The Candidates' Efforts for College Students as Seen By Campus Political Al-V-Al-V-V-V444******* By Michele E. Hart, president, Young Democrats The election has us surrounded. Every time one turns on the television, reads a newspaper or listens to the radio, messages about the two candidates compete with other stimuli for your attention. What is not getting through, I fear, is what is really important in any election: issues and the candidates' positions. This election is especially important for students at Penn State Harrisburg because, as juniors and seniors, we will be highly effected by policy decisions made by the person who is elected to serve as leader of this country for the next four years. For first and second-semester juniors, this is especially true because historically, the Reagan administration has cut student aid each year. In 1983 President Reagan's budget plans called for the elimination of certain kinds of student loans, including the Non-Direct Student Loan (NDSL), the Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (SEOG), and the State Student Incentive Grants (SSIG). The budget also called for the reduction of spending on Pell Grants by 45 percent, and the increase of fees and interest rates for Guaranteed Student Loans and the elimination of participation in the GSL program by graduate students. It was estimated then, by the American Council on Education (ACE), that those proposed cuts would eliminate approximately one million students from the Pell Grant Program and another 1.3 million students would lose awards from the other proposed cuts. Because of the publicity work of ACE and other proponents of higher education, many of these cuts did not go through Congress. Even the potential, however, for these kinds of across the board cuts by the current Republican administration is enough to strike terror in the heart of at least this college student. Republican Presidential Candidate George Bush, during a recent speech in Colorado, said that he wants to be known as the "Education President." So far, though, he has failed to propose a workable program that could benefit higher education and make the road to higher education easier to travel for students with meager resources without necessitating a tax hike or placing the financial burden on the states. College tuitions have risen nearly 60 percent since 1981 and it now costs an average of more than $6OOO a year to send a student to a public university. Club Leaders The cost of attending a private university is roughly $13,000 per year. Democratic Presidential Candidate Michael Dukakis has proposed a program that would virtually guarantee that all students who want to further their educations will be able to do so. His plan is a self-supporting plan that will not cause taxes to go up and will not cost the government anything. On Sept. 7, Dukakis unveiled his plan during a speech at Kean College of New Jersey. Called the Student Tuition and Repayment System_ (STARS), Dukakis said the program will allow more students to go to college by providing a supplement for those students whose Pell and Perk* granta are not e,nough., He said it will also help students who are not eligible for Guaranteed Student Loans, or whose GSLs are not sufficient enough to allow them to go to the school of their choice. Dukakis said that the STARS program will increase the availibility of money for college for lower income students because fewer students will be competing for subsidized GSLs. STARS is not designed to replace other forms of student aid, only to supplement them. STARS will allow students to borrow directly from banks or other financial institutions. The loans would be guaranteed by the federal government and paid back through withholdings of the earnings of students after they have graduated. If an individual decides not to stay in the program, he or she would be able to "buy-out" of the system without jeopardizing the future of STARS. According to Senator Claiborne Pell of Rhode Island, the STARS program would permit students from middle income families to pay for a college education without being hassled after graduation by excessive loan payments. The plan also does not call for an extremely large outlay of capital by the federal government to get the program started. I believe that this program shows that Michael Dukakis is concerned with the problems of college students. The STARS program would make attaining a college degree much easier for a number of students. If a student does not want to have loan payments taken out of his or her future earnings, the traditional forms of student aid would still be available but STARS would provide a number of others a chance they probably would never have. So where is George's plan? By Sharon Cole, chairperson, College Republicans With all the rhetoric going on in this year's election campaign, it is imperative that college students realize the Bush/Quayle ticket provides the greatest opportunities for students of higher education. The Republican candidates are adamantly for a reduction in the cost of higher education so all individuals are able to obtain their educational and occupational goals in life. They will put pressure on college administrators to develop creative ways of financing their institution's affairs, thus reducing the cost of college tuition. Similarly, Bush/Quayle will target the Guaranteed Student Loan Program to eliminate huge loan defaults, therefore, providing more loan money for responsible, needy college students. They affirm that minority and low income students will be given the necessary resources needed for them to succeed in post-secondary education. Also, veteran educational benefits will be continued and enhanced under a Republican administration. In addition, Bush/Quayle advocate the creation of a tax-exempt College Savings Bond Program which will aid families to save for their children's college years. Finally, and most importantly, Bush/Quayle will see that America's economic growth and low unemployment levels continue so there are high paying, top quality jobs available to college graduates. Without this key component, there is no incentive for people to obtain a higher education. College students, moreover, should be aware that during the Dukakis administration, Massachusetts ranked 40 out of 50 states in total job growth. Had he been running our country, graduating college students, no doubt, would find themselves up to their necks in student loans with little chance of finding employment to begin the pay back process. Vice President Bush, Senator Quayle and the Republican Party are deeply concerned about the college student's needs and wants. They have been working to help them. Let's give them the chance to continue their endeavors. -;1--;1-v-***44-t- -;1•4 The next meeting of the Capic9l Times staff will be held Friday, Oct. 28 at 2 p.m. in W-337. All members are encouraged to attend. A new policy will be introduced and articles will be assigned. Facts Reveal Poor Student Voter Participation Facts About Student Voter Participation * Appproximately 50 percent of the 18-24 age group voted when the national voting age was lowered from 21 to 18 in 1972. The percentage dropped as low as 39 percent in 1980. * The student voter trend began to turn around in 1984, thanks in part to the NSCVR and USSA -- organized National Student Conference on Vote. Registration. The conference attracted 1,500 student leaders from 42 states and resulted in the registration of over 500,000 new voters. * Based on past performance, expert predictions estimate that 15-16 million young people (18-24 age group) will not vote in 1988. * Once registered, 80 percent of students and youth vote, a percentage equivalent to other age groups. For further information on student voter participation, write to: National Student Conference on Voter Participation, P.O. Box 15391, Washington, D.C., 20003. Registration Continued from page 1 The deadline to register has passed but it is not too late to get an absentee ballot. Forms for absentee ballots may be picked up in the Student Activites Office and must be received by the county of registration by Nov. 1. Completed ballots must be returned by 5 p.m. Friday, Nov. 4. Dauphin County voters may vote at the third precinct in the Church of the Nazarene, located at Nissley Dr. and Rosedale St.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers