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The Fourth Wall
ByFBricaPanico Erica Panico
Assistant Editor
Being a returning student I am
aware where my tuition money
goes. Last year I wrote an article
on that very important subject,
tuition money. The feedback was
incredible. Students I did and did
not know were coming up to me
and thanking me for answering
those extremely significant
questions that seemed impossible
to answer, but in reality they are
not difficult to answers we are just
not looking in the right place. So,
once again I am reviewing where
our tuition money goes and seeing
+ what has changed since last year.
To the entire freshman class it’s
important to know where your
money is going- please “pay” close
attention.
Kenneth Gill, director of Finance,
broke each part of our tuition
money into major categories. There
are 5 categories: Tuition, Room and
Board, Tech Fees, Activity Fee and
Housing and Food Services. Since
last year our tuition was raised
about 3 4%. That raise in tuition
went to salaries and utilities.
By Justin Zickar
"Editor
Everyone’s been there, the new
kid in town, not knowing anyone,
trying to adapt. As a freshman, for
the second time in your life, you
are scared, nervous, and excited for
anew start. What do you do? Whe
do you turn to?
It comes as a surprise that you
would actually fall into the college
trend a little easier than expected.
After moving in, unpacking, and
gaining friendship with your
roommate or others in your hall,
you have a basis to get
acquainted. Then the orientation
begins, the eight hour torture, or
so you thought. Unlike what you
pondered, you discover new
friends in your Pride Groups,
finding refuge in them to help you
get through the day. Even your
group leaders are right there with
Everyone who has a car knows that
gas went up considerably, and
every time you go to the gas station
you wonder, “oh no how much this
time”, well take that concept and
apply it to school. We use gas and
electric as well and every time our
administration gets the bill I’m sure
they have pretty much the same
reaction. University Park had an
increase of 6 2% due to the same
reasons as Mont Alto and also
because siitoliment enlarged as
well, :
Our football team, The Nittany
Lions, won the orange bowl leaving
the students with more money to
pay, that leaves us with another
questions: Do we want team spirit?
Oh I’m just joking, of course we
do. Go Penn State!
Here are the 5 major categories
broken down:
Tuition:
© 75%- 80% of the tuition bill is put
towards the staff’s salaries and
wages.
® 20% or less of the remaining
money is put towards the utilities
renovation).
Tech Fees:
you, knowing
how you feel,
and wondering
too, “Why 7:45
in the
morning?”
Even if your [i
orientation §
experience
wasn’t right for
you then you
had an even
grea te rk
awaiting you.
Now you have
the chance to sit among total
strangers, making new friends, yet
again, and watching Penn State
football.
Or maybe football isn’t your
thing; maybe you are anxious to
discover the town and places that
surround your new home? At this
point Wal-Mart and fast food
e Every year the price of the Tech
Fee changes.
e The money is split between the
university and campus- 45% is
used for Mont Alto.
e The Tech Lab is classified as
open laboratories (as in the General
Studies Building)
Activities Fee:
e The Activities Fee goes for events
that the campus sets up for all
students, such as dances, mall trips
and comedy shows.
» The whole amount goes towards
Mont Alto.
e Now the Activity Fee is $54.00,
an increase of $10.00 since last year.
Room and Board:
e What most students are not
aware is that Mont Alto has a
mortgage of 40 years with each
dorm that is built. Mont Alto
borrows the money to build the
dorms and sell’s their bonds on the
stock market. A part of our money
goes towards paying off the
interest of the bonds being sold.
eo Non- Pennsylvania state
residents must pay more, because
Pennsylvania students pay taxes
towards the state. Non-
Pennsylvania residents pay taxes
towards their own state, leaving
friends off campus. But be
cautious, you’re in a strange
environment; don’t risk getting
lost or even a speeding ticket.
Watch how late you stay out as
well. Mont Alto Hall parking is very
scarce at night during the school
week, but completely empty on the
weekends. Penn Gate is rather
non- state residents with an extra
fee to study in Pennsylvania.
Housing and Food Service:
e This pay for your food, the
Dining hall workers, and Utilities
There are a few more important
facts that all students should know
about their campus:
e University Park only gives all
campus $4,000 each year to be
used in their own discretion. Mont
Alto uses that money for
Transportation. (4,000 dollars are
considered pennies for over all
costs to run a campus.)
Students during major breaks
are charged to be, driven to
Harrisburg Train/Bus station.
Those students are charged
those students are charged extra.
One reason is because if the trip
was free, students would sign up
for the bus and not even show up.
That causes Mont Alto to loose
$4,000 can not be spread equally.
If only a few amount of people
need rides, it is unfair to use most
of the money of the Harrisburg
trips, if only a few students go
from Mont Alto to Harrisburg.
different, with
available
{ parking almost
always after 5
o’clock in the
evenings and
That brings
up the magical
wi..0 ir d
“weekends.”
1 What is there to
{ do around here
| on the
| weekends?
Well, as some
of you may already be aware,
weekends at Mont Alto are filled
with different campus oriented
options. Although some students
may not want to partake, there are
various other ways to stay busy
over your two day break. This is
mainly where your interacting with
new people and being social
Winnie Kastroll, a sophomore
living in Mont Alto Hall, says, “I
don’t think it’s unreasonable that
our tuition went up, because it is a
state ran school. But, I do believe
that Penn State should offer more
scholarships or loans through them
and not the state so we can help
pay our tuition each year. I don’t
think I know any student that has
$20,000 to pay each year for school
without taking out a loan. Everyone
struggles and Penn State should
offer more for their students.” Mr.
Gill says, “I don’t think tuition will
go down, because inflation isn’t
going down anytime soon. I believe
that next year tuition will go up
higher than this year, because
everything else is going up like
gas.” If you feel like Winnie, there
are people on campus to talk with.
Get yourselves familiar with the
Financial Aid department and your
advisor. It takes alot of money to
manage Mont Alto. Each
department is working their best to
help each of us, and our education.
having anything to do on the
weekend, except work, your new
friends are in the same boat. Take
advantage of the day trips offered
by the college or even go with a
group of friends. Baltimore,
Philadelphia, and Washington DC
aren’t too far away, and can be
traveled to and from for a day trip.
A lot of students find that they
venture home during the
weekends. More explorations arise
if you decide to tag along, or even
take someone home with you.
Anything can happen on campus
or off campus over the weekends,
as long as you keep your ears open
and involved you’ll find your
niche.
By the end of your first day of
college, the opportunities to
interact with people should be
endless.Remember, you have to be
open-minded. Being friendly and
interacting is pivotal for a
successful transition.