By Rafal Rogoza—
Student Council passed a motion that will help students pay for textbooks by creating new Student Government Organization (SGO) book vouchers that will be available for students in the Fall semester of 2013.
The motion was passed during the December 12, 2011 council meeting. Council decided to transfer $50,000 to establish a new SGO endowment fund. The NJCU Foundation has matched the $50,000, raising the total of the fund to $100,000. The book voucher will be financed by the interested collected by the fund.
“This endowed fund will develop interest which will be utilized to award students with book vouchers that will assist them [students] with the purchase of books, which prices keep increasing yearly,” said Aurora Estevez, SGO Vice President of Finance and Administration.
According to Estevez, the endowed fund received full support from the finance committee and council. Discussions did arise among committee members about using the money to create an additional SGO scholarship. The committee settled on the book voucher because it would help more students.
“We will continue to work on finalizing all the transactions of the money as well as logistics of this book voucher this spring semester and then students will have to wait a year to benefit from this [book voucher],” said Estevez.
Estevez expects that students will be able to take advantage of the book voucher beginning the fall semester of 2013.
Estevez expects that students will be able to take advantage of the book voucher beginning the fall semester of 2013.
The council has not yet discussed how the vouchers will be awarded to students. Estevez stressed that the council still needs to workout the details but believes that the voucher will be available based on a student’s financial needs.
“I would consider it,” answered Priscila Antigua,21, biology major from Jersey City, when asked if she would apply for the voucher. Antigua spent $500 on books during the fall semester and has used existing book vouchers to help cover some of the costs. According to Antigua, biology books are expensive and the $400 voucher she receives is not enough. “One book may be $250 and they change books all the time,” said Antigua.
Aibaliz Campoverde, 18, sociology major from Jersey City, and her friend Lashea Ducksome, 19, art therapy major from Newark, both think the book voucher is a good idea. They each spent $200 on books during the fall semester and use vouchers from the Opportunity Scholarship Program.
“Since we go through the OSP we get help, but for others it would definitely be helpful,” said Campoverde.
For more information about the book voucher students should contact Aurora Estevez at [email protected]. For additional information on SGO scholarships students should contact SGO President Michael Faivush.