Professor starts fund to benefit UIS athletes

Barbara Hayler didn’t attend many University of Illinois Springfield women’s basketball games prior to the 2009-10 season, but following the team this season has compelled her to help student-athletes who have lost their athletic scholarships for the 2010-11 academic year.

Hayler, a Professor Emerita of Criminal Justice at UIS, has established the Help Honor Our Promises for Education Fund. Hayler is seeking donations to the Help HOPE fund, which would provide financial assistance to junior athletes who have had their scholarships terminated, regardless of sport, and help with academic costs.

The fund was featured in a April 21, 2010, article in the State Journal-Register.

Download a PDF of the article:
20100421-SJR-Professor-starts-fund.pdf

Time, and money, running out for MAP college aid program

At the University of Illinois Springfield, Gerard Joseph, director of financial assistance, said 259 eligible students missed the MAP application deadline last year. A total of 845 out of 4,900 students received MAP grants this year, up from 827 last academic year.

“That’s going to become a very critical factor,” Joseph said when asked about students losing money by missing the cutoff.

Returning students will generally be better off financially than freshmen, because tuition rates already are locked in for returning students. University of Illinois officials have suggested tuition could go up by 20 percent next year.

Joseph's comments were featured in a April 2, 2010, article in the State Journal-Register.

Download a PDF of the article:
20100402-SJR-Time-and-money-running-out.pdf

Student loan defaults up, but cause unclear

Figures released this week by the U.S. Department of Education show an increase in the student loan default rate, and Illinois numbers bear that out, too -- though the details vary among individual colleges and universities.

At the University of Illinois Springfield, the student loan default rate improved slightly. The most recent rate was 3.8 percent, compared with 3.9 percent for the prior year.

Gerard Joseph, director of financial assistance at UIS, said the school -- like many others -- tries to encourage students to borrow only what they need.

The story was featured in a September 18, 2009 article in the State Journal-Register.

Download a PDF of the article.
20090918-SJR-Student-loan-defaults.pdf

UIS will receive portion of scholarship fund

State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias has announced that his efforts to negotiate an additional $3.5 million in scholarship funds for college students in Illinois have been a success. The money will be available beginning in the fall 2008 semester. UIS will receive $18,500 to distribute based on students' financial need.

An article in the April 29, 2008, State Journal-Register gives more details about Giannoulias' plan.

Download a pdf file of the article
20080429-sjr-ScholarshipFund.pdf