http://www.outsidetheclassroom.com/prodandserv/higher/

James Madison University - Index

James Madison University - Madison Family Connection Summer 2009 - Index

JMU goes Direct
Lending
By: Brad Barnett, senior
associate director, Office
of Financial Aid and
Scholarships
Beginning with the summer
2009 session, James Madison
University will participate
exclusively in the Federal
Direct Loan (subsidized and
unsubsidized student loans),
Federal Parent PLUS Direct
Loan, and Federal Grad
PLUS Direct Loan programs.
Students and parents will be
required to use the Direct
Loan programs for all federal
student and parent loans.
The traditional Federal
Family Educational Loan
Program (FFELP) loans (i.e.,
Stafford Loan, Parent PLUS
Loan, and Grad PLUS Loan)
through banks, credit unions,
and other student loan lending
companies will no longer
be processed at JMU. Under
the Direct Loan programs,
students borrow from the
federal government through
their colleges, and lenders are
eliminated from the picture.
The Direct Loan programs
have been in existence since
the early 1990s, and schools
such as Virginia Tech,
Virginia Commonwealth
University and Old Dominion
University already participate.
JMU is joining this
established loan program in
order to provide better loan
products for students and
parents.
As a result of many legislative
changes in the past
few years, as well as recent
economic issues, FFELP
loans are often more costly
to borrowers than Direct
Loans. Additionally, many
FFELP loans are being sold
by lenders to the federal government.
In keeping with JMU’s
mission to “assist [students]
with identifying and obtaining
resources to finance
higher education…”
continued on page 5 sidebar
Summer
Springboard
Getting started is an
exciting time
When freshmen attend
Summer Springboard,
they will meet their
freshman adviser in a
small group of four to
six students. The freshman adviser helps
students make the transition from high
school to college by guiding, answering
questions, providing information and generally
being a connection to the university.
Within this session, the freshman adviser
introduces students to the policies and procedures
of the university, explains General
Education, discusses the major (or possible
majors), and assists students in selecting
and registering for classes.
Although there are certain courses that
students are required to take, this session provides
the opportunity for students to begin the
process of making their own educational decisions
with guidance from the adviser. In fact,
one of the main roles of the freshman adviser
is to help students become more independent,
resourceful and able to navigate the university
system. Students begin this process when they
work through the steps of the One Book Web site.
Thoroughly reading the material, taking the math
placement test (and possibly the foreign language
placement test) and providing their priority order
for Cluster One classes are ways in which the student
takes control of his or her learning.
After Summer Springboard, most of the faculty
freshman advisers leave the campus to take
a break and to work on their research and class
materials. When students return in August, they
will meet with their freshman advisers and have
the opportunity to make adjustments to their
schedules, if needed.
Starting college is an exciting time for students
and families alike, and the freshman advisers are
instrumental in helping students begin this new
chapter in their lives.
M
AlcoholEdu®
Educational program aimed at reducing alcohol use
Parents and students often hear national news reports about alcohol-related problems on college
campuses. In response, JMU is strategically implementing research-based education, prevention
and counseling services to promote responsible choices concerning alcohol and other drugs. The
university’s goal is to increase the health and safety of the JMU community by reducing the risks
associated with alcohol and drug use.
For the second year, JMU is participating in a national, multi-campus research project to determine
the extent to which AlcoholEdu®, an Internet-based alcohol prevention program, reduces student
alcohol consumption and risky behaviors. AlcoholEdu® is a three-hour online course to be
completed by incoming students at their convenience during a one-month period. It will be available
for JMU students in mid July.
Students should check their JMU e-mail accounts for instructions on how to access the online
course after July 16. Parents will also be able to view the course to gain a better understanding of the
important risks and strategies that are of concern to all college students.
Students must complete Part One before Aug. 10. For more information, please visit www.
outsidetheclassroom.com/prodandserv/higher/.
4 Family Connection
STUDENTS MUST COMPLETE ALCOHOLEDU® PART ONE, BY AUG. 10.