w w w .w e sterngazette.c a • @uw ogazette
Hitting the pavement Campus Police are investigating a Foot Patrol imposter luring young women on Western’s campus. >> pg. 3
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Volume 106, Issue 78
Survey: Students not sophiciently satisfied Kaitlyn McGrath Associate Editor The University Students’ Council recently revealed survey results that asked first-year students to evaluate Orientation Week. While many of the results were positive, there were several concerns students raised regarding the approachability of sophs, as well as some of the programming. According to the questionnaire, when asked to respond to the statement “I felt comfortable approaching sophs if I had an issue during Orientation Week,” only 51.13 per cent of the 1,060 respondents strongly agreed, while 31.98 per cent somewhat agreed. Erin Uberig, vice-president student events, stated she’d like to see that number much higher. Additionally, only 55 per cent of students said ‘yes’ when asked, “Did you feel that you could approach a soph from a different faculty for assistance and receive the same
level of assistance compared to a soph from your own faculty?” Again, the USC was not entirely pleased with this number. “In my perspective, it’s not a statistic I would like to brag about. I’d like it above 80, if not 100 per cent,” Uberig said. In response to this, next year the USC aims to instill a more inclusive attitude by promoting the idea of a “Western soph,” rather than one strictly confined to a specific team, Kelly Hobson, orientation coordinator for the 2013 orientation program, said. “All of our volunteers have a responsibility to help all first-year students in any way they can, and part of that is being as approachable as possible.” Uberig noted the USC does not believe sophs behave negatively, but rather they may not see their actions from a frosh’s point of view. For example, the pitting of faculty Ritchie Sham GAZETTE
>> see Change pg.3
FROSH-HERDING. A soph watches over her frosh in Talbot Bowl at Western’s 2012 Orientation Week.
Government allocates $231M for bad student loans Aaron Zaltzman News Editor
Cameron Wilson Gazette
It’s a shame the government doesn’t employ loan sharks, as last week the Treasury Board tabled an estimate in which the government will need to budget an additional $231 million this year to write off defaulted students loans. The additional money is meant to cover over 44,000 student loans that have been declared bad debts. This could end up leaving taxpayers to pay for the loans if they are declared delinquent, which in Canada occurs after 270 days of the government not asking for repayment. However, Human Resources and Skills Development Canada, the governmental department responsible for student loans, emphasized default rates in Canada were relatively low and trending downwards.
“The default rate represents the proportion of loan amount that goes into default within three years after entering repayment,” the HRSDC
The default rate represents the proportion of loan amount that goes into default within three years after entering repayment. —Human Resources and Skills Development Canada
media department explained in an email. “The default rate on Canada Student Loans has decreased from 28 per cent in 2003–04 to 13.8 per
cent for 2009–10.” The Canada Student Loans Program does, however, have systems in place to reduce default rates. The HRSDC emphasized the 2009 introduction of the Repayment Assistance Plan for low-income borrowers. “[The plan] makes it easier for borrowers who experience difficulty repaying their student loans by allowing them to pay back what they can reasonably afford based on their family income and family size,” the HRSDC media department explained. “Affordable monthly payments are limited to less than 20 per cent of a borrower’s income.” Under the RAP, the government of Canada also covers the interest on the loan, as well as the principle of the loan that the borrower cannot pay. The total amount now allocated to writing off bad loans has increased to $540 million.