Libel Exercise

1. “Megan Fox is a man!” Headline on Weekly World News Web site - Not libel


2. “Up until the day he died, he was a brilliant writer. But the drugs made him a thief, a pimp and a liar,” said friend Karen Smith, who was with Johnson at the time of his death. - Not libel


3. “In my opinion, Kevin is a murdering rapist,” the prosecutor told the jury. - Not libel


4. "In my opinion, he's a murdering rapist," the man said at the rally. - Libel

The Undocumented: 1079 Students in Washington

The cost of higher education is becoming an increasing burden for students at colleges and universities across the United States. In Washington state the undocumented student population is pushing for access to financial aid denied to them due to their legal immigration status.

Undocumented students are students who are not legal permanent residents and do not have a green card, visa, or other legal immigration documentation.

The recent failure of House Bill 1817, which would have granted undocumented students access to state financial aid, was a step backward for the thousands of undocumented students in Washington according to advocates of the undocumented community.

The state of Washington has the 11^th largest undocumented population in the U.S. The undocumented population of people under the age of 18 in Washington is between 34,000 and 42,500, according to the Washington State Educational Access Coalition for HB 1079 Students.
 
Of these thousands of undocumented students many are considered 1079 students, a name given to them after the passing of HB 1079 in 2003.
 
That law, signed by Gov. Gary Locke, allows undocumented students who have lived in the state for at least three years and earned a high school diploma or GED to pay in-state tuition rates at any state college or university.


Under this law undocumented students are considered residents of the state only for purposes of paying resident tuition rates – their legal immigration status does not change.

As an undocumented person these students do not qualify for federal or state financial aid.

While the law grants greater access to higher education to undocumented students it has not relieved the struggles these students face when searching for ways to fund their education.

According to Marcella Pattinson, bilingual-multicultural financial aid counselor at Washington State University and coordinator for the Coalition for HB 1079 Students, undocumented students must fund their education entirely through scholarships and other private funds.

To subsidize their education many 1079 students must find scholarships, most of which are academically based.

Joaquin Chapar, retention counselor for the Chicana/o Latina/o Student Center at WSU, witnesses how hard 1079 students work to find scholarships and maintain their grades.

According to Chapar, maintaining their grades and staying on top of scholarship deadlines is crucial for 1079 students.

Beyond access to federal or state financial aid, another problem that 1079 students face is employment during and after their education.

The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) executive order made by President Obama on June 15, 2012 made it possible for some undocumented students to start practicing after graduation.


Some 1079 students at WSU qualified for a deferred action under DACA and now work for the university, said Chapar.

For those who do not qualify for DACA, or who do not wish to apply, finding employment can be another daily struggle.

Currently 1079 students can only be employed at their institutions if they are paid through a scholarship or stipend not funded by federal or state dollars.

At WSU the only jobs available for 1079 students are with the student-mentoring program through this Office of Multicultural Student Services, said Maria Isabel Morales, graduate assistant at the Chicana/o Latina/o Student Center.

While only one employment option exists for 1079 students at WSU, the institution is doing much to support its 1079 population as well as the states.

“WSU has the best structure set-up to help 1079 students in the state of Washington,” Chapar said.

According to Pattinson, WSU took the lead in the Washington State Educational Access Coalition for HB 1079 Students.

The coalition provides training to administration, faculty, and staff at colleges and universities, K-12 public schools, and other organizations that want to better serve the undocumented student community.

Misinformation or a lack of knowledge about the rights of 1079 students is a problem that Pattinson, Chapar, and Morales all encounter.

Understanding that 1079 students are just like every other documented student is something that Pattinson, Chapar, and Morales all hope the public sees when they interact with potential 1079 students.

“We have to understand that 1079 students are just like everybody else,” Pattinson said.

Educating the public about the struggles of 1079 students is the best way to start better serving this community and breaking down barriers to their education, said Chapar.

 
Sources:

• Maria Isabel Morales - maria.morales@wsu.edu
• Joaquin Chapar - jbchapar@wsu.edu
• Marcel Pattinson - marcela.pattinson@wsu.edu

Web Sources:

•  http://www.finaid.wsu.edu/1079.html
• http://coalition.wsu.edu/media/616000/resource-guide-v8.pdf
• http://www.hb1079.org/payingforcollege.htm
•  http://www.leapwa.org/resources/data.asp

Interview Footage:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRrYXxMu4jc&feature=youtu.be

Census Data Exercise

Finding County and City Data

·         Walla Walla County Census Data

o   18.2% of residents live in poverty compared to the 12.5% of residents of Wash. State who live in poverty

o   14.1% of residents have at least a bachelor’s degree

o   19.8% of residents speak a language other than English

o   3.8% of residents are unemployed

o   The average commute for workers is 15.3 minutes

o   6.6% of workers 16 years and older work in agriculture, forestry, fishing and dunting, and mining

o   13.9% of households earn less than $15,000

o   13.8% of households receive food stamps

o   The median earning for a male is $44,649

o   The median earning for a female is $35, 835

·         Address Search

o   85% of my neighborhood in Pullman is white

o   90% of my neighborhood in Walla Walla is white

o   There is not much of a difference in terms of the diversity among my Pullman and Walla Walla neighborhoods.

·         Poverty Map

o   The state with the highest poverty level is Mississippi with 22.4% of residents living in poverty

o   In the state of Washington, Whitman county has the highest percentage of residents living in poverty with 24.4% for all ages

o   In the state of Washington, Yakima county has the highest percentage of residents under the age of 18 living in poverty with 35.4%

o   In Washington state the three elementary school districts with the highest levels of poverty are:

§  Benge – 60.0%

§  Skykomish – 57.91%

§  Wapato - 46.1%

 

Profile - Janelle Chow

“Multi-athlete shows multidimensional character”

            Rows and columns of neatly trimmed photographs decorate the locker of University of Idaho athlete Janelle Chow. Each photo holds the memories of games won and lost, time spent with friends and every other memory worth freezing in time. These are the memories of a Division I athlete who is more than one-dimensional.

            Chow is a senior currently on the roster for three U of I sports programs: volleyball, basketball, and tennis.

            Chow came to U of I under the volleyball program, and was added to the basketball and tennis programs as a walk-on this winter.

            While some might hesitate to compete at this level in one sport, let alone three, Chow welcomes the challenge.

            “I love being a Division I athlete, and competing at this level,” Chow said.

            Competition is what drives Chow to be the best in everything she does; something that Ian Kelsey, a supervisor for the intramural program at U of I, observes first hand.

            “Her competitiveness extends beyond just sports. She always wants to be the best,” Kelsey said.

            Beyond her commitments to volleyball, basketball, and tennis, Chow also participates in various intramural sports.

            Butch Fealy, director of intramural sports, said Chow plays virtually every intramural U of I offers from shuffle board to table tennis.

            Chow also works as an official for the intramural program. Her position with the program is just one of the five jobs she currently holds.

            Chow admits that some of her peers call her “crazy” for working as a student-athlete.

            “People say that you don’t have time for a job being a student-athlete but, I think you do,” Chow said.

            How Chow finds time to participate in three collegiate sports, numerous intramurals, and five jobs is a something that keeps many of her peers in awe, Chow said.

            A typical day for Chow starts at 5 a.m. and ends at around 2 a.m. the next day. Chow admits that she sleeps about four hours a day, something which helps maximize her time.

            Chow’s constant, on-the-go schedule is something that Kelsey feels is a testament to how much college students can accomplish.

            “She puts into perspective how much you can do in college,” Kelsey said.

            While Chow maintains a busy schedule she still finds time to stay ahead academically. Her cumulative GPA is a 3.7, well above the 2.0 minimum GPA required for athletes overall.

            Competition is at the core of many of Chows accomplishments, and academics are no exception.

            “It’s good to be a competitor in the classroom,” Chow said.

            Chow’s competitive spirit extends past her personal endeavors. She participates in various community service projects including the Spring Alternative Service Break (ASB).

            For two spring breaks Chow spent helped build houses in Kentucky and Georgia for Habitat for Humanity.

            Chow’s community involvement also extends to her position as head coach for a club volleyball team.

            As a head coach she enjoys mentoring the young girls and helping them reach their goals, Chow said.

            “She goes out of her way to make time for the community … she goes way above and beyond the typical student,” Fealy said.

            This commitment to community involvement, in addition to her academic and athletic achievements, made Chow one of the recipients of the Alumni Award for Excellence for 2012.

            These achievements are not things that have come easy for Chow, Kelsey said.

            “She tries a lot harder than everyone all of the time … everyone thinks all of the stuff she does just comes easy to her. No one knows how much she works,” Kelsey said.

            Much of what Chow does comes from hard work and dedication, something she hopes others will see.

            “She’s one of the friendliest people you’ll ever meet. You’ll almost think you’re best friends after a five minute conversation with her,” Tyler Roberds, a supervisor for the intramural program, said.

            Chow says she enjoys meeting new people and making genuine connections.

            “She’s so down-to-earth. She’ll honestly get to know and be friends with anyone,” Fealy said.

            As for what the future holds, Chow hopes to work as part of a college-level athletic program. Being such an active athlete has opened many doors for her, Chow said.

 “With her work ethic and determination she’s going to go as far as she wants,” Fealy said.

Interview Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUCruCnPKlQ

Comma Splice Exercise

Comma splice? Yes or no. If it is a comma splice, fix the sentence.

1. “We just buy and sell real estate. It is what we do, but the market doesn’t dictate the price,” she said.

2. In 2007, while the average income in Washington was $55,628, the average income for Whitman County was $36,438.

3. Going green took on new meaning this year when WSU Waste Management announced dramatic changes to the recycling program in an effort to save money across the university. The city plans to follow suit.

4. “Take a little out of athletics, take a little from the library, and save the rest of the money,” Jones said.


5. Dan is using an emerging dairy trend. He installed an anaerobic digester two years ago.

6. He entered the three-mile race yesterday morning. However, he does not have any shoes.

Notes 3/7/13

• Internships - do them! Experience will be your best ally when looking for work
• Something he looks at when hiring
• Knowing basic skills such as layout and photography can help minimize costs for you and your employer
• While our society is diverse there are similarities in how various communities function across the country (city council, police, non-profits, schools, etc.)
• Understanding the community are going to help you in reporting the events and issues of that community
• Legal obligations of a journalist - know your rights!
• transparency
• accessibility
• "watch dog"
• city council executive session
• public records - helpful in building stories
• Journalists facilitate the flow of information for those who don't have the time to get that information
• help the public make decisions
• Understanding the bureaucracy of organizations
• Good writers make every story compelling to readers - that's the challenge
• Small town news is less formal or managed than big news stories
• Fresh and spontaneous
• Small towns aren't all good news, there is bad news - can be awkward
• Build up your expectations
• Don't expect to work for a big name right out of college without experience
• Small town stories provide more opportunity for in-depth/personal feeling stories

Chicanos at WSU: A Century of Struggle