2008 Woodie Awards
William Paterson University Book Deferments Unfair?
Bill Bradley and Shannon Hodges
Issue date: 5/3/06 Section: Campus News
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Feeling a little hungry? Thinking about eating some Wendy's? Then William Paterson University's book deferment program is here to help.
WPU offers grants and loans up to $400 a semester called book deferments to certain students as part of their financial aid package for the purchase of textbooks each semester. This money is placed on the students' Pioneer Express Card which can be used in the campus book store, as well as various off-campus locations.
How are the students really spending the money? Some say they've spent the funds to purchase cigarettes and Big Gulps, items that the director of Financial Aid, Robert Baumel, says are legitimate college expenses "as long as the Pioneer Card is accepted."
"When we put together the cost of education, part is direct fees, there are indirect fees, and personal expenses," said Baumel.
Direct fees refer to tuition, indirect fees refer to books and personal expenses can include cups of coffee and other miscellaneous items, he said.
Any student who receives financial aid - about 6,000 students on campus -- may apply for the deferments over a six week period which begins two weeks before the semester and ends four weeks into the semester, he said.
Program is unfair
"No way is this fair, this is b.s.," said Carlee Caucino, a sophomore chemistry major who says she does not receive financial aid. "I would need the money for books because my family doesn't have it and these (people) get it and buy one book and then piss it away at King George Diner."
Students who don't use all the money on their Pioneer Cards lose those funds at the end of the academic year. To avoid that, some students with book deferments who don't use all the money for books, spend the balance on non-book items.
"I bought stuff I didn't even need," said Jake Plunkett, a sophomore communication major, who had a book deferment loan for the fall 2004 semester. "I didn't really want to buy anything, but I needed to use up the money."
WPU offers grants and loans up to $400 a semester called book deferments to certain students as part of their financial aid package for the purchase of textbooks each semester. This money is placed on the students' Pioneer Express Card which can be used in the campus book store, as well as various off-campus locations.
How are the students really spending the money? Some say they've spent the funds to purchase cigarettes and Big Gulps, items that the director of Financial Aid, Robert Baumel, says are legitimate college expenses "as long as the Pioneer Card is accepted."
"When we put together the cost of education, part is direct fees, there are indirect fees, and personal expenses," said Baumel.
Direct fees refer to tuition, indirect fees refer to books and personal expenses can include cups of coffee and other miscellaneous items, he said.
Any student who receives financial aid - about 6,000 students on campus -- may apply for the deferments over a six week period which begins two weeks before the semester and ends four weeks into the semester, he said.
Program is unfair
"No way is this fair, this is b.s.," said Carlee Caucino, a sophomore chemistry major who says she does not receive financial aid. "I would need the money for books because my family doesn't have it and these (people) get it and buy one book and then piss it away at King George Diner."
Students who don't use all the money on their Pioneer Cards lose those funds at the end of the academic year. To avoid that, some students with book deferments who don't use all the money for books, spend the balance on non-book items.
"I bought stuff I didn't even need," said Jake Plunkett, a sophomore communication major, who had a book deferment loan for the fall 2004 semester. "I didn't really want to buy anything, but I needed to use up the money."
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