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Air Force coaches told to help curb assaults

By WTOP Staff

DAN ELLIOTT
Associated Press

AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. (AP) — The superintendent of the U.S. Air Force Academy said Wednesday that she has told athletic coaches to take a bigger role in preventing sexual assaults, pulling them into the yearslong campaign at the school to stem abuse.

Lt. Gen. Michelle Johnson, who took charge of the school a year ago, said coaches had not been fully involved in what she called the broader conversation about school standards.

Johnson said she has spoken with them twice about her expectations and told them to talk to athletes about sexual assault.

“I was frank about the need for them to help the institution enforce our standards,” she said in an interview. “I was frank about what happens, the complexity of sexual-assault prevention.”

Congress and the Pentagon are closely monitoring sexual assaults at the Air Force, Army and Navy academies. A Department of Defense report in January said a culture of disrespect permeates the schools and contributes to sexual harassment and assaults. The report identified sports and club teams as an area where the academies needed to expand training.

The Air Force Academy took the unusual step of offering back-to-back interviews with Johnson and other leaders and cadets on Wednesday after recent news reports about allegations of sexual abuse and other misconduct by athletes and lax oversight of sports there.

Academy officials have said the allegations were investigated, and where warranted, cadets were court-martialed, expelled or given other punishments.

The academy’s inspector general is about to launch a review of the athletic department, which will include its culture — a term the Air Force often uses when discussing whether the atmosphere is conducive to sexual assaults and other misconduct.

The inspector general, Col. David Kuenzli, said the review is administrative, not criminal. If evidence of crime is uncovered, it would be turned over to the superintendent or the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, he said.

The review will look at how well the department uses its personnel and funds, whether it is improving and whether it is fulfilling its mission.

Kuenzli said he expects it will determine whether the athletic department has a “negative culture.”

He said Johnson ordered the review in July as part of an Air Force-wide mandate for inspections of smaller units. It was not publicly announced until this month, when the Colorado Springs Gazette reported on accusations that athletes had taken drugs, cheated and committed sexual assaults.

The review is expected to be completed by late September or early October. Kuenzli said other units at the school will undergo similar reviews.

Cadet Kimberly Davis, captain of the academy women’s swimming team, said she and others have been thoroughly trained in sexual-assault awareness and how to help other people.

“For every one person that could be bad or could do something wrong, I know 20 other people that would be right there to help me and have my back,” she said.

The academy outside Colorado Springs has about 4,000 students who are commissioned as second lieutenants upon graduation.

Johnson is the first female superintendent of the academy and was a basketball star when she was a student there.

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Associated Press writer P. Solomon Banda contributed to this report.

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Follow Dan Elliott at http://twitter.com/DanElliottAP

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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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