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New Jersey hazing arrests put focus on policies

By WTOP Staff

DAVID PORTER
Associated Press

PARLIN, N.J. (AP) — As classes resumed in a New Jersey town Monday for the first time since the arrest of seven high school football players on charges of sexually abusing younger teammates, attention turned to whether the state’s anti-bullying laws adequately address team sports.

The seven members of the celebrated Sayreville War Memorial High team were charged Friday over behavior that allegedly occurred during a 10-day period last month.

Advocates say New Jersey, which passed an anti-bullying law in 2002 and has added to it since then, is among the leaders nationwide in dealing with the problem. But the laws do not specifically address sports teams.

Acting state Education Commissioner David Hespe said the allegations have prompted a review.

“We do see this as an opportunity to provide guidance and to take a fresh look at how school districts have not only been responding to hazing and bullying — hazing is certainly part of bullying — but to see what additional best practices” can be put in place, he said.

State Sen. Joseph Vitale and Assemblyman John Wisniewski, whose districts include Sayreville, cautioned against rushing to make changes before all the facts are known.

“The natural question is who was supervising these students so that that can’t happen. We don’t know that right now,” Wisniewski said. “Before we talk about the need to legislate, we should first discuss all the facts, and we don’t have all the facts.”

The state’s high school sports governing body, in its constitution, encourages schools to establish rules on hazing, and schools are also obligated under state law to have anti-bullying procedures. Sayreville’s 17-page anti-bullying policy doesn’t mention the words “athletics,” ”sports” or “coaches.”

Steve Timko, executive director of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletics Association, said the organization is going to review its rules on hazing and expand its education programs addressing the issue.

Sayreville Superintendent Richard Labbe, who canceled the rest of the school’s football season last week over the allegations, and School Board President Kevin Ciak didn’t return calls for comment Monday.

Labbe has said he is weighing the future of the football program, which has won three sectional titles in four years and is the pride of Sayreville, a community of about 40,000 people 25 miles southwest of New York City.

“I will say clearly: Whether we have a football program moving forward is certainly a question in my mind,” he told NJ.com. “Based upon the severity of the charges, I’m not sure.”

Three of the students were charged with aggravated sexual assault, hazing and other crimes stemming from an act of sexual penetration against a team member. The four other students were charged with aggravated criminal sexual contact and other offenses.

All seven have been suspended. None have been identified because they are minors.

It isn’t known whether coaches at Sayreville knew about the alleged abuse or suspected it was going on.

“Coaches and administrators are often the last to know,” said Brendan Dwyer, assistant professor at Virginia Commonwealth University’s Center for Sport Leadership and a former college football coach. “But any time you involve minors, the standards are obviously raised for coaches and administrators. You have to know what’s going on.”

While many students and residents last week strongly criticized Labbe’s decision to cancel the season, the reaction on Monday, three days after details of the alleged attacks were made public, was more sober.

“It just kind a puts a real damper on your view of your town,” said Angelo Palma, a 2006 Sayreville graduate. “And your leaders, your teachers, your school. Thinking, wow, I thought I lived in a great town that people really loved each other, cared for each other. And this just shows a lack of care and concern for our neighbors.”

___

Porter reported from Newark. Associated Press writer Michael Catalini in Trenton contributed to this report.

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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