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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (April 1, 1987)
Pago 6 DANCEDANCEDANCETONIGHTN College Nite For All Ages SlKOXOXQJ WE ROCK LINCOLN! Daily Nebraskan Wednesday, April 1 , 1987 Majority oppose development fending ix-, 7 r r x 1 - W I I . . i t I 1 "XJ r f I i r iC i r ? i r j i j i lit l i i ( j i v. i vy i i t i rv i k j v i v i ZIEDAPJ SUN-ROOFS Professionally installed Lifetime no-leak warranty 15"x30" FROM mm) Reg. from s229 2425 NORTH 1 4TH STREET 474-6100 Hurry! Offer Expires May 30, 1987 By Stephanie Averill Staff Reporter Although many Nebraskans favor economic development for the state, most aren't sure how it should be financed, a recent study by the UNL Bureau of Sociological Research showed. The survey asked Nebraskans whether they favored helping existing state businesses to grow or favored attract ing new businesses to the state. Using both approaches was favored by 35 per cent of respondents. 37 percent supported moneyjust for attracting new businesses and 27 per cent supported money for helping local businesses. The survey included a respresenta tive sample of 1,870 Nebraskans 18 or older living in households. Those sur veyed were interviewed by telephone in the fall of 1986. While many Nebraskans support using tax dollars for economic development, most oppose it. Forty-seven percent favored a slight increase in property, income and sales tax to give tax breaks to new or expanding businesses. Fifty-three per cent said they disagreed. Fifty-six percent of professionals, managers and sales people favored a tax increase, while clerical, skilled service and other occupations did not (40 percent). Professionals in the state stand to benefit directly from such an increase, said Alan Booth, co-director of the bureau and UNL sociology professor. The survey indicated that people in southeastern Nebraska (56 percent) favored a tax increase, while those in other parts do not (40 percent). Booth said people in the other parts of the state are probably more economically depressed than those in the southeast ern section. Southeastern Nebraska is the urban area of the state and is gen erally less concerned about the size of the tax load, he said. Booth said he had expected to see a larger majority interested in cultivat ing existing Nebraska businesses. Much talent is here already, Booth said, and it is often difficult to intro duce new businesses to the state. This year marked the first time that questions about economic development have been part of the Nebraska Annual Social Indicators survey. Funding for the survey comes in part from the university, and from agencies that purchase space on the survey to ask their own questions, Booth said. Faculty members with research grants often buy space too. GSL eligibility getting tighter Education is a gamble for minority students DEBT from Page 1 federal government is saying that the look to as a hope they will succeed. whole business of taking on high debt They are told that they have to take on gram," said Bruce Carnes, deputy under- is all right, he said. significant debt to obtain a career, he POSITIONS AVAILABLE The Office of Pre-Admissions Activities is accepting applications for the following positions for 1987-88: POSITION: Pre-Admissions Intern DESCRIPTION: Represents the University to prospective students and other publics at college day and night programs, high school visits, college fairs, and other prospective student events. Extensive travel throughout State of Nebraska and Midwest. Participation in production of prospective student publications and materials. Involvement in major campus outreach events. Requires bachelor's degree, knowledge of cam pus life and University organization and procedures, and good commun ication skills, both written and verbal. Full-time staff position, 12-month appointment to begin June 1 , 1987. POSITION: Graduate Assistant DESCRIPTION: Manages daily campus visitation program for pro spective students, both individual and group visits. Includes scheduling appointments with advisers, arranging campus tours, conducting general information sessions, and working with UNL student tour guides. May also include limited high school visitation and assisting with new student publications. Approximately 20 hours per week, 9-month appoint ment to begin mid-August. NOTE: Applicants must he admitted to graduate degree program in order to be considered for graduate assistant appointment. To apply for either position, please submit a letter of application and resume to: DEADLINE: Lisa L. Schmidt, Coordinator Office of Pre-Admissions 106 Administration 472-2023 5:OOp.m., April 10, 1987 secretary of education. "We think it is the single biggest advance in financing higher education for students in the last 15 years. Carnes said that college debt is worth the investment because the aver age college graduate can expect to earn $640,000 more than a high-school graduate over a lifetime. "Who should pay the bill the student or the cab driver who didn't even go to college?" Carnes asked. "Nobody's holding a gun to these peo ple's head and saying, 'You will take this loan, and you will go to this expen sive school.' " But education officials fear the grad uates may be overburdened with debt, morelikely to default and less likely to contribute to their schools after grad uation. Ed Hirsch, president of the NU Foundation, agreed that high debt would reduce contributions. He said that most would want to pay off their With average debt loads between said. Society has never made it easy for $6,500 and $9,000, even middle-class minorities, and the benefits of attend families with good incomes and expe- ing college are a high risk for them, rience in debt handling are frightened. Hoover said. For lower-income parents, it could be terrifying. If I tell you I'm going to cut your aid, it frightens a lot of students from even trying to be able to attend school.' Arthur Jackson "The general tide of need is going up and blacks are more likely to be poor than Caucasians," said Richard Black, director of financial services at the University of California-Berkeley. Hoover said that colleges and uni versities already struggling with main tenance and salary costs, must com pete with the private sector and with each other to keep good faculty. To raise faculty salaries, schools must seek increased student and state sup port, he said. tudents who take the gamble on higher education may end up in trouble. Student default on loans has increased dramatically. In 1972, loans in default totaled $50 million. By 1978, the figure had increased to $225 million. Secretary of Education Bennett estimated that total default costs could reach $12 billion by 1992. O'Meara of the Higher Education Assistance Foundation said that the net default rate for Nebraska students, Because many ethnic minorities are debts first and may considerably delay in the lower-income categories, they, including loans made by lenders to col contributions. along with other low-income individu- lege students, was about 8.21 percent uanas Marun, executive director or als, can not afford the financial risk of trying to succeed in college. Real declines in enrollment of blacks and Hispanics have been documented since 1975, while the number of minor- ing," O'Meara said. O'Meara said the lty high-school graduates has been rising. the National Association of Financial Aid Administrators, which represents 3,100 colleges and universities, said, "At some point it (changes in student loan programs) will push people over the brink of unmanageable debt." in 1985. "There are some students who do walk out of school with high debt, but they are not the ones who are default- R ichard Hoover, UNO vice chancel lor of Educational and Student Services, said that the Depart ment of Education is being unfair. Hoover said he is disturbed by the change from federal-government in vestment and society's investment in "I . r i' 'i 4 fey TS-!r . ... W- ! Lincoln, NE , i'Uiu) "Student Loan Center" 1944 "O" Strc9t Lii biggest default rate is among those who attend school for one year or less. If those people were eliminated, the f I tell you I'm going to cut default rate would be negligible, he your aid, it frightens a lot of said. students from even trying to Recent changes in the tax structure be able to attend school," said Finan- contribute to the financial-aid problem cial Aid Director Arthur Jackson of the because interest paid on student loans University of Massachusetts in Amherst, is no longer deductible. Hoover said. "The federal govern- But UNL officials sav the threat, mav education to an attitude of "if you want ment is giving a triple whammy to not be as monsterous as it seems. UNL an education, you have to pay for it." minorities" because minorities don't Financial Aid Director McFarland said Families now have the burden and the have many role models that they can that although the proposed cuts by the Reagan administration look severe, sim ilar proposals made consistent during the Reagan years have been weakened or defeated. He said that through debate and compromise, financial aid has not suffered that much. Next year's tentative allocations for NU are about equal to this year's. I he change that may affect stu dents most in Qualifying for aid has gone unrecognized. Severs, UNL assistant director of scholarships and financial aid, said that as many as 3,000 NU students may have to do without Guaranteed Student Loans next school year because of tougher eligibility guidelines, Reagan signed in October. Under the old rules, students could declare financial independence by liv ing away from home for one year and not being claimed as a dependent on their parents' federal income-tax forms. Under the new rules, students must be 24 years old to declare financial inde pendence unless they are married, orphans, wards of the court, veterans or have dependents of their own, Severs said. "We've had some students who thought they were going to get $2,500 and ended up with $1,000," Severs said. Severs said UNL officials urged those students to apply for other forms of financial aid to supplement or replace Guaranteed Student Loans. 41 frcm 12 J