When you’re scrolling through posts, items of clothing, musical artists, or behaviors are being forced to fit into niches. The pressure on social media users to conform to a singular niche runs high. 

Responsible for representing the student body’s opinions and bridging the gap between students and administration, the role of Undergraduate Student Government president and vice president is no small job. 

Last election, the Daily Trojan broke tradition by choosing not to endorse a USG presidential and vice presidential ticket. The Spring 2022 Editorial Board — a diverse, sequestered panel of Daily Trojan staffers and editors not affiliated with the paper’s impartial news coverage — wrote that, after interviewing each candidate, they found none able to offer concrete plans toward improvement. 

This year, the Spring 2023 Daily Trojan Editorial Board was satisfied to find a ticket that would represent not only the core values of the student body, but also the desire to improve how USG functions internally. For these reasons, the Editorial Board has decided to endorse presidential candidate Aidan Feighery and vice presidential candidate Ashley Ka.

Candidates’ Perspectives & Platforms

In separate interviews with the Daily Trojan Editorial Board, the five executive tickets shared their perspectives on the responsibilities of their roles and explained their platforms in greater detail. The candidates — Miko Mariscal and Andrew Taw, Devin Ayala and Navya Singh, Aidan Feighery and Ashley Ka, Yoav Gillath and Monica Rodriguez and Divya Jakatdar and Michelle Lu — all seemed to acknowledge USG’s institutional flaws and inconsistent relationship with the student body. However, some responses were more lackluster than others.

The Mariscal-Taw ticket was the first to be interviewed. Before being asked, the ticket addressed the Editorial Board’s concerns regarding the USG budget. Taw questioned the challenges that come with accessing resources, emphasizing the ticket’s desire to “eliminat[e] all of that yellow tape surrounding how to access [funds].” With Mariscal and Taw both expressing a strong passion for community outreach and holding a variety of roles within campus organizations, the ticket was a strong contender for our endorsement. 

Mariscal, a South Los Angeles native, described the impact USC had on her community; teaching assistants, she noted, would visit her schools and provide her the opportunity to tour universities across California. Mariscal and Taw explicitly showed their care for the Trojan community as well as the surrounding South L.A. area, but the Editorial Board was left unsatisfied with the scope of their proposals. Beyond “support, support, support,” what did the ticket possess that pre-existing RSOs aren’t already providing? Shouldn’t the role of USG president and vice president be about more than just support?

The Ayala-Singh ticket spoke on initiatives that stemmed from their motto of “Equity, Transparency, Advocacy” — or ETA. But despite being able to consolidate their platform into an acronym, their platform can only be described as unfocused and incomplete. Many of the main goals for their campaign were restoring old initiatives such as a 24-hour Starbucks, or suggesting projects that already exist on campus — such as an LAX shuttle — rather than creating new ones.

Out of the five tickets, Feighery and Ka possessed the most realistic, rational and believable platform. Many of their proposed policies, were they elected, seem feasible and would have measurable outcomes. Their communication in explaining their thought process was also clear and concise: “We also think that USG should really be a body that reaches out actively to different RSOs to actively get student feedback,” Ka said. “Rather than being a system where RSOs have to go to USG to apply for funding, we want to implement a more effective RSO outreach program.” 

The duo’s chemistry and sincerity throughout the interview stood out among the five tickets, catching the Editorial Board’s attention and giving the Board a bit more optimism that policies would truly be carried out.

Gillath and Rodriguez felt that they were most equipped to bring back the single-rider Fryft system, and also wanted to expand Fryft into new areas like Koreatown and DTLA. While it was a nice gesture, and one that many would enjoy, it doesn’t seem feasible. In contrast, the Jakatdar-Lu ticket claimed that they are the only presidential ballot to have worked on reverting back to the single-ride model for Fryft. 

The two tickets, while seemingly having so much to say regarding their policies, often failed to directly answer the Board’s questions. They lacked the ability to explain — and critique — structures and processes within USG, and instead seemed more interested in providing promises of expensive projects like fingerprint ID cards and medical vending machines (ideas of the Jakatdar-Lu ticket) or performative initiatives such as giving sunscreen out to those at Skid Row (an idea of the Gillath-Rodriguez ticket). 

Student Outreach & Community 

A primary focus of Feighery and Ka’s campaign was the prevention of sexual assault in the USC community. In the wake of several fraternities choosing to disaffiliate from the University this year, Feighery and Ka want to implement more extensive affirmative consent training modules as a part of freshman orientation and better amplify Relationship and Sexual Violence Prevention trainings as a resource for all organizations that throw large social gatherings. 

The pair admitted their limited power in reversing the University’s move to a shared Lyft model, which had been a single-ride system over the pandemic until the beginning of this semester. To improve the current program, which has seen many users experience delays in rides, the duo aims to propose a $150 credit to be distributed to users for single rides to complement the unlimited shared rides that the University offers. 

In an effort to reach out to the student body, Feighery and Ka propose to reform USG culture so that there is more open communication between USG and the student body. The ticket also wants USG to actively reach out to different RSOs to collaborate in getting feedback from students since they are more likely to voice concerns to their respective RSOs. The ticket believes that by working in good faith, they can promote a more inclusive USC community.

Sustainability

As an editorial board, we believe that USG’s decision to dismantle the Green Engagement Fund was a grave error. Our endorsement for Feighery and Ka reflects much on Feighery’s dissenting position and accompanying statement condemning the broken system that disallowed senators to garner enough information to be able to take action on such an impactful change. Mariscal and Taw, the only ticket without a senatorial background, also expressed their ability to speak on the intersectionality of the matter. The Ayala-Singh and Gillath-Rodriguez tickets left room for growth in their responses, while the Jakatdar-Lu ticket did not address sustainability in any fashion — off-putting, since our interviews included a question directly about the subject.

Working within a broken system

We believe that USG lacks transparency in maintaining the Legislative Branch Project Tracker listed on their website. For example, if a project is incomplete, students deserve a meaningful explanation as to why. More details should be provided in order to create a process in which students — involved in USG or not — can engage with projects. 

Regarding budgeting, we ask for more transparency during the process of RSOs completing funding requests. We believe Feighery and Ka will do their best to ensure funding becomes more transparent and dispersed equitably. 

USG should maintain more awareness of the vast breadth of USC’s student body; not every student can allocate extra time to engage with USG. In addition to weekly office hours, USG should create internal structures which encourage — and perhaps require — representatives to check in with different communities. But this only works if representatives actually show up for students. The responsibility lies upon USG leaders to reach out, not the students themselves. No group on campus should be left in the dark.

With Ka bringing an outside perspective, this Editorial Board hopes that the attitude in USG will shift, as new input will be available from a candidate not shaped by previous semesters as an official.

Call to action

Among all five candidates campaigning for the election, it was made evident that there is a unanimous desire to reform the way USG serves the student body, and every ticket discussed a major restructuring in the way the organization approaches making change. Candidates spoke of hostile working environments within the organization that has corrupted its focus on serving the student body at large. The Daily Trojan hopes the coming administration will remember their role within the University and not let interpersonal relationships derail efforts in creating meaningful change. 

A lack of efficiency and effectiveness has remained an issue within the organization, and we hope students consider a candidate with clear, outlined goals that are attainable and realistic. We understand that USG has limited power over University action, but their hefty stipend suggests they should be getting more work done. We believe that the Feighery and Ka ticket outlines an appropriate amount of attainable goals for their prospective term. 

While our endorsement was decided upon after extensive research and interviews with each of the candidates, we urge the student body to conduct their own research and critically analyze each candidate’s platforms. This endorsement was decided upon prior to the USG election debate at 7 p.m. Thursday (tonight, at the date of publication), to which we urge students to closely pay attention in their decision-making process. 

The Daily Trojan pledges to hold whoever is elected accountable for campus-wide problems and any shortcomings upon which they seek to improve — and those they create themselves. We are only aware of each candidate’s executive aspirations; it will be up to those elected to prove themselves through actions, decisions and behaviors that are worthy of the appointment.

The Spring 2023 Daily Trojan Editorial Board — composed of three managing editors, three senior editors and three staff writers, all of whom represent various identities, disciplines and years at USC — conducted interviews with each of the five executive tickets. Members of the Editorial Board did not participate in any news-related coverage of the USG election cycle, nor are directly involved in the Spring 2023 news section’s impartial coverage. The Editorial Board framed each interview around the same questionnaire composed of questions on timely topics at USC, with follow-up questions allowed afterward.

The post The Daily Trojan endorses Feighery & Ka appeared first on Daily Trojan.

WIth four games left in the regular season, UH sits in a tie for third in the AAC with a 7-4 record in league play. | Raphael Fernandez/The Cougar

A four-game win streak for the UH women’s basketball team came to an end in gut-wrenching fashion on Wednesday night, as the Cougars fell to Memphis 45-44 at Fertitta Center.

The first quarter was a low-scoring affair, something that became a constant throughout the matchup. The Cougars held the lead for most of the period, catching momentum in the final few minutes to lead 13-7 at the end of quarter one.

Graduate student forward Tatyana Hill led the Cougars in the first quarter, scoring six points on 3-for-5 shooting including two consecutive layups to finish the quarter.

The Cougars turned dominant in the second quarter, propelled largely by the play of senior guard Tiara Young, who scored seven points in the quarter. 

UH entered halftime comfortably, leading Memphis 26-14.

Young and Hill each led UH in scoring in the first half, scoring seven and six points, respectively. 

Both squads struggled from the field, with the Cougars shooting under 32 percent and Memphis shooting roughly 28 percent.

While UH extended its lead to as large as 14 points early in the third period, Memphis began cutting into the deficit on an 8-2 run. The Cougars’ lead was trimmed to 32-26  entering the final quarter.

In the fourth quarter, it was redshirt senior guard Britney Onyeje who carried the UH offense, scoring eight points.

Onyeje’s performance wasn’t enough to slow down the momentum Memphis had built in the previous quarter. 

After a 3-pointer from Onyeje that extended the UH lead back to double-digits, Memphis put together a run that managed to tie things up with just under three minutes to play.

UH managed to hold onto the lead going into the final minute, until – with under 30 seconds to play – Memphis hit a clutch 3-pointer to give it a 45-44 lead. 

UH was unable to get another chance, losing 45-44. 

sports@thedailycougar.com

—
“UH women’s basketball’s win streak snapped by Memphis” was originally posted on The Cougar

The month of February marks the U.S. annual Black History Month, which is a time to reflect and learn about those who have fought and been activists for members of the Black community as well as understand the history of the community within the United States.

On Feb. 13 Colorado State University had keynote speaker Bobby Seale, a co-founder of the Black Panther Party, visit campus as one of the many events held by the Black/African American Cultural Center to celebrate the month.

Seale grew up in Oakland, California, which is about a 30-minute drive from the city of San Francisco. He began his talk by explaining what the time looked like for people of color, what he grew up with and how the idea of civil and Black rights was not even a thought for him.

“I was raised by a carpenter,” Seale said. “There was no such thing as Black history in the 1950s and 1960s. I thought it was a communist movement.”

The idea of being able to stand up for Black rights at the time seemed foreign to Seale, and he was unsure if it was even legal.

“After I saw Martin Luther King speak, I was told that fighting and activating for these rights would not only help us be equal, but it would help us become economically established at the time. After that, I was in,” -Bobby Seale, co-founder of the Black Panther Party

During the 1950s and early 1960s, prior to the official founding of the Black Panther Party in 1966, Seale worked hard with other people of color to understand how to practice activism legally. This was to ensure they would be safe and reduce the chances of arrest. Seale explained they did this by studying the law and recalled times they had to use the knowledge in defense.

In the early beginnings of the party, the few members they had at the time observed police and studied the laws around doing so for over a month.

Even at 86 years old, Seale can recall the information of the time he founded the Black Panther Party as if it was yesterday. He often told jokes and had the audience laughing at each one.

During the founding of the Black Panther Party, Seale said what sold him was the connection of civil rights to economic status.

“After I saw Martin Luther King speak, I was told that fighting and activating for these rights would not only help us be equal, but it would help us become economically established at the time,” Seale said. “After that, I was in.”

The villainization of the Black Panther Party was a key point in Seale’s speech, as the idea of Black individuals standing up to the police at the time painted the group in a dangerous light.

“We were portrayed in the media as hooligans and thugs,” Seale said. “I wanted to capture the imagination of what could be and unify my brothers and sisters.”

Seale wanted the audience to understand that the party was not violent, but rather, the media and government portrayed them that way. The idea of unifying the Black community was a scary thought for those in power at the time, and to make the Black Panther Party feared was an easy way to target them.

Seale wrapped up his speech by reflecting on the early beginnings of the Black Panther Party and encouraging those who want change to seek change.

His first-hand accounts of the history were eye-opening and allowed the audience to understand the struggles people of color were facing. Seale made the point that although his work was influential, it is far from over.

Reach Katherine Borsting at life@collegian.com or on Twitter @katbor2025. 

“What is the value of one human life? How much of our humanity are we willing to sacrifice for glory and the spoils of war? Civilization must begin with justice, but to those being sacrificed, is slaughter ever just?” 

These are the opening lines of the announcement of “Artemis, I,” the latest play produced by ODURep with support from the Hellenistic Studies Endowment. Written and directed by Deborah Wallace, “Artemis, I” retells the classical Greek story of Iphigenia.

In the original mythology, Iphigenia is the daughter of King Agamemnon, who offends Artemis when he kills her sacred stag. In retaliation, Artemis halts the winds so that he cannot sail to join the Trojan War. A seer tells Agamemnon that he must sacrifice Iphigenia to appease Artemis, and he caves to pressure from commanders and performs the sacrifice. “Artemis, I” will follow a similar trajectory, updated for a modern audience with its contemporary boldness in design and tone.

“It’s very big in terms of spectacle, it’s quite impactful,” said Deborah Wallace, the director, writer, and sound designer of “Artemis, I.” “There is the Greek tragedy, but it’s also been modernized in trying to draw the parallels between the ancient world and these stories that have been with us for millennia and the world that we live in today.”

Wallace started writing “Artemis, I” during the pandemic. 

“As we saw this ever amounting death count of people, the question that was at the forefront of my mind was ‘What is that value? How do we value a human life, whether it be personally or as a culture?’” Wallace continued. 

This is the source of the central idea of “Artemis, I”, which the play will explore through the lens of ancient royalty and modern language.

The principal cast includes Anna Sosa as Artemis, Reisce Owen as the Pythia, Brian Jinright as Agamemnon, Leila Bryant as Clytemnestra, and Angelina Paquin as Iphigenia. Taking the place of a traditional Greek chorus is a pantheon of female war gods. The choreography is largely created by students and orchestrated by Samantha Hendrix. 

The way the play is updated for modern audiences is  reflected in the costume design, which is described as Grecian, modern, and luxurious. Costume designer Meredith Magoun shared her ideas for the costume design of Agamemnon, describing him as a “general who’s not actually going to be fighting, but [who] still wants to look powerful.” 

“The way we do soldiers in this day and age is camouflage, but that’s not right for this play,” said Magoun. “How do you convey a military-esque design without doing [Battle Dress Uniforms] and camo?”

The designers settled on a color scheme of white, gold, and silver; white for the mortal characters and gold and silver for the gods to highlight their divinity. The Greek chorus of war goddesses have been designed to resemble statues that Artemis has brought to life to help her enact her revenge.

Although “Artemis, I” has been modernized, inspiration has come from the past as well. Magoun revealed that both she and Wallace used “Dido’s Lament,” a song from the 1688 opera Dido and Aeneas, as inspiration for Artemis and the central sorrow that she experiences. The play’s core themes of sorrow, grief, and the value of life remain universal.

“I hope any audience when they go see any theater experiences awe and catharsis,” Magoun said. “I hope that they see the joy and the love of humanity and that it makes them hungry to experience more.”

“Artemis, I” will run on Feb. 23-25 and March 1-4 at 7 p.m., and March 5 at 2 p.m. There will be free parking in the Constant Center Garage, 1060 West 45th St. Tickets can be purchased here and start at $5 for ODU students.

The Muslim Students Association’s (MSA) seventh annual Black History Month dinner at Coffman Union Thursday featured lessons from the early Muslim community as well as art presentations by Oromo visual artist Lokho Kotile and poet Abdirahman Warsame. About 200 students attended the event. 

According to the University of Minnesota’s Office of Institutional Data and Research, on average over the past five years, there have been about 3,330 students that identify as Black on the Twin Cities campus. MSA Vice President Nura Agami said she hopes MSA decides to hold this event again in the future. 

“I think it’s a very amazing event,” Agami said. “It should always be a priority to have because a lot of Muslims are Black.” 

Ustadha Faduma Warsame, one of the speakers and MSA chaplain, spoke at the dinner about race and diversity in the early Muslim community.

“We understand that the early Muslim community was a very diverse community, and they all worked together in service to the community and service to God,” Warsame said. ”By being able to understand our past, we’re able to enliven within us, set off the flame of love for one another, love for God and service to Allah, and service to the community. 

Agami said the group decided to hold the event because it is important to recognize the intersection of being Black in America and the value of tolerance in Islam. 

“I think in Islam, it’s very clear that all races are equal, but unfortunately, how Islam plays out today, it’s not always the case, and it’s important to remind the ummah (Muslim word for nation) this is an essential part of what it means to be Muslim,” Agami said. ”You accept everyone regardless of their culture.” 

Agami said holding events like the dinner is necessary because prominent Black Muslim figures can be neglected in students’ academic studies.

“I think it’s important to educate Muslims on campus about the intersection between being Black and also Islam. I think it’s sometimes neglected in our studies,” Agami said. “And sometimes we forget how to treat those who are different than us in culture and it’s a good reminder to celebrate and remind ourselves how to act towards everyone.”

Freshman Yusra Bedel decided to attend the event because of its emphasis on community and history. 

“I came to attend this event because of the connection and the community that it brings together because it’s Black History Month,” Bedel said. “So overall, it’s just a way to vocalize the fact that the community exists and that we’re here for our history to be known.”

Minneapolis Council Member Robin Wonsley Worlobah (Ward 2), who represents the University area, attended and said these types of events foster connection and belonging within the community. 

“Events like this really show that not only do you belong, but that you have a vibrant community that is here to recognize you, but also to center your cultural values…to tackle deep issues,” Wonsley Worlobah said. 

Warsame said these types of events foster opportunities for students and provide them advantages when learning about these kinds of topics of community and culture. 

“I truly believe that in the community, there are opportunities to connect and learn and grow with one another, but events like this give people the opportunity to learn something new about a different culture, a different experience, a different history that they may have not for whatever reason had the experience to learn about,” Warsame said. 

Proposed by Rep. Melissa Ballard, H.B. 203 is a vital step in the fight against Utah’s issue of recidivism. The legislation would provide postsecondary education for inmates in county jails, assign success advisors to correctional facilities, remove the requirement for prisoners to pay 50% of their tuition and mandate higher education to consider an inmate a state resident for tuition purposes.

With abundant research supporting the correlation between prison education and decreased recidivism, H.B. 203 is a progressive bill helping our continual reform of the prison system. We can’t expect inmates to not repeat their crimes unless we break the cycle of mass incarceration, and that starts with education.

Issues of Mass Incarceration in Utah

Utah is no exception to the nationwide epidemic of recidivism with around a 50% recidivism rate. Copious reasonings can be explained for the appalling rate and influence the cycle of constant convictions: lack of funds or financial support, unstable environments and community when leaving prison and lack of a formal education. If we refuse to acknowledge the existence of these issues, we cannot expect incarcerated individuals returning to society to change their current behavior. All forms of support are crucially needed to end recidivism in Utah, and it is embarrassing that Utah as a state hasn’t solved this matter.

While many western nations are struggling to resolve the ongoing incarceration complications, Norway is comparatively succeeding. Deconstructing the centralized prison system in the United States, Norway has integrated correctional facilities into the community as a form of rehabilitation. The reintegration process allows prisoners to maintain basic human necessities such as visitor contact and support once they are put back into society. And in terms of education, which has been argued as a vital point for preventing crime, Norway has helped prisoners transition for future employment with their educational system. Norway has garnered an acclaimed incarceration system that other nations, specifically the U.S., must start to incorporate.

Slow But Needed Solutions

Highlighting the educational aspect, it is empirically evident that recidivism decreases when prisoners can access education. Utah’s current integration system is shameful. And while I applaud the reformative legislation, we need more change. Utah has tried to end the increasing incarceration rates before: H.B. 348 passed in 2015 and removed nonviolent offenders from Utah prisons in an effort to help reduce the recidivism rate. By removing nonviolent offenders, the remaining budget was spent on recidivism programs. But this has unfortunately not helped the current rate in Utah.

However, the new legislation created for the 2023 session could start the gradual reform Utah desperately needs. Opening opportunities for prisoners to gain education will have a significant impact on individuals truly striving for a better future. Inmates do not want to continue their cycle in the mass prison system in Utah, but they can’t change without investments in their future, such as those given in H.B. 203.

Dominic Pecoraro is an associate faculty in the Honor’s College and the Department of Communication at the University of Utah, which has a prison education program. His own course is historically offered in the prison education program. When asked about H.B. 203, Pecoraro said, “I believe for people that are reorienting themselves into life outside of prison, it’s going to give them another pathway for self-discovery.” Pecoraro supports H.B. 203.

I praise the efforts given by public education institutions such as the U to better assist prisoners gaining knowledge. The support is there and we want change for the ongoing and complex prison issues in Utah. With H.B. 203, the push for a core solution in recidivism is evident.

While Utah has much more to act on in the continual prison reform process, H.B. 203 can produce a positive impact in Utah. The bill could end stereotypes given to prisoners and integrate them back into society. Ex-prisoners deserve to be represented and given a chance to advance from their previous actions. Change can happen, and we can decrease the recidivism cycle within Utah Prisons with H.B. 203.

For more resources on education for prisoners within the University of Utah, click here.

k.petters@dailyutahchronicle.com

@KeeganPettersOp

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This semester, the University of Minnesota Honors Program began offering a new honors seminar course called The Diabetes Experience, focused on developing more empathy for diabetics and discussing ethical concerns in diabetes management.

The course was developed to teach undergraduate students the basic fundamentals of diabetes, understand the daily impact diabetes has on patients and discuss ethical questions regarding management, medical accessibility and stigma, said Dr. Kylee Funk, the course’s instructor and associate professor at the College of Pharmacy.

“They’re getting the skills of ‘how do we empathize?’ and ‘how do we understand where this is coming from?” Funk said.

The course is primarily held asynchronously online, with three synchronous zoom meetings throughout the semester, Funk said. The students engage in online discussions at least three times a week, watch videos and read articles for the class.

“I have enjoyed being part of the students’ discussions and seeing that things are clicking for them and they are finding these topics important,” Funk said. “I mean, that’s what keeps me interested, keeps me going.”

Involving empathy

Funk developed the honors course for any honors student to take, not just students interested in going into the medical field.

“I think it can be beneficial for students of different backgrounds with different interests for their future,” Funk said.

Honors program seminars are unique and open to any honors students without prerequisite work, said Ian Ringgenberg, associate director for curriculum and outreach for the honors program. All honors students must take at least one honors seminar.

“We really try to make it something that people from all different disciplines can hop into,” Ringgenberg said. “The Diabetes Experience isn’t just for pre-med students.”

During the course, students experience a simulation of Type 1 diabetes, Funk said. The simulation consists of picking a random blood sugar number from a hat and calculating insulin doses based on the blood sugar number and the number of carbohydrates in their meal.

“They are just getting a little bit of a feel for how complex this is,” Funk said.

Second-year journalism student Grace Henrie, while not enrolled in the course, said she thought the course was a great opportunity for people to learn more about the disease that millions of people, including herself, have to manage.

“If we educate people more on what it’s really like to have diabetes and the issues that come with not having accessibility to insulin, we might affect more change,” Henrie said.

Henrie said her experience as a Type 1 diabetic at a big university campus has been adequate so far. She said her diabetes is well managed, but someone who was recently diagnosed or is struggling with burnout might have a more difficult time, especially if they have professors with strict attendance policies.

“Sometimes when you’re having a low blood sugar, you feel like you’re dying,” Henrie said. “You can’t pick yourself up and go to class.”

Managing diabetes

As of October 2022, 37.3 million Americans had diabetes (Type 1 or Type 2). In Minnesota, about 390,000 adults have been diagnosed with diabetes, according to the Minnesota Department of Health.

Insulin is an important hormone the body produces to convert food into energy. Diabetes is a chronic disease in which the body either cannot create insulin or does not use insulin well, leading to high blood sugar, according to the CDC.

Henrie said she thought it was good that issues in diabetes management, like insulin cost, are being covered in the new course.

“I think it 100% needs to be taught,” Henrie said. “I am in a constant state of, ;why the hell is insulin so expensive?’”

The students in the course go through a second simulation exploring the complexities of insurance and issues related to cost of insulin and other diabetic supplies, Funk said. When someone is a type one diabetic, they need to take insulin every day. Diabetics without insurance or with poor coverage can pay an average of $1,000 per month on insulin alone.

“We talk about disparities, we talk about navigating the healthcare system,” Funk said.

Learning new things through seminar

Any faculty member can propose an honors seminar and the requests must be submitted before the Nov. 1 deadline to be considered for the next academic year, Ringgenberg said. He said the honors program typically offers 40 seminars per year, most of which are returning courses.

“We have faculty from the law school and the med school and adjuncts who can do this every year, and that’s just part of their arrangement with the department,” Ringgenberg said.

While this is only her first semester teaching this particular course, Funk said she has enjoyed it and is optimistic about teaching it again in the future.

Henrie encourages non-medical students to consider taking the course if it is offered in future semesters.

“It can make you more empathetic and put you in someone else’s shoes, which I always think is a great thing to do,” Henrie said.

Further information on insulin access in Minnesota and Minnesota’s insulin safety net program can be found on the Minnesota Board of Pharmacy website. Information on the University’s Disability Resource Center (DRC) can be found on the DRC’s website.

Financial Aid Awareness Month provides an opportunity to understand the numerous financing options available to alleviate the up-front cost of higher education, such as tuition and room-and-board.

For many students and families nationwide, affordability remains a high concern as they consider investing in a college degree. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, over 85% of students receive some form of financial aid; however, it is not always easy to access and understand all available options. Determining how to access and apply for financial aid can be overwhelming. At the heart of most tuition assistance options is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), an online form in which families provide household size, income, and other facts used to determine eligibility for various financial aid programs.

Let’s take a look at some of the options available to ensure students and families understand the tools available to make the best financial decisions while pursuing higher education.

Grants

One of the most popular forms of financial aid comes in the form of government grants which can be awarded by federal or state governments, nonprofit organizations, and from schools directly. Grants do not need to be paid back and are typically given to students who demonstrate financial need. Students will be automatically considered for federal loans by completing the FAFSA form, and any qualifying options will be applied to your financial aid award annually. Additionally, students may be eligible for grants at the state level. Although state grants may require students to fill out forms outside of the FAFSA, it is wise to explore all options to reduce costs.

Work-Study

The Federal Work-Study Program allows students with financial need to work part-time to earn money that can be used to help pay for education-related expenses. When filing out the FAFSA form, students must indicate an interest in participating in the program. While this is often a great opportunity for students to gain professional experience, not all schools participate in the program and jobs are not guaranteed. Unlike grants which are automatically applied to aid letters, securing a work-study job is the responsibility of the student once they arrive on campus.

Loans

Perhaps the most well-known form of financial aid comes in the form of loans. Unlike grants, loans must be paid back and accrue interest overtime. Loans can either be federal or private, and the process for obtaining and repaying each loan greatly differs. Regardless of loan type, students and parents should have a clear understanding of each loan’s interest rate, the time in which they must repay the loan, deferment options, and other fees associated with payment.

Federal student loans are accounted for when students receive financial aid packages and are calculated based on your FAFSA. If you qualify, students will be offered two types of federal loans in financial aid packages: direct subsidized or direct unsubsidized loans. With a direct subsidized loan, the federal government pays the interest while you are in school, in the first six months after you leave school, and during deferment. If a student takes out a direct unsubsidized loan, they are responsible for always paying the interest.

Private loans are borrowed from a private lender – companies, banks, or credit unions – and require additional application processes. While private loans can help bridge gaps between other financial aid offerings and outstanding costs, students should always consider all federal student loan options before seeking out private ones. Because most private loans are credit-based, borrowers must show positive credit history. Additionally, interest rates are often higher than federal loans as they are fixed at a specific rate. There is less flexibility when it comes to repaying private loans and default on these loans comes with greater consequences.

Paying for a college education is among the most expensive investments a family will make, and it is important to remember that it does not come risk-free. Most financial aid offerings include clauses that require repayment if the student withdraws and fails to complete the semester. This Financial Aid Awareness Month, students and families should consider protecting their investment with tuition insurance. An unexpected – and uninsured – withdrawal can be costly as about 40% of student loan borrowers failed to complete their undergraduate degree. To learn more about GradGuard’s Tuition Insurance plans, visit www.gradguard.com/tuition.

About GradGuard

GradGuard is an authority on protecting students and families from the risks of college life. Trusted by a network of more than 400 participating colleges and universities, today GradGuard is the number one provider of tuition and renters insurance for college students. Since 2009, GradGuard has protected more than one million members. For more information visit gradguard.com or follow GradGuard on Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook.

For more Information:
Natalie Tarangioli
ntarangioli@gradguard.com