. Since the majority of lots do not have a number to call when they tow a car, the best bet is to call 785-832-7509, the police dispatch number. Just inform them that your car has been towed, which lot it was towed from and your license plate number.
The police will give you the phone number for the company that towed your car and you should call immediately to find out where their lot is.
Edited by Emily McCoy
Watch a video about this from KUJH-TV at kansan.com/videos
WEBB|10A
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Freshman QB limits turnovers in his first two college starts
Despite plenty of pressure from opposing defenses, Jordan Webb ony has one unlucky interception and has even been putting his body at risk to start the season.
Suspect pleads guilty to execution-style attacks
CRIME|6A
The 2007 killings of three New Jersey teens prompted new laws about the handling of suspected illegal immigrants in violent crime. Prosecutors say that the plea will help surviving victims move on with life.
INDEX
TODAY'S WEATHER
Classifieds ... 7A
Crossword ... 4A
Cryptoquips ... 4A
Opinion ... 5A
Sports ... 10A
Sudoku ... 4A
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