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Did you Know: Financial Aid

Angela Espinoza
News Editor

Minews
= @theotherpress.ca

inancial Aid at Douglas
College covers areas ranging

from bursaries and scholarships : understand that a student loan

: is just like any other loan in
: terms of responsibility in paying :
: it back,’ said Christie. “The only :
: difference between a student

: loan and a loan from a bank

: is that interest is not charged

: while a student is attending

: school, and students are not

: required to make payments

: until six months after they stop
: going to school.”

to student loans and grants.

Whether you're looking
for an applicable scholarship
or simply inquiring about tax
and other financial concerns,
help can be sought at Financial
Aid offices on both the New
Westminster and David Lam
campuses.

“Students should
plan ahead, at least two
months before funding is
needed,” said financial aid
and award manager Diana
Christie. “Application processes
and approvals for financial
assistance take time.”

Financial assistance from
the college requires specific
responsibilities on the parts of
students, whether it’s paying
course fees or paying back
loans. The 2015 Financial Aid
flyer suggests that in order to

: keep on top of their college-

: related finances, students

: should “create a financial plan”
: and always let the Financial

: Aid offices know “if there are

: any changes to your financial

: situation.”

“Students need to

Christie understands that

: students have much going on
: their lives that can interfere

: with paying loans on time or

: seeking help prior to an issue
: occurring.

“It is really important for

: [students] to know how to

: budget, and the difference

: between needs and wants,” said
: Christie. Christie also suggested :
: students seek online help

* from “The Credit Counseling

: maximum for how much full-
: time and part-time students

: can receive. Students with

: “dependants”—persons who
: rely on them—receive up to

: $320 per week. Both can be

: adjusted based on whether

: or not the student is also

: receiving grants. For part-time :
: students, loans can be taken out :
: regarding program funding (up :
: to $1,200 per program year) and

: aid with factors such as tuition,

: textbooks, and transportation.

: Part-time students with :
: disabilities, however, receive up :
: to $2,800 per program year. :

: are located in Room 2740 at the :
: New Westminster campus and
: room A1030 at the David Lam

: campus. Both operate Monday
: to Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

: starting at 9:30 a.m.

: Society,” which she states, “has a :
: number of great tools available:
: to help build a budget and

: prioritize.”

StudentAid BC sets a

$510 per week, while those
without dependants receive

 

The Financial Aid offices

with Wednesday office hours

   

Image from Thinkstock

 

Women’s Centres staffed again at Douglas

» Leanne Monks discusses planned International Women’s Day events

Angela Espinoza
News Editor

Mi news
= @theotherpress.ca

fter a yearlong hiatus,

the Douglas College
Women’s Centres once again
have student staffing. As of this
year’s winter semester, Douglas
student Leanne Monks has
been employed as the Women’s
Centre student assistant.

“With everything
happening, I think that being
vulnerable and having a place
to be vulnerable is the best way

New Westminster and David
Lam Women’s Centres since
January.

In association with the
Douglas Students’ Union,
Monks will be hosting an
event this week in honour of
International Women’s Day,
which is held annually on
March 8.

“The point of International
Women's Day is to recognize
that the women’s community
stretches beyond your friends,
beyond your school ... the
world is our community. Being
aware of that is not only a

: responsibility, but it’s also a
: support, to understand that we
: have each other’s backs.”

This year’s International

: Women’s Day event will be

: celebrated with a clothing

: swap, where donated clothes

: and shoes will be put out for

: students to trade and keep.

: Afterwards, a fashion show will
: take place for students to show
: off their new outfits.

“We don't have a lot of

: money as students, so let’s share :
: clothes,” said Monks. “We don't :
: havea lot of time, but let’s find
: out what we have in common

: and have some fun once ina

to be creating community,’ said} while

Monks, who's been running the :

“We considered doing a

: fundraiser, [but] we decided

: that because our purpose was

: encouraging community ... I

: think that, from the Women’s

: Centre, we want to start with a,
: “Yes, there are scary things and
: horrible things in the world,

: but we can support each other,
: and so that’s why we decided to
: make the [clothing swap] a free
: event.”

Monks stressed that the

: Women’s Centre as a student

: service should be a major focus
: of the college. However, while

: the Women’s Centre’s main

: purpose is to provide safe spaces :
: for students in need, Monks

: explained that there should

: also be attention placed on the
: lighter things in life.

: International Women’s Day
: events are about informing

: people about the atrocities

: that happen all over the

: world against women, about
: global issues, issues in the

 

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Gently used clothing:-ca
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Photo by Angela Espinoza

: in the concourse. The event

: will run from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m.

: with refreshments and speakers
: planned throughout the day.

: The Women’s Centre hours
: run from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

: every Monday to Friday. Staffed
: hours at New West are on

: Mondays and Tuesdays from 8

: a.m. to 12 p.m. and at the David
: Lam campus Fridays from 1

: a.m. to 5 p.m.

community about equality.

: I think that those things are

: really important, I think that

: it’s important to have the ‘No

: Means No’ campaign,” but

: Monks added it’s important to
: have time for fun as well.

: The International Women’s
: Day “Coffee House, Fashion

: Show, and Clothing Swap” will
: be taking place on March 5 at

: the New Westminster campus

“I know a lot of