Student Poll Predicts Obama Victory

The following story summarizes a poll conducted by and for Monmouth College Students before the election.

By Alistair Ramsay

The results of the student poll show a consensus that students at Monmouth College think President Obama’s views on social issues, student loans, and women’s rights will benefit them the most in the future. The poll was taken by 352 students just prior too the election.  More than half of them voted for Barack Obama.

·         Barack Obama: 191 (54%)

·         Mitt Romney: 78 (22%)

·         Other: 14 (4%)

·         No Affiliation: 83 (23.4%)

·         No Answer 4 (1.1%)

Going to college is costing students more and more each year, even with the amount of financial assistance Monmouth College gives out. Students believe that loans are an extremely relevant issue that affects them and determines their candidate of choice. The poll results show the importance of student loans because of the answer to this question: Would you be more likely to vote and participate in the political process if elected officials planned to reduce or eliminate the amount of student loans available to college students:

·         More likely: 244(68.9%)

·         No difference: 83 (23.4%)

·         Don’t know: 26: (7.3%)

·         No answer: 1 (.3%)

The results give an insight to why there was such a giant gap between the votes for Obama and votes for Romney. Students at Monmouth College believe that Obama has the right ideas on the issue of student loans. “Seeing the loans disappear is a terrifying thought, said senior Tessa Ginn. She thinks deciding a president that will help out students is very important. She also thinks that we have power to decide the next leader of this country. “You need to get out there and vote,” shouted Ginn. This poll showed students support Obama, but both candidates have opposing plans to help students handle debt.

Obama’s plan to handle student’s loans is to reduce monthly payments on loans to 10% based of income and will completely eliminate student debt after 20 years. He also plans on doubling the funding for Pell Grants aiding students to pay for college. Romney however has a different idea on handling student loans, he intends to highly reduce Pell Grants and focus the money towards programs surrounding skill training. Romney’s plan will also dramatically decrease the eligibility of students to apply for Pell Grants. Obama was the clear choice for Monmouth College because his plan is help limit the cost of loans, an issue that is very important to students as the poll a showed. The president also proved to be quit the ladies man.

The social issues facing young women, especially in college, have become a forefront of controversial topics in the election. In the poll, a vast majority of women voted for Obama opposed to Romney:

·         105 Females- Barack Obama (68.3%)

·         18 Females- Mitt Romney (11.8%)

·         6 Females- Other (3.9%)

·         23 Females- Undecided (15%)

·         1 Female- No answer (.7%)

The social issue surrounding women and the right to choose what they want to do with their bodies has played a big role in this election, especially the decision over abortion. Obama holds a more open view while Romney does not. “Women are adults capable of making their own decision,” said Trudi Peterson, Head Professor of Women’s Studies at Monmouth College. She was surprised at the results of the poll that women would even vote for Romney. “I see more young women coming to college misinformed about their bodies,” said Peterson who believes if women knew more about themselves, they would be more likely to disagree with Romney. Though, abortion may not have played such a bog role at Monmouth. 

According to the results, students were divided over the question: Would you more likely to vote and participate in the political process if elected officials planned to prohibit or greatly restrict abortions:

·         More Likely: 159 (44.9%)

·         No Difference: 143 (40.4%)

·         Don’t Know: 48 (13.6%)

·         No Answer: 4 (1.1%)

The results could determine that abortion is not a huge factor in deciding the next president at Monmouth College. Students are focusing more on the issue of women’s inequality of pay in the work force or the funding of Planned Parent Hood. On the other hand, it could mean that there is a big difference over the opinion of men and women on the importance of abortion.

Romney does not support abortions and wants to cut all funding to Planned Parent Hood Clinics. This will reduce the access to birth control for women and other free medical treatments. It also brings up the controversial topic of rape, Romney supports Indiana Republican Senate candidate Richard Mourdock, who believes that pregnancy’s caused by rape are “something God intended to happen.” The comment has caused some issues for Romney’s campaign and potentially hurt his chances of receiving the female vote in United States as well as the support of Monmouth College women.

Obama disagrees with Romney by supporting abortions, and at the beginning of his presidency, signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. The act helps women receive equal pay rights in the workforce compared to men. Paul Ryan, Romney’s running mate and potential Vice President, voted against the law when it was passed. Obama won 68.3% of the female vote, showing that his policies are what the women at Monmouth agree with. Whether it is the issue over abortion, fair pay, or plan parenthood clinics, Monmouth College women want Obama as their next president.

The poll showed a huge divide between  supporters of Barack Obama and Mitt Romney. Both candidates offer different views on the social issues that matter to Monmouth College students. The results show that more students agree with Obama on the issues such as student loans and women’s rights.

ANTI-UNION TACTICS CHARGED IN KNOX COUNTY

By Matthew Dutton The audience at this month’s Knox County Board meeting was dominated by outraged, upset and furious union employees lashing out against, what they saw as anti-union measures proposed by the county board. The county board has proposed a number of actions against certain public servants, including  those working in the States Attorney’s Office, the Sheriff’s Office and the Knox County Nursing Home. The contractual proposals include stripping any chance of raises for the next two years, taking away any longevity pay and wellness bonuses, and initiating a two-tier vacation system.   Most troubling of all, the new measures would increase health insurance premiums an extra hundred dollars per month, causing many to lose their insurance entirely.  The dispute has been ongoing for an entire year, and the board has adamantly refused to negotiate. Only one board member has set foot in the nursing home since the controversy arose, and no members have been willing to discuss the measures. Instead, the county board hired a $75,000 private attorney to handle the matter.  The judge presiding over the meeting admitted to having once been a resident of the Knox County Nursing Home, yet the board members had no reaction to this statement. “It would behoove the citizens of this county for the board to sit down for negotiations,” said Randy Lynch, Staff Representative for Council 31 of the AFSCME (American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees). “I am doing everything I can to get an agreement. Strike is always the union’s last option.” Lynch cites the cause of the issue as “the current climate of the economy. The board is taking advantage of that.” The hour prior to the board meeting saw over 100 union employees picketing the front of the courthouse; making their resentment for the county board known to anyone crossing the line. When the meeting began, many of the picketers crammed into the small courtroom, all coming together to voice their despair to the judge and the board.  One speaker noted that the $75,000 the county paid to enlist the aid of a private attorney, could have actually paid for the union’s requests in the first place; resolving any dispute preemptively. This warranted a roaring reception from crowd, followed by silence from the board. “Nobody is asking for a raise,” said another nursing home employee. “The last two raises were stripped away from us. We just want things to stay the way they are.” A single mother made note of the fact most will lose their insurance as a result of the overwhelming spike in premium rates. “We will work 40 hours per week and still not be able to go to the doctor,” she said. “This will hurt my daughter more than anything else.”

Spike In Free School Lunches

By Max Seisser

     Eighty-eight percent of the students at Monmouth-Roseville Junior High are now receiving either free or reduced price lunches.  When this information was announced at the latest Board of Education Meeting by Superintendent Edward Fletcher, it was met with skepticism by many board members.

  Secretary Kevin Killy voiced his concerns, saying it didn’t seem that this number was accurate or possible for the community. However, he was assured that the number has been verified.   Out of the roughly 240 students that attend M.R. Junior High, 140 receive free lunches, and 70 are eligible for reduced price lunches.
                 

      Fletcher explained the factors that qualify students for free/reduced lunches.   They include the number of kids in the family, the income of the parents, and if they’re on government assistance (link card, food stamps, etc.)  While the number of junior high students is steadily increasing, the same is not true for  high school students. Those numbers have remained relatively constant.  Many students who can receive the reduced/free lunch decide not to, perhaps because they are afraid of getting made fun of, being embarrassed, or don’t bring the paperwork home. 

     Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner spoke on the topic recently.   Geithner said the free/reduced lunch program is a good resource to help out children who are in need of help. With support, the board of education hopes that high school students who are in need of the lunches will come forward.  Students need to know that it isn’t something to be ashamed of because they’re not the only ones who need help and they need to be encouraged because this can truly benefit them and help their academics.

SCHOOL DISTRICT FACES ADDITIONAL CUTS

By Kelsey Watson

Teachers and staff members of the Monmouth-Roseville Community Unit School District could be losing their jobs next year due to another Deficit Reduction Plan,  Central Intermediate School, Harding Primary School, Lincoln Early Childhood School, Monmouth-Roseville Junior High School, and Monmouth-Roseville High School are the five schools that make up District #238, and are all in jeopardy of a reduction in teaching staff depending on how the Deficit Reduction Plan pans out a few months from now.

 Because the school district’s revenue is smaller than the district’s expenditures, a Deficit Reduction Plan along with an FY13 Budget was outlined in a recent school board meeting for Monmouth-Roseville.  The Tentative Budget Proposal packet distributed at the meeting reveals that  “the state is not meeting its obligation to our school district,” and is causing the plan to be put into full force.

 Ed Fletcher, the superintendent of the Monmouth-Roseville School District, has been working with the district for three years now and says that this is not the first time the school has filed for the Deficit Reduction Plan—the school also filed for a Deficit Reduction Plan back in 2008.  “We are required by the Illinois State Board of Education to complete the plan.  The reason that we have to file for the Deficit Reduction Plan is because the state of Illinois has prorated the amount of revenue they are constitutionally required to provide to school districts from 100% full funding to 89% of funding,” stated Fletcher.  “We are supposed to receive $6,119 per pupil in our district, but due to proration we will only receive $5,446 per student.”  According to the Monmouth-Roseville superintendent, the total loss of income for the school district is approximated at around $500,000. 

When asked what can be done in the future to avoid filing for the deficit plan again, Fletcher replied with, “There is only so much we can reduce to cut expenses, but we will do everything in our power to provide a quality education for our students.”  The Monmouth-Roseville School District is very concerned with their student’s educations, and even though the district had to result in filing for the plan, they are continuing to look forward and hoping for the best.  The plan will hopefully open more eyes to teachers, staff, the school board, and parents of children who attend schools in the district that they need to help and volunteer in all ways that are possible.  The Board of Education will be holding meetings for the next month to discuss with the District Administration about meeting the expected requirements for the Deficit Reduction Plan. 

Art and Artists

By Nicole Polich
Residents from around the county gathered at the Buchanan Center for Arts in Monmouth this week for the 64th Arts National Juried Exhibition featuring Juror Eric Fischl. Artists
were asked to submit works to share insights and hopes for America in the
spirit of the national initiative, “America: Now and Here.”

Juror Eric Fischl, is a worldwide acclaimed American figurative painter and sculptor.  His achievements throughout his career havemade him one of the most influential artists. Fischl’s paintings, sculptures,drawings and prints have been the subject of numerous solo and group
exhibitions and publications, for many years.

Jessica Bingham, a 2012 Monmouth College
graduate, had the chance to meet Mr. Fischl. “He is one of the most
accomplished “living” artists of our generation and was very insightful,
explaining to Connor Shields and I, about our desire to be professionals in
art, that ‘if we want it, we will get it.’ He was very kind towards the
Monmouth community, connected with the artists on a personal level and spoke
humbly about his artistic career; this was a great honor to have him here.”

Artists were given three themes to refer to
when submitting their artwork; America as Icon, America as Place and America as
People. “Art is a reflection of the society we live in” echoed a voice in the
exhibit. Each artwork symbolizes a unique aspect of America society seen
through the artist’s eyes. “Waiting for Impact, Ghost Elevator, Way up here,
Devils Highway to the American Dream, and Bitter Seduction” are just a few
names of the art work seen in the exhibit.

One specific piece of art titled “Off
Label” stood out to Monmouth College junior Kaity Washburn,“The society we live
in is always focused on the materialistic view of life, whether it’s the
clothes we wear or the places we shop. This painting proves that even an off
label can be Monmouth College beautiful.”
Other paintings resembled such things as the economy, the farming
industry, the American dream and the seduction of Starbucks, all insights of
what each artist hopes for America.


The Buchanan Center for Arts features a large exhibit space for classes,
meetings, and other arts related and community events. October 26-December 29th
will be a new artist, Gil Rocha.

Monmouth Begins Downtown Renewal

By Megan Lyle

The City of Monmouth recently devised a plan to modify many older
buildings in the City of Monmouth that are left abandoned and unused.

A new project is underway that will renovate some of the
older historical buildings downtown in an attempt to benefit the community as a
whole.

One of the largest buildings involved is the former Maple City Candy
Company. The downtown building will be renovated, adding business space as
well as quality housing for the expanding community center.

Another idea is to hold of more publicevents within the downtown area. In order to facilitate a more visitor-friendlycenter, Monmouth will be aesthetically improving the square and adding a
community theatre.

Besides the city and tax money, Monmouth College has also provided funds
for the project to be made into reality.

“Historic tax credit programs help make renovation an affordable (and
eventually profitable) option for developers,” said Paul Schuytema, director of
Community Development. “Without that tool, we have to, locally, bridge that
gap.”

According to Schuytema, the gap is filled by an investment of TIF funds
(from the City) and financial support of the College for the apartments. Those
funds replace the tax credit incentive that the state of Illinois does not have
to offer.

The college is giving money but it will also gain some benefits when the
renovation finishes.  The benefits of the
rental space, for example, are “not just for the larger community.”

“[They will] aid in efforts to recruit young faculty,” Schuytema said,
“and to provide opportunities for MC alumni to become more involved in college
and community life. It should be noted that the apartment will be high-end,
market rate rentals, and not student housing. They are geared more towards
young professionals and active retirees.”

It is not only the college that will see these benefits, however.

“There will be many positive effects,” Schuytema said. “More folks living
downtown will energize our downtown area. They will help support the retail
we’re working to bring in. It will help save key historic buildings.”

A more detailed list of these changes can be found on the Monmouth city website.

PLEASE STAY TUNED

The Warren County Newswire is on a summer hiatus.   We will return with more regional news when Monmouth College journalism students return from summer break in September.   Thank you for your continued interest.