KANSAN.COM / THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN / MONDAY, AUGUST 16, 2010 / BACK TO SCHOOL
17
CAMPUS
Program teaches personal finance
Spencer King doesn't use a credit card.
"I'm not comfortable using one, so I refuse to get one," King, a law student from Kansas City, Kan., said. "I feel safer using debit, but I know I need to build up my credit. Some day I'll have to, but not today."
King isn't the only student with finances on his mind. A study of University students revealed that 82 percent of respondents would like more information about money, debt and credit card management. A new program from the Financial Literacy Task Force is aiming to do just that.
Working with students, the program will make the basics of financial responsibility more accessible, especially because of the program's location on the third floor of the Kansas Union. The Financial Literacy Program will pilot in the fall and assist students through one-on-one sessions, class presentations, publications, student peer assistants
Although King is one student wary of credit card usage, he's the exception to the rule.
and videos online.
A study released in April by the Sallie Mae Foundation revealed that nearly one-third of college students are using credit cards to pay for tuition and 92 percent of students use credit cards when buying textbooks and other school supplies. Students also aren't shy about how many credit cards they keep in their wallets: The average student carries 16 cards.
Students using credit cards isn't necessarily bad,but the amount of debt many are racking up could cause serious financial problems in the future. Only 17 percent of college students pay off their balances each month, which is likely connected to the lack of financial education available to students.
tion between multiple groups on campus, including Student Senate, the School of Business, KU Memorial Unions and the Office of the Vice Provost for Student Success.
mon-fri: 3pm - 10:30pm | sat: 12pm - 10:30pm | sun: 1pm - 10:30pm
Richelle Buser
on/KANSAM lab
vrence science
smontemayor@kansan.com
M. D. Rezaiekhaligh/KANSAN
6A
Hargittai said that search results aren't necessarily ranked in terms of credibility. More sophisticated queries are also needed to glean credible sources from popular search engines.
University of Kansas students have nearly 400 databases at their fingertips, with information on every subject at the University that is not usually found through Google searches.
"I think part of it is not so much necessarily what else they can be using." Hargittai said. "I think a big part of it is being more critical and careful about what they are already using."
The study, written and conducted by professors at Northwestern University, found that students often only chose websites that appeared at the top of Google searches to complete tasks or perform research. Eszter Hargittai, associate professor of communication studies at Northwestern and one of the study's authors, said that most mistakes in the Web research process occur before students even click "Search."
For having grown up with the onset of the Internet, our generation may not be all that Web savvy when it comes to researching, a study by the International Journal of Communication suggests.
Tami Albin, undergraduate instruction and outreach librarian, often helps students interested in improving their ability to navigate the library's extensive online resources. She said that whether a student is using Google or a library database, a level of skill is needed to effectively complete a desired task online.
Albin said that students are welcome to bring assignments to the library to review with a librarian and seek the proper avenue for research.
"Librarians love to find stuff, we're really good at it." Albin said.
Rothman said he most often uses the library's databases or news sources such as The New York Times when working on a project. Rothman analyzes the assignment and considers what research will be necessary before logging on. He said that these skills were instilled during a freshman English course.
"My English teacher last year actually looked at our bibliographies before he read our papers to see how valid our sources were," Rothman said. "And once he saw
"The research process, you know, it's like anything else," Albin said. "You learn how to do something well over time. With new technologies, you have to learn how to do research different ways. A student who jumps online and pulls three articles off of the Internet and then writes a paper on it and hands it in the next day is not going to get really, really good grades."
SEE RESEARCH ON PAGE 6A
While Alec Rothman, a sophomore from Boston, is an exception to the rule, Thea Glassman, a sophomore from New York City, affirms the study's results.
"We can find ways to access the things they need."
employees to get direct deposit
"We've been trying for years to encourage staff and employees to utilize direct deposit," said Diane Goddard, vice provost for
BY MICHAEL HOLTZ
mholtz@kansan.cc
Though the state's deadline for direct deposit enrollment is Oct. 1, the goal of the Bursars Office is to have 100 percent enrollment by the beginning of September. Yoakum said more than 95 percent of University employees have already signed up.
According to an announcement that the Bursar's Office posted online, the new refund policy allows students to receive refunds faster and more safely than they would if the University distributed them as checks.
"The advantage to the University is better business efficiencies," said Katrina Yoakum, comptroller for the University. "We spend a lot of time following up with checks that are not picked up."
The second policy is a state mandate requiring direct deposited paychecks for all state employees, which includes University employees. The employees have until Oct. 1 to comply with the new policy.
Two separate policies require students and University of Kansas employees to sign up for direct deposit to receive refunds and paychecks electronically.
administration and finance. "We ramped it up to the 80 percent level pretty quickly. Getting from 80 to 95 percent has been more difficult."
Employees who do not have an account at a financial institution will receive a Skylight Financial account, an ATM-based bank, and a Skylight pay card. Employees must sign up for this service at the Payroll Office.
Kelsey Smith, a junior from Council Grove, signed up for direct deposit when she started work for KU Libraries three years ago. She said shed recommend other students to sign up for it as well.
Though University officials have recommended refund direct deposit for at least five years, they was unable to mandate the policy until a federal law changed. The
"I think it's easier that way," Smith said. "You don't have to worry about getting a new check deposited in the bank."
policy has been in effect since last November.
Yoakum said direct deposited refunds will save the University $10,000 annually.
The Bursar's Office most recently notified students of the refund policy in an e-mail sent Aug. 2. The e-mail included instructions explaining how to set up direct deposit online or by completing a direct deposit authorization form.
"Having everyone on direct deposit means there are fewer people who handle that transaction," Goddard said. "It's just more efficient and much more accurate."
It's also much quicker. Goddard said students signed up for direct deposit will receive refunds at least a day faster than they would otherwise.
— Edited by David Cawthon
For more information on refunds, please contact the Bureau's Office.
Bursar's Office (705) 664-2998
(785)864-3322
bursar@ku.edu
For more information on paychecks, please contact the Payroll Office.
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