February 2010 Insight Magazine

[The UniversiTy of nevada, reno’s sTUdenT MaGaZine]

U N R I N S I G H T. C O M

INSIGHT

FEBRUARY 2010 VolUmE 2 • ISSUE 4

$ Health Insurance

$ Student vs. Worker

The student health Center and Unr health insurance

a student with two jobs pays her way through college

$ Graduating this may?you’re not the only nervous one here

COLLEGE E X P E N S E S

PHOTO BY COURTNEY SPANGLER

ContentsFEBRUARY 2010

4 | LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

5 | BEHIND [INSIGHT]

6 | PACK PROFILE

8 | COLLEGE ON CREDIT

10 | FREE TO TEACH

2 | Ins ight | February 2010

STUDENT vS wORKER | 14

A SICKENING SACRIFICE | 16

A CHILD SAvED | 22REFLECTION ON GRADUATION | 26

IN HINDSIGHT | 30

2010 February | unrinsight.com | 3


Interim Editor-in-ChiefKaTie [email protected]

Head Photo EditorseBasTian diaZ

[email protected]

WebmasterdereK Jordan

[email protected]

Multimedia EditorJessiCa esTePa

[email protected]

Contributors: Nicole da Roza, Sara Kam, Matt Buccambuso,

Stephanie Horowitz, Cody Liska

The opinions expressed in this publication and its associated Web site are not necessarily those of the University of nevada, reno or the student body. www.unrinsight.com

[THe UNIveRSITy Of Nevada, ReNO’S STUdeNT MaGazINe]

Story EditorsaM disaLvo

[email protected]

Design Editor Geoff roseBoroUGh

[email protected]

LETTER { } EDITORFROM THE

Katie Goodwin Interim Editor-in-Chief

Transition —I hate it. I hate that “in-flux” period where nothing makes sense. Originally, this issue was about “paying your

way.” But I think that in the process of preparing this issue for publication, the theme became more about change, transition and adaptation. The people featured in this issue of Insight inspire me to accept transition.

Everyone’s obstacles vary in degree of severity. Cody Liska’s story, “A Child Saved,” reveals a life many of us don’t want to understand. Homelessness is something we see every day and while we are empathetic, the problem persists. It is a world of constant peril, uncertainty and suffering but just as J.J. shows us, there is hope.

For others, obstacles are not as dire but they still matter nonetheless. Making the decision to pay for school and living expenses with the use of loans is tough. Nothing brings the future more into consideration than planning to pay for today’s life with money you have yet to earn. Nicole da Roza and Sara Kam’s story, “College on Credit,” explores the benefits and definite consequences of a post-graduation world paying off the previous four, or five or even six years.

Jessica Estepa’s story of anticipated graduation reveals the fear and excitement of leaving the safety net of college. Whether she ends up in Orlando working at the Harry Potter theme park or copy editing into the wee hours of the night for a large news conglomerate, we do not know. But really, who knows what the future holds?

COvER PHOTO BY SEBASTIAN DIAZ.

Assistant Photo EditorCoUrTney sPanGLer

[email protected]

Advertising CoordinatorBrooKe BarLoW

[email protected]

U N R I N S I G H T . C O M

Assistant Multimedia EditorMiChaeL [email protected]

Online Managing EditorJessiCa [email protected]

PHOTO BY MATT BUCCAMBUSO

BEHIND [insight]

Head photo editor, SEBASTIAN DIAZ, sets the stage for the February cover photo.



PACK PROFILE

Rodel MaulitAge: 21Major: Community health sciences, Pre-med

Why did you decide to attend UNR?I wanted to attend UNR for the seasonal changes and for their medical program.

Why did you choose to major in community health sciences?The medical world became so fascinating to me in high school when I was recovering from my ankle fracture. I realized how much a medical professional can change lives. I ultimately want to become a surgeon. As of now, I’m looking into orthopedic surgery.

How are you funding your education?For the past two years I was blessed with grants and scholarships, which paid for everything. Unfortunately, I had to take out a loan for this spring semester. What has your brotherhood done for you?In the past semesters, I’ve been very fortunate to be part of such an intelligent fraternity. A fraternity brother named Tommy Cox tutored me for one whole semester so I was able to pass Chemistry 121 and 122. Besides their help in academics, having brothers is great, especially knowing that they are there for you no matter what. When did you become interested in cheerleading and what is the most rewarding thing about belonging to the squad?In junior year of high school, I was really determined to learn how to do back flips. So I started practicing with the cheerleaders. I learned how to flip in a day and they decided to ask me to be part of their squad. Cheerleading has kept me focused in school. Being part of a family like the UNR cheer squad was very comforting especially in my first few years in the University. What interests do you have outside of school? I love playing volleyball and wherever there’s water and sand, I am there. Where do you see yourself in 10 years?In 10 years, I am hoping to be finishing up my residency at a large hospital. What’s one random fact about you?I’m from Hawaii, but I’ve only gone surfing once. If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?I’d travel to Australia to see dolphins, and Czech Republic because its cool.

Best Reno hangout?Well I’m not from Reno but bowling is always fun. For the people who are more daring, there are gymnastic places here for you to learn back flips. And the beer crawls are always fun.

Rodel Maulit is a junior at the University of Nevada, Reno. Originally from the Philippines, he and his family moved to the Hawaiin island of Maui when he was 10 years old. He is a member of the Nevada cheer squad, Phi Delta Theta and the Hawaii Club.

{

INTERVIEW BY SARA KAMPHOTOS BY SEBASTIAN DIAZ

Learn more about RODEL MAULIT at WWW.UNRINSIGHT.COM

RODEL MAULIT flips backward, one of his many stunts for the Nevada cheer squad.



ON

CREDIT

They are all expenses that stu-dents pay for with govern-ment funded student loans. For a lot of students, start-

ing college is paired with a craving for independence and not having to rely on daddy’s wallet. However, living on their own and going to school, on top of hit-ting up the Little Waldorf Saloon every Thursday night, becomes expensive. Yes, the drinks happen to be only a dollar, but thankfully for the owners of the Wal, this means everyone drinks twice as much. In the end, the money still adds up and stu-dents struggle to keep their heads above water.

This trend earned some national atten-tion when a little more than a year ago, tabloids hit the stands about Nadya Sule-man, a woman carrying eight babies she conceived through artificial insemination. Eventually the media deemed Suleman the more comical, memorable name of “Octomom” as her infamous pregnancy got coverage from throughout the na-tion. Despite the already unusual circum-

stances, Suleman’s situation became more scandalous when she stated to NBC News during an interview that she intends to pay for the octuplets care, and that of her six other children, with student loans. To many Americans, Suleman’s use of loans is an abuse of government money. They began to note the mentality behind this borrowing system. The questions were endlessly asked, how many young people do this? Are students just paying rent, or are they buying the latest gadgets? Why should taxes help students fund a kegger?

But here’s the real question: is it legal to use these loans for living expenses?

According to StaffordLoan.com, loans can be put towards the “total” cost of edu-cation like tuition, room and board, books and other expenses related to education. Without a clear definition, one could in-terpret room and board to mean rent for their upscale condo or to justify buying a laptop as an educational expense. The apparent “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy re-garding student loans does not necessarily offer any consequences for those who are

using the money for groceries, bills and so forth. As mentioned before, the inter-est rate, which is fixed at 6.8 percent for graduate students and 6 percent for un-dergraduates, adds up to a lot of money while the student is still in school.

When college students graduate and enter the “real world,” sticky money situa-tions can follow them for the rest of their lives. This happened to Theron Flavin, of-fice manager of Parking and Transporta-tion Services at the University of Nevada, Reno. Originally from Alaska, the now 35 year old began college in 1993. His tuition was covered by scholarships, but being enrolled full time left him with little time for a job. For his everyday living ex-penses, Flavin turned to student loans. He took out about $5,500 every year except for his last, when he requested $8,500. The loans paid for his books, bills, trans-portation, meal plans, his dorm room and occasionally helped to fix up a beat up car or cover a round of drinks for his bud-dies.

Life was good for Flavin—or so he

College tuition. Plastic surgery.

artificial insemination. Groceries.

Cell phone bills.

What do all of these things have in common?

WORDS BY NICOLE DA ROZA & SARA KAMPHOTO BY GEOFF ROSEBOROUGH


thought. Instead of the college appe-tite for Cup Noodles and macaroni and cheese, he ate at steakhouses for dinner.

“A student’s idea of what they need is different than an adult’s idea of what they need,” Flavin says.

In the end, Flavin regrets living the high life using student loans. To this day, he is still making payments on them plus the interest.

“Money is accruing interest while the students are still in school, they don’t real-ize that,” he says.

Flavin is currently making monthly payments of $278.01, and will continue for many years. His advice for students who are considering taking out a loan or are new to the system is: “Student loans aren’t free money. Be realistic about how much money you need to go to school with… but don’t feel guilty about request-ing what you need.”

Anita Daphnis, financial aid adviser for UNR, believes that a work ethic is all a student needs when it comes to afford-ing college. Although Daphnis took out

about $8,000 in student loans when she was in college, she only requested what she needed for tuition and worked two jobs to keep afloat.

“You have your wants and your needs,” Daphnis says. “The latest fashion trends are not a necessity.”

Only about a year ago, taking effect on July 1, 2008, the government imple-mented a new plan allowing the Federal Stafford Loan program to increase the amount borrowed by about $2,000. Each year, full-time undergraduates can receive at least $5,500, while juniors and seniors can increase their borrowing limit to as much as $7,500. Also, students who are declared independents from their parents or are 24 years old or older, can borrow at least $6,000 additionally. The federal gov-ernment recognizes that students can eas-ily borrow more than is realized, and thus the Department of Education continually works on bettering loan programs. The goal is for students to better understand the terms and consequences of debt. This is partially achieved by mandating that

any student who has taken out a loan for education must complete some form of entrance counseling. In most cases at UNR, this is done online at EdFund.org.

During the 2008-2009 school year, lenders distributed about $17 billion in private loans according to the College Board. This represents a 592% increase from ten years ago. During the 2008-2009 school year, 4,511 loans were received by students at UNR. During the fall 2009 semester alone, 4,615 loans were given out, surpassing last year’s amount during the first three months. It is estimated that 60 percent of bachelor degree recipients have borrowed money to pay for their education. Additionally, the average debt of a borrower increased from $19,300 to $22,700 between 2001 and 2006.

Flavin’s predicament is not unusual— many parents are unable to fund a college education. He reminds students, “Be real-istic about how much money you need to go to school with.” In translation, only hit up the Waldorf Saloon on dollar nights.

WORDS BY KATIE GOODWINPHOTOS BY COURTNEY SPANGLER



When students arrive in Nancy Horvath’s office, they often have an idea of what it is they want to

teach. Horvath, coordinator of the Student Advisement Center for the College of Education, listens as the undergrads list social studies, English and history as the most desirable subjects. Horvath has a list of her own, though. Math, science, reading specialist, foreign language and special education are all in high demand for quality trained educators, and teaching one of these subjects has many benefits of its own beyond the already rewarding career of teaching. A person willing and skilled in these subjects has a job after graduation from university because school districts always need these teachers.

While having a job after graduation satiates the thirst of any student, something just as appetizing is available to education majors—a federal grant of up to $4,000 per year of school. Established in 2007 and implemented in spring 2009 at the University of Nevada, Reno, the Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant gives students a maximum of $16,000 for their undergraduate degree

and a maximum of $8,000 for a graduate degree. As wonderful as this grant sounds, it might not be for everyone.

One of the terms of the TEACH grant is that the recipient must teach for four years at a low-income school. Another term is that the recipient must teach in a high-need field, those that Horvath encourages students to consider specializing in. If these conditions are not met, the entirety of the grant converts to a unsubsidized Federal Stafford Loan, and interest is charged from the date of

disbursement. “Four years

is a long c o m m i t m e n t , but you also have eight years to do

it,” Horvath says.This grant is

unlike anything else the federal government offers to students besides the atypical terms of post-graduation work. It is the only grant that is awarded regardless

of financial need. While a potential recipient still must fill out the FAFSA (Free Application of Federal Student Aid) in order to receive it, the only question that really matters is No. 281, which asks of a student’s interest.

Barbara Hall-Bellows, a financial aid officer at UNR, administers the grant. She

says that because it is so newly formed, the grant was only awarded twice during the 2008-2009 school year. It is gaining in popularity, however, with 11 students receiving the grant for the 2009-2010 year. Hall-Bellows encountered students who originally were interested in the grant, but upon learning of its terms, declined pursuing it.

“At this point in their education process, they were not fully committed to the conditions to serve,” Hall-Bellows says. Horvath sees this regularly while advising students. She says that they often are uncomfortable with the subjects that are in high demand. While she finds this understandable, she also finds the lack of willingness to get out of the comfort zone of English and history as destructive to a student’s own education.

Horvath recounts the story of one student who wanted to teach science despite her substandard math skills. The student spent the time overcoming her shortage of skills so she could be a successful science teacher. Horvath laments that this is not the case more often.

The College of Education requires that every student be well-rounded in the various subjects, especially if the

student is an elementary education major. Every student must take at least one introductory class in special education. Horvath says that at some point, every teacher will work with a special needs student and the skills gained in a special

Free to TEACHWORDS BY KATIE GOODWIN

PHOTOS BY COURTNEY SPANGLER

The TEACH grant is beneficial in many aspects. It ensures that students will learn from highly-trained teachers, it helps alleviate the cost of education, and, on a national level, the pool of teachers becomes more able and diverse.

{


education class prepare the future teachers for the different situations they might face. Sometimes, students take a special education class and find that it is completely different than they expected and choose to specialize in it.

Horvath encourages students to accept the grant if they meet the basic qualifications, such as a having 3.25 GPA and are accepted already to the College of Education. She says that the TEACH grant is beneficial in many aspects. It ensures that students will learn from highly-trained teachers, it helps alleviate the cost of education and, on a national level, the pool of teachers

$4,000 per year

OR

4 yearsTE

AC

H G

ran

t

becomes more able and diverse.Cathy Poe, a graduate student at UNR,

realized the grant was a perfect fit for her one day while reading about financial aid options on the UNR financial aid Web site. Poe is pursuing her master’s degree in special education and plans to graduate this spring. Her only qualm about accepting the grant was the requirement to teach at a low income school.

“Four to five years post-graduation is quite a commitment as people’s circumstances and lives can change,” Poe

says. “That was the requirement that I really had to think hard about.”

Poe is currently a special education teacher and case manager at Vaughn Middle School in Reno, one of the eight area middle schools that would qualify as a low income school. Washoe County currently has 54 schools that are low-income, including four high schools and many elementary schools. Before accepting the TEACH grant, she was paying all education expenses out of pocket.

“Since I’m a graduate student, class

tuition can run close to $800 each and then add in the cost of books and various fees,” says Poe. “It is quite a financial commitment.”

Although Poe’s tuition is more expensive than that of an undergraduate student, the reality of paying for an education is an issue that students deal with throughout their college experience. At a university where the average cost of attendance per year for a Nevada resident is about $6,500, a grant of $4,000 can go a long way.

CATHY POE is a special education teacher at Vaughn Middle School. She funded a portion of her master’s degree with the TEACH grant.



Gant currently takes 15 credits at the University of Nevada, Reno. She works part-time for the City of Reno’s before

and after school childcare program, Sierra Kids, of which she is the site supervisor at Virginia Palmer Elementary School. For some kids, she is the first person they will see in the morning before school and the last person they’ll see before going home. Gant acts as the children’s primary care giver for six combined hours every morning and every eve-ning. She listens to their stories, puts their drawings on the snack fridge and helps provide them a safe place to be beyond an unsupervised home with a TV.

When Gant isn’t working at the Sierra Kids program, she works at the UNR Seismological Laboratory, where she labels seismic waves with-in the state.

Juggling two jobs and a full time class schedule has been difficult, but Gant stays optimistic and proud of her accomplishments.

“I think that I would work even if I didn’t need to,” Gant says. “I

love my job, I love the impact I make, and I honestly don’t know what I would do all day [without work]. I am thankful that my parents don’t support me at 20 years old because then they probably would never stop.”

Working for the City of Reno, Gant works very closely with children ages 5 to 12, which means a lot of rough mornings,

a lot of tears and a lot of sack lunches for both the kids and Gant.

“Dealing with kids is unpredictable and inconsistent,” Gant says. “However, I find that I am always planning for work and brainstorming this and that for the kids to do.”

Gant hopes to ultimately work with chil-dren and she says working with Sierra Kids

Brianne Gant, a 20-year-old elementary education major, knew that paying her way through school wouldn’t be easy. Tuition, rent checks and insurance bills piling up made it quite clear that the days of mom packing a brown bag lunch

and being sent off to school were definitely over. She worked throughout high school, which gave Gant a head start as far as résumés and supervisors were concerned, but maintaining a high GPA while holding two jobs and paying a university tab was a whole new battlefield.

S T U D E N Tvs.w O R K E RWORDS BY STEPHANIE HOROWITZ

PHOTOS BY MATT BUCCAMBUSO

BRIANNE GANT works at the UNR Seismological Laboratory recording seismic waves in Nevada.


gives her invaluable experience she hopes to carry with her to her future career in education.

Balancing work and school is really only half the battle. Part of what makes working two jobs and attending college so stressful is the constant com-mute between the two. A typical day for Gant starts out with breakfast be-fore heading in at 6:45 a.m. for the morning shift at Sierra Kids, which she works until 9 a.m. After her shift, she changes out of her uniform at work and heads to her first class of the day. Once classes are over, she goes to her next job at the seismology lab, leav-ing enough time for some studying in the library or finishing up some homework. Gant, however, is relatively comfortable with being exhausted. In fact, she almost celebrates it.

“Whether it is work or school, I com-pletely pack my schedule with respon-sibility,” Gant says. “It keeps me on my toes, and I [still manage] to maintain a 3.6 GPA.”

Her seamless ease dealing with this indubitable juggling act may be attrib-

uted to growing up in an environment in which working wasn’t a choice, but a requirement.

“I think that my mom working two jobs, being a student, and a single mother made me view work differently than most

people, and also made me realize I don’t want to be like my mom and wait 10 years after high school to go back to college,” Gant says.

While she is definitely work-ing more hours than some of her fellow students, Gant is not alone as a student in the workforce. With

tuition steadily increasing year after year, the number of college students who work while in school has increased by nearly 57 percent since the year 2000, according to a study done by the College at Brockport in New York. Not only are students more likely to work while in school today, but they are more likely to work full time. The share of students working full time while also going to school full time has nearly doubled, increasing from 5.6 percent in 1985 to 10.4 percent in 2000. Stu-dents have listed one of two reasons for continuing to work during school. One

group identified themselves as “workers” who are merely attending university and declaring working at their job as their first priority, while the second group identi-fied themselves as “students who work,” working only to pay the bills and consid-ering school their first priority. Gant de-scribes herself as a “student who works.” Ultimately, her education is her biggest priority.

For most students, the hard part about working full time while in school tends to fall mostly on the “being in school” part. The 2005 study from the College at Brock-port shows a rough 10 percent point dif-ferential in graduation rates between full time and part time workers. Twenty-five percent of students who work full time are more likely to drop out of school than students who do not work full time. These statistics present an interesting Catch-22, since most employers prefer to hire people from a higher academic institution, yet also desire job experience.

Gant is one example of a student who would prefer to take on some extra jobs in order to avoid debt and interest rates later. While work experience is a great ré-sumé booster, many employers still value an education over work experience. Work hard, play harder and hopefully some of those rough mornings will pay off.

With tuition steadily in-creasing year after year, the number of college students who work while in school has increased by nearly 57 percent since the year 2000, ac-cording to a study done by the College at Brock-port in New York.

{Learn more about BRIANNE GANT

at WWW.UNRINSIGHT.COM


AS ICKEN ING

SACRIFICE

Many students cannot afford medical care,but is this something students can really

bear to forfeit?

WORDS BY SAM DISALVOPHOTOS BY SEBASTIAN DIAZ



According to Aetna Health Care, people between the ages of 18 and 24 are the most uninsured group in America.

Many students sacrifice health care for tu-ition costs, living expenses and other bills. Unfortunately, accidents can lead to seri-ous injury, leaving students with an even larger tab than paying for health insur-ance in the first place.

This was especially true for Casey O’Lear, who recalls not having been to the doctor since she was 8 years old. The 19-year-old English major is without health insurance, so visiting the doctor was seldom unless it was deemed abso-lutely necessary.

“I’m generally of the opinion that I will be able to tough it out eventually,” O’Lear says.

In May of 2009, however, O’Lear found herself in extreme throat pain and symp-toms she had never experienced before. After taking extra strength medicine with no results, O’Lear visited the University of Nevada, Reno health center.

The UNR Student Health Center, lo-cated on the north end of campus off 17th Street in the Redfield building, pro-vides free visits and some minor surgery. Each member of the staff is a licensed professional who has gone through medical school and residency training. Although medical students do see pa-tients at the health center, a staff phy-sician will always be accompanying them in such cases. The health center has a facility which performs other ser-vices such as blood work and x-rays for a discounted rate. O’Lear had acute tonsillitis, a viral infec-tion, so a tonsillectomy was not required. Had it been needed, the doctor at the health center would have written a refer-ral for a local doctor who could perform the surgery, as well as done a follow up with the student to make sure the proce-

dure had gone smoothly.“We have a great relationship with

community physicians,” says Cheryl Hug-English, the UNR health center medical director. “We really appreciate the help and support.”

The student health center is funded completely by UNR students. Any stu-dent enrolled in six credits or more pays a fee of $79 per semester. Students enrolled in less credits can still pay the $79 in ad-dition to a five dollar copay per visit. The $79 fee entitles patients to free doctor vis-its, family planning resources, nutrition counseling, some allergy shots and im-munizations, cryogenic surgery for warts, women’s health services and online men-tal wellness screenings.

“I was really glad I had that option be-cause I would not have been able to go see

my regular doc-tor,” says O’Lear. “[At my regular doctor] it would have been $100 just to go in and be examined.”

The health cen-ter also has a phar-macy attached where students can get their pre-scriptions filled immediately after an appointment,

or medicine needed after surgery. All commonly prescribed antibiotics, such as amoxicillin or erythromycin, cough syrups, decongestants and painkillers are seven dollars, but since it is a university facility, the prices for specialty prescrip-tions are competitive with that of local pharmacies.

“The campus pharmacy can sometimes get contract prices because we are af-filiated with campus,” Hug-English says. “[Aside from that] we completely rely on the student health fee. We have no state or university support. We have to be fis-cally responsible and manage money well to provide the highest quality of care.”

O’Lear agrees that the service was com-parable to her family physician and the center had a very professional environ-ment. She says there were even advantages over her family physician.

“You can walk in and they will take you,” O’Lear says. “With the regular doc-tor, you have to make an appointment far in advance. You can even make an ap-pointment a little after their regular hours and they will take you pretty promptly.”

O’Lear believes the health center to be a very valuable resource to students with-out insurance.

“Since I first went there, I have gone back another time,” O’Lear says. “It’s nice to have the option of going and knowing you’re going to feel better as opposed to laying around and hoping you will feel better.”

Hug-English says, although the student health center is a useful amenity, students should not rule out purchas-

ing health insurance.“A huge group of students do not think

they need health insurance because they’re young and healthy,” Hug-English says. “Unfortunately, you never know what’s around the corner.”

A supplemental student health insur-ance plan for students enrolled in nine credits or more is available through Aetna Student Health from UNR for $2,039 a

“You can walk in and they will take you,” O’Lear says. “With the regular doctor, you have to make an appointment far in advance. You can even make an appointment a little after their regular hours and they

will take you pretty promptly.”

{$79 per semester

Student Health Center

$2,039 per year

Aetna Student Health Insurance

$877 for fall $776 for springor or


year, or $877 for solely the fall semester and $776 for the spring semester.

“Once they leave our facility, we have no control over the pricing,” Hug-English says. “Supplementary health insurance helps them with those procedures outside of the health center.”

The health insurance plan coverage var-ies depending on the standing of the stu-dent. If the student is an undergraduate, the plan is more expensive versus if the student is a graduate or international stu-dent. For an undergraduate student, the plan will cover up to $100,000 a year in medical expenses with a $300 deductible, meaning any serious medical procedure center exceeding this deductible amount will be covered by Aetna. The deductible is completely waived at the student health center. When using the preferred care pro-viders under this health insurance plan, 80 percent of the negotiated charge of se-rious medical procedures such as chemo-therapy, radiation and joint dysfunction will be covered, while only 60 percent of the negotiated charge will be covered un-der a non-preferred care provider.

This plan still requires the student to pay certain copays under certain circum-stances. Emergency room visits require a $100 copay and urgent care visits require a $50 copay. Generic prescription drugs are 100 percent covered beyond a $10 co-pay, while brand name prescription drugs require a $20 copay before being fully covered.

Insurance broker Elizabeth Griffin says the $100,000 aggregate per policy year maximum on this particular group plan concerns her. Being that it is a group plan, it can be more pricy because it’s guaran-teed issue to anyone that applies, however, its aggregate maximum is relatively low in comparison to individual plans.

“Most individual plans don’t base [ag-gregate maximums] per policy year,” Grif-fin says. “They put a lifetime maximum between two and five million dollars. If a student gets a severe injury, in a terri-ble accident, organ failure or cancer, you would blow through $100,000 easy.”

Griffin realizes the plan is geared toward mostly healthy, college-aged students, but, like Hug-English, points out that

other factors can play a part in a student’s health other than age.

“[UNR’s insurance plan] could pose a problem to anyone with adverse risk be-havior in the event of serious injuries,” Griffin says. “However, three million dol-lars does not. You should always look at an insurance policy, not to take care of every little sniffle and sneeze, but for cata-strophic coverage.”

Aside from the lifetime maximum indi-

vidual plans offer, they often cost less per month than the insurance plan offered through UNR, which the cost equals $169.92 per month. For a healthy 21-year-old male, UnitedHealthOne offers an in-dividual plan with a $500 deductible for $125.99 per month. This plan has a $3 million lifetime maximum. Several other individual plans had comparable cover-age. Griffin says the plan UNR offers is not a bad option for students, but some

CASEY O’LEAR benefited from the services available at the Student Health Center when she developed tonsillitis


consideration to individual plans may pay off in the event of significant injury.

“We know [serious health conditions] don’t happen with younger people, how-ever genetics play a part,” Griffin says. “Severe head injuries could put someone in the ICU or even life support.”

Between deciding what degree of illness warrants a visit to the doctor and shopping around for health insurance options, stu-dents are burdened by the cost of medical care. Healthcare reform is currently being met with opposition and questioning due to the possibility of heightened taxes and cuts to medical facilities. Conversely, the bill President Obama is proposing would provide health insurance to 518,000 un-insured Nevadans. Most college students who are insured are covered by their par-ents’ insurance, which usually drops them between the ages of 19 and 22. Under the proposed healthcare bill, the overall de-pendent age would be raised from 22 to 26 in every state, allowing more college-aged students and graduates to be covered for longer. This includes basic preventa-

tive care, coverage for someone with a pre-exisiting condition, or someone who develops a sudden, serious illness. Those opposed to the bill would say this is cut-ting necessary funding from facilities and creating high taxes, but those in support say health care should be a guarantee rath-er than a choice.

“Higher taxes are irrelevant here,” says English major Sterling Hall, 18. “Even in a down economy, life is more important than capital. Living is a primary right for all people; it comes before everything.”

Other college students agree they are definitely a demographic in need of healthcare assistance.

“I think that, with as much emphasis on undergrad and graduate degrees in

the job market now, the added coverage will help students,” says computer science major Evan Grill, 25. “The students that I know that aren’t being supported by parents are living well below the poverty line and could never afford health care on their own.”

When asked if Hug-English believed a cut in funding was inevitable for the UNR health center, she remained opti-mistic and hopeful for such a plan.

“It won’t affect the health center per say,” Hug-English says. “We like it when students have health insurance coverage. If they need extra service or specialty care, it’s going to be more available to them and affordable. I think that’s a good thing.”

Hall agrees that more students having access to healthcare is certainly a plus.

“Anything the government can do to spread this health to others is a job well done.”

“Even in a down economy, life is more important than capital. Living is a primary

right for all people; it comes before everything.”

{

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See what students think of the Student Health Center at

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In order to progress as individuals, people must build on their past. For the average person, this idea of recollection might be reserved for nostalgic mem-ories of yesteryear, like a first kiss or a family vacation, not the first time you had to sleep outside because you were homeless. Or the time you had to de-

fend your mom against your dad with a baseball bat. Seventeen years ago, this was J.J.’s reality.

A CHILD SAvEDWORDS BY CODY LISKAPHOTOS BY SEBASTIAN DIAZ AND CODY LISKA


JJ.J. grew up in a hostile environment—most kids in his position do—so domes-tic violence wasn’t anything new. Seeing mom and dad slap each other around was just something that happened, like snow blowing off the peak of a mountain or a cat scurrying across the street. It was a weekly, if not daily, occurrence. So was seeing his parents carry out some conniv-ing scheme, one of which involved creat-ing a car accident in hopes of acquiring money. On one occasion, his dad’s luck was twofold. He left the twisted, rigid, metal of the wreckage unscathed. His re-ward for doing so was about $2,500, paid for by the unwitting recipient of the con. The money didn’t last long though. It was soon squandered away on drugs. This was all too common for J.J. His parents had an affinity for half-baked schemes. They were dreamers with an addiction—an ad-diction that had the final say in all mat-ters.

Every now and then, J.J.’s parents would have a period of clarity, during which they functioned as loving, affectionate caregiv-ers. They went shopping. They bought J.J. clothes. They acted as a family. For a time, his parents even lived in a house off Uni-

versity Terrace. A tax return had granted them this umpteenth chance to right their wrongs. Just like all their other living situ-ations, this one held the promise of a family. But just as everything started to come together, everything fell apart. Their best intentions were soon obscured by a thick cloud of drug dependency and before J.J. knew it, his parents were off on another wild goose chase. At a glance, the pursuit promised all the same misfortunes of past pursuits. How-ever, this time it was different. This time J.J. would be presented with a relation-ship that would act as a ray of hope in his otherwise gloomy life.

The afternoon sun beams through the slits in the blinds, exposing the interior of the room. For all intents and purposes, the room is a classroom. In fact, it is the only classroom in the building. Some days this

classroom is filled with Children In Tran-sition (CIT), or homeless students. Today the room is empty, save for a Homeless Liaison for the Washoe County School

District, Gloria Bra-tiotis.

“Right now there are people on the street that had a job yesterday,” Bratiotis says. “We’re all vul-nerable of becoming homeless.”

Bratiotis is in the process of packing up her office. In the com-ing days, the CIT di-vision will be spread out across the county.

Some will be transferred to different of-fices, while others will be transferred to schools within the district. The move doesn’t bother Bratiotis, since the build-ing is relatively new to her. She has only been working in the office building on 535 Plumb Lane for the past four years. However, she has worked as a homeless liaison for the better part of 14 years.

It’s 5:00 p.m. on a Mon-day. The dusky evening light accentuates a seem-ingly endless crowd of bodies. It’s almost dinner time on Record Street and nobody seems to no-tice the crisp, frigid air.



IIt’s 5 p.m. on a Monday. The dusky evening light accentuates a seemingly endless crowd of bodies. It’s almost dinner time on Record Street and no-body seems to notice the crisp, frigid air. At times, the ambience is not un-like the atmosphere of a school—men and women mingling and chitchatting back and forth about their day. How-ever, it doesn’t take long to realize that this is no place for a child. On the far side of the nearby train tracks, two sil-houetted figures start to argue about the placement of a sleeping bag.

“Get out of here,” a weathered voice yells, but just as the altercation begins to escalate, something more impor-tant catches people’s attention. Roll call. Anyone wishing to receive a meal must first put their name on a list. At 5:30 p.m., this list is read. The conversion from a buzzing crowd to a stifled line is uncanny.

“They get pretty quiet when you start reading the rules and calling out names,” says Scott Wallace, who mans the front desk at the Reno-Sparks Gospel Mis-sion. “They don’t wanna miss out on a hot meal.”

After dinner, the crowd is re-assembled and louder than be-fore. The most noticeable differ-ence now is the elevated hostility. A good portion of the crowd appears to be on the same wavelength as the aggravated, weathered voice heard before roll call.

“This is not where you want to end up,” Bratiotis says.

Suffice it to say, this is what Bratiotis helped J.J. avoid.

By the time J.J. met Bratiotis, he was working a retail job. He had no perma-nent residence, was struggling in school and barely making enough money to sus-tain what little needs he had.

“When I first met J.J., he was couch surfing, working and trying to finish high

school,” Bratiotis says. “I told him I could help.”

Bratiotis offered her home as a place to live. While a bed replaced the couches J.J. had previously been occupying, Bratiotis assumed the role of something he had

been deprived of his whole life: a respon-sible role model. It didn’t take long for him to adjust to his new suburban life. After all, it was easier than the one he had spent in poverty. Dinner was always served and, most im-portantly, there was a roof over his head. This time, it was per-manent.

The arrangement offered J.J. a chance to “see how the other half lives,” as Brati-otis puts it. This turned out to be one of the reasons why it was so difficult for him to spend time with his parents.

“Every time he visited his parents, he would strip in the garage and wash his clothes,” Bratiotis said. “He couldn’t stand the smell.”

Ten years ago, J.J. made an effort to avoid a life in homelessness. When he left Bratiotis’s home, he joined the Air Force Reserves. After the Reserves, he got his personal pilot’s license— something that

seemed impossible all those years ago. “When he lived with me, every once in

a while, he would make a face,” Bratiotis says. “It was like he couldn’t believe he made it this far. He made that face on his wedding day.”

The dimming light showing through the blinds reveals Bratiosis’s face. The last few hours of reminiscence have left her eyes glossy and her cheeks wet. The room’s not dark, but it isn’t all that bright, either. It’s not until the overhead lights are switched on that clarity is regained. Brati-otis provides homeless juveniles with the tools needed to flip the proverbial light-switch, whether or not they use these tools is entirely up to them. J.J. is an example of a “child saved,” as Bratiotis would put it. He used the tools and not only flipped the light-switch, but he took it a step further and constructed a home.

Unfortunately, J.J. is the exception, not the rule. And just as a child can be saved, it can be lost all the same.

“There are kids out there that you can get close to, but you just can’t save,” Bra-tiotis says.

Bratiotis has found that it takes hope to save someone. The saved can’t be hope-less. Likewise, the hopeless can’t be saved. Bratiotis believes in hope and she believes that her division of the school district is making a difference in these homeless children’s lives.

While a bed replaced the couches J.J. had previously been occupying, Bratiotis as-sumed the role of something he had been deprived of his whole life: a responsible role model.

{GLORIA BRATIOTIS’ Children In Transition classroom


I click “Submit” on the university Web site, and it’s done. Eight semesters, 128 or so credits, good grades, bad decisions—it’s all come down to this

$66 application. It’s the end of my academic career and the beginning of my future.

Come May 15, I’ll be one of about 2,000 people crossing that small stage on the Quad. I’m ready to shake hands with University of Nevada President Milton Glick and my dean. I’m ready to pose for a

thousand photos with family and friends.I’m ready to be a college graduate.The origin of the word “graduate” comes from the Latin word “gradus,”

which means “step.” That’s what we’re all doing, I guess—taking those first steps into the wild unknown.

Corny, I know. But maybe a dose of corniness is needed right now.I like to pretend that it’s mostly exhilarating to be almost done with my

degree, to see that proverbial light at the end of the tunnel of papers and tests. I even consider myself lucky; after all, I’m going to have a bachelor’s degree and I won’t have any loans to repay.

But that doesn’t change the uncertainty.In the last few weeks, I’ve spoken with my bosses at work, various relatives,

even strangers. They all have the same question: “So, what’s next?I give them a rehearsed response.“Oh, I’m applying for internships right now. If I haven’t landed anything by

March, I figure I’ll start applying for full-time jobs … Yes, my lease is up in May. My parents said I’m more than welcome to move back in with them.”

Now what?One student’s perspective on her

approaching graduation


WORDS BY JESSICA ESTEPAPHOTOS BY SEBASTIAN DIAZ

It sounds so solid, doesn’t it? Kind of like I know what I’m doing.

But here’s the honest response, the one I never say out loud.

“I’m a senior. Whoa. I’m graduat-ing in May. How many months is that? *counts* Four months … And my lease is up in May. I probably won’t have a job, or even any prospects. Oh. My. God. What am I doing with my life? Oh. My. F---ing. God. What if I have to move back to Las Vegas? With my parents?”

I try to keep the nervous breakdowns to a minimum, instead envisioning a life where I earn enough money to have a roof over my head and food to eat. I ignore the realities of a lack of health insurance and more bills than I know what to do with.

The post grad plans change every day and include:

- going to graduate school (because what I really need right now is more school)

- auditioning for American Idol (though will it be any good without Simon?)

- becoming a bohemian (no day but today!)

- moving to Sweden (one word: IKEA)- working at the Harry Potter theme

park (no explanation required)I suppose uncertainty is what gradua-

tion is all about. But even if I don’t know what I’m doing, the facts won’t lie. The economy is still in recovery. The unem-ployment rate is at nearly 10 percent as of December 2009, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. My fellow graduates and I aren’t the only ones look-ing for jobs right now. We’re up against those who have been in the workforce before, those who have been laid off. The

ambiguous odds seemed stacked against us.

Of course, I’m graduating with a bachelor’s in journalism. I can wax

philosophical and go on about the im-portance of a free and unbiased press in our society, but let’s face it: my industry of choice is in turmoil.

Had you asked me four years ago what I expected to be doing when I graduated from college, I would have replied that I was going to work for a newspaper. I would have said that I knew it didn’t pay much, but it’s what I’ve wanted to do with my life for years.

I know better now. The newspapers I did my first internship at were shut down in October. Our local paper the Reno Gazette-Journal, laid off a number of people whom I worked with when I was there during the summer of 2008. More likely than not, my journalistic future isn’t going to be in newspapers.

Hence the numerous post grad plans aforementioned.

I’m not alone. After all, 80 percent of 2009 grads moved back in with their parents after completing their degrees, according to CollegeGrad.com. I can only assume that my fellow 20-some-things are trying to find jobs and figure


It sounds so solid, doesn’t it? Kind of like I know what I’m doing.

But here’s the honest response, the one I never say out loud.

“I’m a senior. Whoa. I’m graduat-ing in May. How many months is that? *counts* Four months … And my lease is up in May. I probably won’t have a job, or even any prospects. Oh. My. God. What am I doing with my life? Oh. My. F---ing. God. What if I have to move back to Las Vegas? With my parents?”

I try to keep the nervous breakdowns to a minimum, instead envisioning a life where I earn enough money to have a roof over my head and food to eat. I ignore the realities of a lack of health insurance and more bills than I know what to do with.

The post grad plans change every day and include:

- going to graduate school (because what I really need right now is more school)

- auditioning for American Idol (though will it be any good without Simon?)

- becoming a bohemian (no day but today!)

- moving to Sweden (one word: IKEA)- working at the Harry Potter theme

park (no explanation required)I suppose uncertainty is what gradua-

tion is all about. But even if I don’t know what I’m doing, the facts won’t lie. The economy is still in recovery. The unem-ployment rate is at nearly 10 percent as of December 2009, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. My fellow graduates and I aren’t the only ones look-ing for jobs right now. We’re up against those who have been in the workforce before, those who have been laid off. The

ambiguous odds seemed stacked against us.

Of course, I’m graduating with a bachelor’s in journalism. I can wax

philosophical and go on about the im-portance of a free and unbiased press in our society, but let’s face it: my industry of choice is in turmoil.

Had you asked me four years ago what I expected to be doing when I graduated from college, I would have replied that I was going to work for a newspaper. I would have said that I knew it didn’t pay much, but it’s what I’ve wanted to do with my life for years.

I know better now. The newspapers I did my first internship at were shut down in October. Our local paper, the Reno Gazette-Journal, laid off a number of people whom I worked with when I was there during the summer of 2008. More likely than not, my journalistic future isn’t going to be in newspapers.

Hence the numerous post grad plans aforementioned.

I’m not alone. After all, 80 percent of 2009 grads moved back in with their parents after completing their degrees, according to CollegeGrad.com. I can only assume that my fellow 20-some-things are trying to find jobs and figure

out their lives simultaneously.My roommate, Amy Lauder, hopes she

won’t be in that boat, but she admits that she’s in that same uncertainty bubble.

“It’s terrifying,” she says. “I will have no job, no money and no place to live.”

Rather than accept that our future hopelessness as inevitable, Amy and I like to sit around and drink coffee, daydreaming of nonexistent apartments and plans to move to a climate where it doesn’t snow very much, like Portland.

We talk about graduate school being a viable part of her future (meaning, she’s actually gone to the trouble to apply, whereas I like to think of it as a vague possibility). She’s applied to Berkeley, UW, Boston U and Penn. She has a plan

– master’s degree and down the higher education road of teaching.

“If I don’t get in, I’ll do something else,” she tells me.

But what?“I don’t know.”Ah, the three words that define my life

right now.Maybe it’ll become clearer after I’ve

donned my cap and gown. That’s what I like to believe, anyway.

An old friend of mine, Tim Taycher, says it’s not that simple. After finish-ing his degree in three and a half years, he’s moved back home to Vegas. He’s living with his parents to save on rent and working for his mother’s nonprofit organization, an opportunity for him to do tech consulting and research.

He’s looking for a job with the government, a political cam-

paign or a nonprofit. He hasn’t landed anything

yet, but that’s part of the process.

“I know that in the long term, things are going to turn out for the best,” Tim says. “But in this economy and in these tough times, I have to remain positive for about the next year or so.”

He’s right. Things always work them-selves out. Maybe not always for the best, like Tim says, but they work out.

Case in point: four years ago, I was in my senior year of high school. I’d been accepted to New York University, and hell or high water, I was going, even if it meant I would be more than $200,000 in debt by the time I graduated and even if my parents were against the idea.

Tim and I were sitting in our anatomy class, relating our future dilemmas. He was in the same boat; he’d been accepted to Manhattanville College in New York, and he couldn’t afford it, either.

That’s when we decided that we could always go to UNR. It’d save us some money, and we could always transfer later anyway.

Four years later, Tim’s a proud Wolf Pack graduate, I’m almost there, and things have worked out.

And I have faith that they will again. Despite the economy, despite the failing newspaper industry, despite the lack of health insurance and a concrete plan, things will work out.

For better or worse, they always do.


out their lives simultaneously.My roommate, Amy Lauder, hopes she

won’t be in that boat, but she admits that she’s in that same uncertainty bubble.

“It’s terrifying,” she says. “I will have no job, no money and no place to live.”

Rather than accept that our future hopelessness as inevitable, Amy and I like to sit around and drink coffee, daydreaming of nonexistent apartments and plans to move to a climate where it doesn’t snow very much, like Portland.

We talk about graduate school being a viable part of her future (meaning, she’s actually gone to the trouble to apply, whereas I like to think of it as a vague possibility). She’s applied to Berkeley, University of Washington, Boston U and

Penn. She has a plan—master’s degree and down the higher education road of teaching.

“If I don’t get in, I’ll do something else,” she tells me.

But what?“I don’t know.”Ah, the three words that define my life

right now.Maybe it’ll become clearer after I’ve

donned my cap and gown. That’s what I like to believe, anyway.

An old friend of mine, Tim Taycher, says it’s not that simple. After finish-ing his degree in three and a half years, he’s moved back home to Vegas. He’s living with his parents to save on rent and working for his mother’s nonprofit organization, an opportunity for him to

do tech consulting and research.He’s looking for a job with the government, a political

campaign or a nonprofit. He hasn’t landed any-thing yet, but that’s

part of the process.“I know that in the long term, things

are going to turn out for the best,” Tim says. “But in this economy and in these tough times, I have to remain positive for about the next year or so.”

He’s right. Things always work them-selves out. Maybe not always for the best, like Tim says, but they work out.

Case in point: four years ago, I was in my senior year of high school. I’d been accepted to New York University, and hell or high water, I was going, even if it meant I would be more than $200,000 in debt by the time I graduated and even if my parents were against the idea.

Tim and I were sitting in our anatomy class, relating our future dilemmas. He was in the same boat; he’d been accepted to Manhattanville College in New York, and he couldn’t afford it either.

That’s when we decided that we could always go to UNR. It’d save us some money, and we could always transfer later anyway.

Four years later, Tim’s a proud Wolf Pack graduate, I’m almost there, and things have worked out.

And I have faith that they will again. Despite the economy, despite the failing newspaper industry, despite the lack of health insurance and a concrete plan, things will work out.

For better or worse, they always do.

Listen to more seniors discuss graduation at

WWW.UNRINSIGHT.COM


In Hindsight

“LINCOLN HALL is the institution or organization - call it what you like - that makes a college education possible for at least an hundred men. Most of these men are working their way through college; and the existence of Lincoln Hall, with its splendid accommodations at practically no ex-pense to those who make it their home, is one of the reasons why these men are attending the University of Nevada.

A man who works for an education is appreciative of its benefits. It fol-lows that he is conscientious in his studies. Such are Lincoln Hall men. Yet they are not ‘grinds’ by an means. They are a jolly crowd, would rather be in good spirits than bad, and if left alone, would rather sleep than eat, especially in mornings. But it’s a hall tradition that the cold tub or a visit to Manza-niti in pajamas awaits the man who slumbers late.” - ARTEMISIA 1918


Take a video tour of Lincoln Hall at WWW.UNRINSIGHT.COM

GET MORE INSIGHT AT WWW.UNRINSIGHT.COM

This publication is made possible by the Associated Students of the University of Nevada, Reno.

SEBASTIAN DIAZ

February 2010 Insight Magazine

Documents

student body

n r i n s i g h t

cover photo

unr health insurancea

student vs worker

photo editorsebastian

university of nevada

assistant photo editorcourtney