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Chik-Fil-A and the effective corporate boycott

By WTOP Staff

Will Friedman, special to WTOP

WASHINGTON – What do Kermit the Frog, Andy from “The Office,” and Boston Mayor Thomas Menino have in common? None of them will be frequenting Chik-Fil-A anytime soon.

The Jim Henson Company – the company behind Kermit – joined actor Ed Helms, Menino and others last week in publicly excoriating Chik-Fil-A for its gay marriage stance, and ended its commercial ties with the Atlanta chain.

The Henson Co. formerly provided toys for Chik-Fil-A kid’s meals.

“The Jim Henson Company has celebrated and embraced diversity and inclusiveness for over fifty years and we have notified Chick-Fil-A that we do not wish to partner with them on any future endeavors,” the Henson Co. said on its Facebook page.

The question becomes, then, exactly how effective can corporate boycotts be? According to Brayden King, it depends.

King, a professor of management at Northwestern University, has written extensively about the topic. He says that the most successful boycotts are the ones that receive the greatest amount of press.

“The more media attention a boycott gets, the more damage it does to the company’s reputation,” he says. “This makes it far more difficult for the company to do business.”

This is why the Chik-Fil-A boycott has been so effective.

“It’s brought LGBT issues to the general public,” he says. “It’s hard to turn on the news without coming across the name of Chik-Fil-A.”

It appears that Chik-Fil-A has taken the bad press to heart, diving head first into damage control mode. The fast food giant released the following statement on its Facebook page.

“The Chick-fil-A culture and service tradition in our restaurants is to treat every person with honor, dignity and respect – regardless of their belief, race, creed, sexual orientation or gender. We will continue this tradition in the over 1,600 restaurants run by independent Owner/Operators. Going forward, our intent is to leave the policy debate over same-sex marriage to the government and political arena.”

Recent accusations that Chik-Fil-A created Facebook profiles of fake supporters has only added to its public relations nightmare, King says. Despite it all, however, the sandwiches and fries won’t be going away anytime soon.

“People tend not change their behavior, even when they ideologically support a boycott,” he says. “If you like Chik-Fil-A sandwiches, you might feel guilty eating it. But chances are that it won’t have a extreme effect on (your decision.)”

As a result, he advises boycotters temper their expectations.

“Will it get Chik-Fil-A to change its position on gay marriage? I doubt it,” King says. “But it certainly is going to prompt other companies to reconsider their own stands.”

This may be as close to victory as Kermit the Frog is going to get.

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(Copyright 2012 by WTOP. All Rights Reserved.)

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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