A Financial Quandry

Why is that institutions and programs that are supposed to be giving you money, always try to find ways to get out of it? Examples: Insurance Companies, Unemployment, and Medicare (which, technically, falls under insurance).

Oh, let’s start with unemployment. Besides the fact that money for unemployment is scarce due to the higher levels, especially in Michigan, they are really bad at getting money to people. Sometimes, even though a person is perfectly eligible to receive unemployment, they have to wait three to six months, sometimes longer, just to receive the biweekly unemployment they deserve, which in this economy is definitely a bad thing.

But that isn’t the bone I have to pick with unemployment.

It has been ingrained in all of us (or at least people who know anything about unemployment) that if you are a student (student here meaning college student) then you are unable to collect unemployment benefits even if you work full time while also going to school (full time or otherwise). This is actually not true. A student can collect unemployment (as long as they have proof of working full time and attending school – which really isn’t all that hard to get).

The problem is unemployment does not tell you this. There is nothing that is easily accessible on their website that gives you this information. A friend of mine applied for unemployment even though he was a student and unemployment sent him a letter rejecting his application and then they turned around, accepted it, and started to give him money, which they later claimed he owed them back + interest because he was a student.

Truthfully, a rather gross error on their part. But the kicker is that there is a waiver you need to fill out when submitting your application that applies solely to students that allows you to legally collect unemployment. However, like I said, nothing of this is actually mentioned on the website, or if it is, it’s buried so deep you will probably never find it. Of course, why would unemployment tell you this? They don’t want to give you money if they don’t have to.

Needless to say the matter went to court and my friend won and can legally collect unemployment. The whole process was drawn out over quite a few months and now he has to apply for an extension for his unemployment as his work still has not called him back yet.

Now, Medicare. All things considered, we pay an ungodly amount in taxes every year for Medicare and Social Security. (When you have to pay in taxes at the end of the year, it’s those two things above which kill you, not state or federal.) However, Medicare is getting more reluctant to pay. My grandmother was in the hospital in June and then again in September of last year. It took until just a few months ago this year before Humana and the hospital finally got Medicare to cough up the money they were supposed to pay from the beginning. And now, Medicare is trying to put into effect that they will not repay for repeat visits and treatments. Meaning if you have to go into the hospital more than once for the same thing, then you are essentially screwed.

For a service that is supposed to help the elderly, especially at a time when it is hardest for them to afford health insurance, Medicare isn’t really all that good. But, I am told that it is really hit and miss. Some people get care and help right away while others are shoved onto a shelf and left to dust.

I have no real hopes that Obama or the government can really do anything to reform health care because even the federal institutions are getting more and more reluctant to help anyone, not to mention, even with all the money paid into these programs vis-a-vis taxes, there is still shortages and a growing national debt.

College Book Store to go Bookless

Caltech, needing to severely trim its 2010 budget, has decided to merge the Caltech Bookstore with the popular c-store.  They will sell merchandise and food, and some published Caltech authors, but other than that, not a book is to be seen.

Students will now have to acquire their textbooks online.  Right now, plans are being made to create an easy-to-use interface to make things easier on students and staff alike when it comes time to buy books.

Out of all the ways to cut spending – they choose to eliminate books.  Even TEXTBOOKS!  And this is a college?  True books seem overpriced and you can never get half of what you spend back off of those books, but some students need a bricks and mortar bookstore.

Check out the article and the responses this decision has made, here: [http://www.nacs.org/news/041709-caltech.asp?id=cm]

Speak Up, Get Out

It is always interesting to hear when speaking up and encouraging others to speak up as well gets you in trouble. Heaven forbid a professor actually encourages her students to open their mouths about what is going on around them. What is even more interesting is that AC was always complaining about the high level of student apathy on campus. Out of the 1000 students, only a few were actually involved with campus activities. Many of the student organizations were comprised of the same groups of people.

Now, students are starting to speak out, trying to be heard. They want to get involved in the goings on at AC, of what the administration is planning. Since the college wants to keep the students (they finally managed to grow enrollment), the administration sticks to getting rid of faculty who oppose their ideas. The people who are being fired or are leaving due to differences of opinion are general favorites of students.

Yes, let's get rid of the people who care about the students, who want to make sure that their opinions are heard so they can have a happy college experience - it makes perfect sense. NOT.

Another fun fact. Forums were started so students could voice their concerns to the administration. Sure there was discussion, a voicing of complaints - but many things didn't change (like proper care of sewage in a dorm's basement, which finally got cleared up by parents calling and threatening the school). Change takes time. Very true, but not if the problems and concerns are ignored. Especially not if the faculty and other workers at the college who wish to help better the students are sent packing.

Black and Green

     Mold.  That's right mold.  It is invading our living spaces and getting people sick.  You could say that it's just this craptastic Michigan weather, you know it changes every five minutes, but that is not it.  When you are perfectly healthy until you move back into a resident hall where no one else was ill until they moved back in as well, you know that something is wrong.  Well, the Chi Omegas, ASAs and Alpha Phis are all in a pickle.  Their halls are filled with mold.  Some have black mold others have, I think green.  Girls have already been to the hospital this year due to mold related illnesses.  It is bad when every year you get sinus infections and bronchitis due to deplorable living conditions.  The funny part is that the college does nothing to the sorority houses.  Uh, hello, they are part of our campus.  It is not right that they should be marginalized because it is not a major part of campus.  Sororities do help bring people in, as much as I hate to admit that.  And most of the girls, or at least some, are pretty decent people.  Is it right that their needs get ignored?  Especially when most of their problems directly effect their health and safety?

     They have always had mold, but apparently the administration has not cared to take care of that potential health problem.  I think they might be looking into find a way to get rid of it, but not in both halls, just half of one.  Makes you feel loved by the administration, doesn't it?  Besides the mold problem these girls had showers caving in and sewage flooding their building.  Why has AC done nothing so things have gotten as bad as they have?  Well, for one they never close down either hall or strive to do major improvements in the summer.  Herrick and Lowry are generally untouched.  If the halls belonged to just the sorority and not the campus, it would make sense that campus would not interfere, but that is not the case.  The college just doesn't give a damn.  At least that is how it appears when these girls are turning up sick and (like last year, although they finally fixed the problem like in April) have human waste floating in their basement.

     I would say I am glad I am living in my hall instead, but I can't.  One door has no lock, which was supposed to be taken care of the second week of school, but here we are a month later and no lock.  There is the door that only unlocks for certain people and the revamped bathrooms suck.  Taking a shower is interesting because one shower has no water pressure really and another one gets hotter than Hades and there is really no way of cooling it down.  I have no idea how the handicap shower handles because I have never used it, but it was only after our water was shut off and turned back on that these problems began to surface.  Really, it's ridiculous.  And I won't even get started on the paint job.  The first floor is relatively okay, but I here the second floor is hideous.  Needless to say I avoid it now that I am living on the first floor.

**Upon receiving tests back, it has been determined that mold and mildew are present, but not black mold**

Communications Skills

Communication: a necessity for getting around in today's world.  From family solidarity and understanding to a productive workplace, communication is essential.  Too bad that people forget this.  My dad has communicated nothing about coming to the US, and the people on this campus do not always see fit to tell you what in the world is going on.  It's great.

     How can they expect everything to be set up and ready if they don't tell you there's a group coming in?  Really.  You'd think that as professionals people would know that they have to communicate with one another, but apparently that is taboo.  Why work smoothly when you can run around like a chicken with its head cut off.  Geez Louise.  It's ridiculous with a capital R.

     Also, you'd think family would know to communicate, but no.  Gasp!  That might mean they actually have to talk to one another!  What is up with that?  Failure to communicate leads to failures elsewhere.  You can fail your family, your friends, your coworkers . . . your students.  Funny how practically every college requires a communications course.  Too  bad no one learns from that.  Even if it is just a glorified speech class, it does talk of the importance of communications, saying the right things, talking to people.  Hell, we had a convocation on communications.  Yet, people ignore the fact that if they don't talk to each other things don't get done, get done twice, or are done in a half-assed sort of way.

     Ain't it wonderful.  It's an interesting thing to think about.  How much do you communicate in your life?  Is it enough?  Who knows, but if you have no idea what's going on and why, suffice to say you need more communication.  Either that or you really need a better attention span.  I know I do sometimes.