The Los Angeles Loyolan, Volume 90, Issue 6 - September 22, 2011

Los Angeles THUR FRI SAT SUN 71 "-63" 74‘-64' 70"-62’ 69‘- 61 " ESTABLISHED 1921 September 22, 201 1 Volume 90, Issue 6 AMBULANCE Your Home. Your Voice. Your Newspaper. Loyola Marymount University www.laloyolan.com Transports spike during September NEWS ANALYSIS An influx of new students leads to a heightend number of alcohol- related medical transports. By Laura Riparabelli Managing Editor Data reveals that Emergency Medical Services (EMS) has called for the transportation of 13 students so far this September from campus to local hospitals for medical treatment due to alcohol-related illness. The same data also reveals that this number of medical transports is typical of a September at LMU. Last September, statistics showed that the month concluded with 12 transports. Subsequent months ' included no more than five transports throughout first semester. According to EMT President Heather Lougee, a senior natural science major, the beginning of the semester is often a time when the department receives more calls and is forced to call for the transport of more students due to alcohol-related illnesses. “I can say that the majority of our ETOH [alcohol- related] transports have been freshmen so far this See Transports | page 2 Student loans remain a AP Images First-year students retreat to Pali Campus Ministy’s First Year Retreat expands to accomodate more students. By Margo Jasukaitis Asst. News Editor A record number of people attended this year’s First Year Retreat [FYR]. Three hundred and fifty first-year students, student leaders and adult staff spent last weekend at Pali Mountain near Lake Arrowhead in the San Bemadino Mountains, getting to know one another and reflecting on expectations for first-year students’ inaugural semester at LMU. According to Louise Santos, a senior business major and one of the retreat’s co-directors, the overall theme of the retreat centered on Psalm 139. “The message [taken from Psalm 139] is that God ... is always going to be there to guide you and protect you. You’re always going to be in a safe environment [at LMU] while you grow and learn, not only during your- first couple weeks of freshman year; but during your whole college career,” she said. This message was an unexpected but welcome facet of the retreat for Natalie Perez, an undeclared freshman who attended the retreat this year'. “I wasn’t expecting there to be such a religious [aspect on the retreat], but I enjoyed it,” she said. ‘1 feel like everyone was brought a lot closer together because the religion was brought in.” According to Katie Convoy, a senior communication studies major and FYR student co-director, “FYR instills the idea of embracing a first-year student’s uniqueness. [We want] to let them know they’re not alone in this huge experience of change [and beginning college].” Perez originally signed up for FYR because the retreat was publicized at freshman orientation. ‘1 was told it was a really great way to meet people and that I would have a lot of fun,” Perez said. Santos also referenced the FYR leadership team’s increased effort to publicize the retreat to incoming freshman. ‘We made a bigger push during orientation [this year]. We had a lot more people signing up than usual - before school even started technically the retreat was already full,” Santos said. ‘We wanted as many people to be See FYR | page 4 concern NEWS ANALYSIS The University promotes loan education as the best way to avoid loan default. By Kayla Begg Copy Editor The number of students defaulting on student loans after graduation is the highest it’s been in more than a decade, according an article titled “Student Loan Defaults Reach Highest Level In More Than A Decade”, published by the Huffington Post on Sept. 12. Overall, student loan default rates rose from 7 percent to 8.8 percent last year'. While this news may seem to spell out doom and gloom for upcoming and recent college graduates, LMU students still have some good news to celebrate. The Huffington Post also claimed that private non-profit universities, such as LMU, saw the lowest overall increase in student loan defaults, with 4 percent of students defaulting in 2008 rising to only 4.6 percent in 2009, while for-profit universities went from 11.6 percent to 15 percent. In addition, LMUs cohort default rate ( cdr) from 2009 is at 2.5 percent, compared to 1.4 percent in 2008 according to Catherine Graham, the director of Financial Aid The Huffington Post cited the poor economy and recent increase in for-profit schools as factors behind this spike increase in default rates. Graham also claimed one reason for the relatively low increase in default rates for private non-profit universities, and LMU specifically, was a focus on education regarding student loans. “In general, public universities and for-profit institutions just don’t have the resources to provide this level of service. The key to avoiding default is having access to the information to prevent it in the first place,” Graham said. “We don’t believe that a student would intentionally default on their student loan. Rather, its the lack of understanding about their loan obligations or repayment options that play a big factor. We also know that in See Loans | page 3 APSS celebrates the Mid- Autumn Moon Festival Devin Sixt | Loyolan Students enjoyed food, including boba tea, from an array of Asian cultures. The Loyolan celebrates its 90th year of publication Students eather on Sunken with Chinese and Vietnamese cultures ° Spearheaded by Michelle Ко, director of Garden in celebration of a Asian Pacific Student Services (APSS}, the event included members from Asian Pacific new year of APSS events. Islander Student Association, Han Tao, Isang - - - Bansa, Korean American StudentAssociation, By Liz Peters Kyodai, Na Kolea, Nikkei Student Union, News Intern South Asian Student Association and Shin d, , , i . , Kanarazu Daiko, all of which are student Blue, silver and red paper lanterns hung , , , Arioo . cei iAj clubs overseen by APSS. across the trees of Sun ken Garden on Tuesday, 0. , r ,, j о * on.u . i v ... ттттшл'тчтЕ'отлллг Students from each of these groups made Sept 20th to celebrate tbTHIRD TUESDAY ^ ovided the food for th« w|comi Kick-Off Celebration and lYhd-Autumn Moon whic£ was folkwed by a Uve perfbrmanre Festmd m «injunction with the Asian and b ^ Be Told ..«/sponsored by Mane Pacific Islander community welcome. . t About 200 students, faculty and staff T,,1 . „ ,, , . . c > , I he Kick-Off is not only a great event for gathei-ed to enjoy food, music and mingling Ashmen because they will te able to meet with other members and students in new j but it is 4,so a g,-eat event for celebration of the lunar holiday associated the ^dnemen to hang out with their Index Opinion . 5 Loyolan 90th Anniversary...? Л&Е . 15 Classifieds . 1 6 Sports . 20 90 years of journalism / friends,” said sophomore psychology major Anna Cho, an APSS fellow and planner of the event. “Its a great way for the Asian Pacific American community to come together over food and music and celebrate the Mid- Autumn Moon [Festival]. Students get to come hang out with friends, enjoy the guest performer and drink free boba,” said junior communication studies major, planner of the event and APSS fellow Emily Nishida. “Personally, I love this event, the Mid- Autumn Moon Festival, because all the clubs come together, and we get to experience different Asian cultures celebrating together,” added Far ah Kerawala, sophomore modem languages major and APSS fellow and planner. See APSS| page 4 Lions tested against powerhouses Polo to face No. 10 UCSDand No. 2 UCLA this week. Loyolan 90th Anniversary, p. 7 Tlx- next issue of ihe Iinolan will lx- primed on Sepiemlxr 26, 201 1 Sports, p. 20 ШКАЛА