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The Prospector (Helena, Mont.), 01 March 2012, located at <http://montananewspapers.org/lccn/TheProspector/2012-03-01/ed-1/seq-1/>, image provided by MONTANA NEWSPAPERS, Montana Historical Society, Helena, Montana.
Carroll College Student Newspaper Helena, Montana Volume 98 Edition 4 March 1,2012 Basketball page 11 Sodexo vs. Pizza Hut The local Pizza Hut deliveryman faces a serious reduction in tips this football season as students across campus are forced to use personal funds to pay for meals. Pizza Hut is not happy about Carroll’s new Flex Policy and neither are the students. As a result of this new policy, Pizza Hut was forced into a “ 15 to 9’’ slim down leaving many people without jobs. As a result of a recent decision by Sodexo food officials, students will no longer be able to use their flex dollars at Helena area restaurants such as Pizza Hut. Many students are upset about the changes and concerned about the lack of flexibility the new meal plans offer. “I’m not sure what prompted this decision,’’ said Pete Markuson, a senior from Miles City, Mont, majoring in business administration. “I know one thing though I really miss having those options.’’ Students like Pete were not the only ones affected by the decision. Many students depended on the use of flex dollars for an easy meal when Sodexo services were unavailable. However, Can-oil students weren’t the only ones affected by this brash decision. Hard working community members have taken a big hit as decreased revenues force merchants to cutback. “On an average night a year ago I would’ve had 15 people working, today I’m lucky if I can afford to staff nine,” said Kelly Simoneau, Pizza Hut general manager. “Losing that revenue has translated to less jobs and less hours for hardworking people.” While Sodexo’s commitment to innovation is admirable, the newly instituted Saints Cash program remains a thinly veiled disguise for a widely controversial decision. After such an unfavorable reaction by the student body I was forced to ask the obvious question. Why the change? Saints Cash was instituted early this fall as part of a series of summer renovations intended to provide more options for students; however, many students feel as though it’s been counterproductive. “My flex dollars are basically worthless,” said Arron Lenk, a senior from Graham, Wash, majoring in sociology. “It’s pretty tough to use up $200 on coffee and sandwiches.\ So while Sodexo continues to benefit from added revenue, students and the local economy are suffering. Saints Cash is simply not an adequate replacement. If I wanted to spend my own money I would just use my debit card. Sodexo shouldn’t be in the credit business and students don’t need another debit card. We need variety. We need reliable after-hours options and hardworking Helena residents need their jobs back. We need our flex dollars back. D> Chris Puyear Student Opinion Fall Break Lead Writer To have fall break or not to have fall break? More importantly, a short break, or the traditional a long break? Since 1989, Carroll has been given one week off in the fall for faculty and students to catch their breath from the chaos of the start of a new academic year, especially freshmen. After thorough research, the Carroll College Policy Committee finalized the decision to have a two-year trial period of a four-day (two school day) fall break, starting in the fall of 2012. “This decision is about you, the stu dents,\ said Candace Cain, a policy board member. \It is for your academic, physi cal, and emotional health.” The fact is that very few colleges nationwide have a nine day fall break. It was a combination of the change and feeling a lack of involvement in the deci sion process that upset the majority of the campus. An Associated Students of Carroll Col lege, ASCC, board meeting, held February 12th, was opened up to the student body, where the issue was addressed by Policy Board members Candace Cain, Dr. Kyle Strode, and Dr. Mark Parker. Approxi mately 10 non-board members were pres ent to question and seek information about the controversial change. “If students are ‘emotionally drained’ it is going to be that much harder when, re alistically, many students won’t be able to An end to the tradition? MarcieMcCarvel even go home over that four day break,” said Emily Dean, a sophomore history and international relations major from Butte. During the discussion, reasons for this seemingly immediate change arose. Although to the students and many of the faculty the decision seemed to have come from out of nowhere; however, Dr. Parker admitted that the Policy Board has been discussing this change for about six years. Positive responses to the new schedule include a later start of fall semester and longer winter break. This is not only beneficial to students who may save money on travel during fall break, it will also open doors of op portunity to travel abroad over winter. It will also benefit the registration office, allowing them to catch up on grading and registering new students. When questioned about the break in communication, Cain assured, “We do More Fall Break page5 \Unfortunately we had a break in communication line.\ -Candace Cain PHOTO BY O A K Y M A R S H A L L The real \merit\ behind Carroll scholarships We’ve all noticed the tuition hikes: one, two, three, even four thousand dollars in some years. You may not, however, be aware that your Carroll scholarship is not changing to fit the higher bill. Carroll awards merit-based scholar ships to all incoming freshmen who meet the criteria. These scholarships are the Presidential, the Trustee, the All Saints, and the Founders. Nearly all of us have seen one of these names followed by some nice zeros on our financial aid letters. Unbeknownst to most students, the dol lar amount of these scholarships increases each year in accordance with the tuition: but only for incoming freshmen. We come to Carroll at that year’s cost, with that year’s scholarship, only to have to pay more and more in the coming years. Granted, we were all freshmen at one point. We’ve all enjoyed the higher schol arship. But is it fair that we only benefit from an increased scholarship once in our four years here at Carroll? The average increase in merit scholarships is at least $1,500. If we all got this increase, it could make a big difference when it comes down to having higher loans or picking up that third job just to get by. “My parents help out with my tuition, but I still have two jobs during the school year just to get by,” said Kathleen Law rence, a sophomore elementary education major from Pleasanton, Calif. In an attempt to interview a member of the financial aid staff about students’ ques tions regarding tuition vs. scholarships, I was told they had a stock letter prepared for such questions. When the stock letter email came, it was a bunch of PR mumbo-jumbo that answered only one of the questions I had intended to ask. The letter stated that, “Each entering class’s merit levels are determined based on comparable criteria and each student is locked into his or her merit level.” Locked in. Well, great to know, but why? Apparently, once a student reaches sophomore standing, they are able to increase the amount borrowed on their student loans. We’re allowed $3,500 as a freshman, $4,500 as sophomores and juniors, and $5,500 as a senior. That’s not fooling anyone. We know the difference between free money (scholar ships) and life-time debt (student loans). If the average merit scholarship increase is $1,500, that’s an approximate $4,500 in loans that we wouldn’t have if the college increased our scholarships annually. Not to mention, as Alexandra Mandala points out, Carroll recently received a rather large monetary endowment. “I don’t get why they can’t increase scholarships, especially after we just got that huge donation,” Mandala said. “Carroll works hard to get students here, but not hard enough to keep them here.” Mandala is a sophomore anthrozoology major from Orange County, Calif. Granted, it does no good to just com plain: we have to offer solutions. The first solution might come from the “merit” aspect of Carroll’s scholarships. “It’s one thing for Carroll to raise tuition (once we’ve already fallen in love with the school and won’t leave) but it’s not fair for them to keep our scholarships the same when we work really hard for our grades,” said Kenisha Himsl, a sophomore math for secondary education major from Kalispell. More Scholarships page 3 INSIDE Elevate Documentary film p. 13 A Documentary film from West Africa Mark Semmens p.9 Continues on a family legacy at Carroll Fall Break p. 5 Students share their frustration Student opinion SARAH MALINAK
