The Stylus

A message from the SPP student body president

Not too long ago, I was chatting with a colleague of mine who was describing to me how grateful he is to have been a student at SPP. He noted the leadership potential around us, and the invaluable experiences he has had learning from and forging relationships with so many talented students, faculty and staff.

In this sense, I see my role, and that of the School of Public Policy Student Association (SPPSA) and all its officers, as being facilitators for enhancing the educational, professional and social experience of every student. A big component of this is reaching out to the larger Arlington community this publication seeks to serve and all its affiliated organizations. Providing better cohesion and community among and within the various schools will only enhance our own organization’s ability to provide greater access and opportunity for interaction with the policy and professional community.

Fortunately, the Graduate and Professional Student Association (GAPSA), University Life and others are already working towards achieving this.  SPPSA has the added opportunity to be a major contributor to such combined efforts by helping put together speaker series, networking events, meet-the-author workshops, local and multi-national entrepreneurial “challenge teams” and contests, scholarships and more.

Moreover, we would seek to continue the work of outgoing President Giovanella Deweever and her officers in organizing community service events. Going beyond that, with programs as unique as ICP and TPOL, we have the opportunity to reach out to similar programs domestically and internationally — the International Economic and Political Studies program of Charles University in Prague, for example, comes to mind.

There are innumerable ways to achieve these and other objectives, and we are fortunate as a school to already have groups and organizations such as University Life, Currents, Policy Impact, New Voices in Public Policy and others to help us do so. I hope to make SPPSA a highly proactive component of leadership and ideas to elevate the experience a student can get beyond the classroom.

As my friend had noted, it’s those value-added experiences that have really set his experience at Mason apart from any other school.

On behalf of Jassem, Melissa, Matt, Maggie and myself, I look forward to a new and exciting 2010 – 2011 year. We welcome all who wish to join us. In addition, I wanted to welcome our new dean, Dr. Edward Rhodes, and thank Dr. Kingsley Haynes for his long and successful leadership.

Regards,

Steve

Steven Mihalisko

School of Public Policy Student Association President

Republicans charge college loan program is government takeover

In March, President Obama signed into law legislation that ends government subsidies to private banks that have profited from making risk-free student loans. The provision was largely overshadowed by the battle over health care. The quiet but important debate that took place on student loans consisted of democrats offering the findings of both the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) and the Government Accountability Office (GAO) reports, while republicans relied on questionable statistics and general misinformation.

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) told Fox News on March 23, “$9.1 billion of money created by the student loan takeover by the federal government is going to pay for health care.” This claim is not true, but it is typical of the methods used by republicans to frame the discussion. The $9.1 billion is part of $138 billion in savings from the health care bill, which includes the student loan changes.

Currently, one-third of all government-backed student loans is made directly by the government; private lenders make the rest. Under the new legislation, all government-backed student loans will be direct loans.

The CBO estimates that the change will reduce government spending by $68 billion over 11 years. The savings will be used to increase funding for Pell Grants, invest money for community colleges and reduce the deficit. The law also makes it easier to repay loans, reducing the cap on repayments from 15 percent of workers’ income to 10 percent.

Conservatives have sought to portray the change as a government takeover, but it is unclear what a government takeover of an established government program really means.

Private business operations are often thought to be more efficient than the government, however in the case of student loans, the government has been shown to be more efficient. A 2005 report by the GAO found that subsidized loans by private lenders cost the government $9.20 for every $100 in loans, while the direct loans cost the government only $1.20 per every hundred.

Again speaking to Fox News, Graham said that as a result of the new law, “the average student will be spending $1,700 to $1,800 more during the life of [his or her] loan.” This is false: the reported dollars are based on the difference between current interest rates and those proposed by Graham’s colleague, Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN).

In reality, students will pay exactly the same rate under the new plan: 6.8 percent. Parents and graduate students who receive PLUS loans, which require a credit check and can be used to cover the entire cost of education, will see their rates lowered from 8.5 to 7.9 percent.

The republicans’ best argument against direct lending is that it will result in job losses. Alexander, one of the most outspoken critics of the plan, has repeatedly claimed that the change will put 31,000 Americans out of work.

Factcheck.org found the claim to be an exaggeration and cites an independent industry analyst that predicts the net loss will be less than 5,000 jobs. Alexander’s number is based on the assumption that every person who currently works in the industry will lose his or her job. Private companies that provided student loans will only lose part of their business: they will still service all student loans.

Sallie Mae, the largest private lender of student loans, states it may have to lay off a third of its 8,500 employees. Yet the lender also announced that they would bring thousands of jobs back to the United States from overseas to service the federal loans. Even if overstated, the potential for job losses is not welcome news given current economic conditions. However, the student loan program does not exist to provide jobs for banks.

Spending $68 billion to save 5,000 jobs is an incredible amount of money, especially when compared to the results of the money spent from the stimulus package. Mike Pickett, CEO of Onvia, a firm that tracks government contract spending, estimated “roughly $68 billion have actually reached contractors and subcontractors,” in his February interview with CNN about the stimulus package. “We estimate this has delivered . . . or saved about 500,000 jobs.”

Making the switch to direct loans will hurt banks that profited from government subsidies. But contrary to republican talking points, this change will benefit both students and taxpayers.

This is not just about taking money away from banks and giving it to students. It is about ending an unnecessary and wasteful subsidy to lenders, and helping the student recipients for whom the program was created.

Sean Joyce,  Stylus Correspondent

Got Money?

Grasshopper, one day, you too will be a master.

So...which fork do I use again?

Over 80 alumni, faculty and students attended the Arlington Campus Graduate and Professional Etiquette Dinner on March 26. The three-hour event organized by University Life involved business etiquette and protocol trainers Nancy R. Mitchell and Lawrence P. Dunham from Protocol Partners.

Based in Washington, D.C., the company’s services include protocol, cross-cultural and etiquette education; management and staffing of distinguished visitor programs, ceremonies and events; confidential protocol advice and counsel and protocol resources.

Part one of the evening was a reception, during which Mitchell and Dunham gave tips and tricks for networking and moving around a reception in order to meet new people. Tips included consciously separating yourself from any colleague accompanying you.

At the end of the reception, the hosts of 12 tables were announced and each person had to “network [his or her] way to a table.” Each table had a Mason administrator or school alumnus as the host with seating for six guests.

During the two-hour dinner, the trainers provided extensive guidance on place settings and dining etiquette for business meals. Mitchell and Dunham circulated during the dinner with microphones and answered questions about proper dining protocol.  For example, they explained the differences between the American, or “zigzag,” method of eating, and the European or Continental style.

American etiquette begins with the fork in the left hand. After a piece of meat or other food is cut, the knife is placed down on the plate and the fork switched to the right hand before the food is eaten. Afterwards, the fork goes back to your left hand. In the Continental style, considered more efficient by the hosts, the fork always remains in your left hand while resting, cutting or eating, and the knife remains in your right hand to push food or while at rest.

The event allowed attendees to learn and polish their dining etiquette in order to focus less on food and more on getting to know people, networking and being sociable.  Still, it was apparent that Mitchell and Dunham did want people to enjoy themselves. In addition to teaching etiquette, their message was that when one is genuine and relaxed, one can be more effective at networking and building relationships with newfound colleagues.

Silvia Villacampa, Stylus Correspondent

Lawrence (Larry) Dunham, associate, Protocol Partners; Lori Cohen, Ph.D., director, Campus Relations & University Life (Arlington Campus); Nancy R. Mitchell, co-Owner and founding partner, Protocol Partners Photo by Silvia Villacampa