weshop's Blog

An Oxford student has been convicted of downloading child pornography and has been placed on the Sex Offenders? Register for five years. However, the student continued to study in Oxford for several weeks after his conviction and did not inform his college or the University.

The student, whom The Oxford Student has decided not to name, was convicted on 5th May on eight counts of possessing child pornography and sentenced to a three year Community Rehabilitation Order as well as being placed on the Sex Offenders? Register. Neither Oxford University nor the student?s college were aware of the conviction before being contacted by The Oxford Student.

A Senior Member of the college?s staff told this newspaper: ?We were not aware of this and we have to respect whatever process he was put through.? A spokeswoman for the University admitted it could not necessarily prevent convicted students from returning to Oxford: ?The way the criminal justice system works means that there is no obligation for a student to inform the University of any conviction.

?We do co-operate closely with local police but if a student is convicted outside of Oxford there is little the University can do.? When this newspaper spoke to the student, he confirmed he had been convicted and given the rehabilitation order. He added he had first been arrested 13 months before the hearing.

However he maintained: ?The sentence was excessive, I am considering appealing? Before The Oxford Student spoke to him, he had not been contacted by the University or his college over the matter. The student had been charged under the Criminal Justice Act 1988, Chapter 33 Section 160: Possession of an indecent photograph of a child.

At the hearing, where the student pleaded guilty, his lawyer, Mr Smith [name has been changed], said that his client had been downloading images from websites like ?Gay Teen? for three or four years but stressed that he had not been seeking child pornography and would often have been looking at males who were only two years younger than himself. However the presiding District Judge rejected claims that the defendant had stumbled across the images by accident.

He said: ?Those files are there because he selected them and there?s what looks like an eight-year-old boy among them. ?There?s no doubt into what waters your client was fishing, Mr Smith.? The Oxford Student understands that at a preliminary hearing, the student did not enter a plea. Sentencing the student, the Judge said: ?These photos are not large in number. Some are grotesque, all are revolting, and now, at the 11th hour, you have admitted that you sought them out and downloaded them.? The student was told by the Judge: ?If you re-offend during this period [the three year Community Rehabilitation Order] with a matter of this kind you will be going to jail.? The order placed on the student allows for his case to be transferred between Oxford Probation Services and his local Probation Services as he moves between Oxford and his home.

Smith confirmed that his client?s Community Rehabilitation Order had been transferred to Oxford Probation Services whilst his client was in the city. For the initial period of the order, he has to report to a supervisor every week although it is subject to review after three months. The University Proctors? Office could not confirm or deny that they were dealing with the case, but Statute XI of the university regulations states: ?43. (1) If a student member has been convicted of a criminal offence of such seriousness that an immediate term of imprisonment might have been imposed (and whether or not such a sentence was in fact imposed on the student member) the Proctors shall refer the matter to the Disciplinary Court which may ... expel the student member from his or her membership of the University or impose such lesser penalty as it thinks fit.? The offences of which the student was convicted are of such seriousness.

The student told this newspaper he intends to stay in Oxford and complete his degree, however a senior source within the University have told The Oxford Student it is likely he will be sent down. The University would not comment specifically on the case, but a spokeswoman said: ?If a student was perceived to be a danger to other students, it would be something the University Marshall would have to take a decision on.?

Gianfranco Fracassi is the webmaster of two popular free stuff web sites. You can find many subjects that will interest you. Check out his web sites at: http://www.isjustfree.com or http://www.freestuff4net.com

If you?re considering going to university, there is a strong chance that you?re also contemplating taking out a student loan to fund your university expenses. Student loans don?t have to equate to student debt and if you plan your finances, it is possible to get by without student loans and possibly even profit from them. There are many sites on the internet which provide downloadable student finance guides and online advice on how best to manage your finances. Moneynet offers a comprehensive student finance guide whilst the money section on support4learning is also a popular internet resource.

The first step to avoid financial dependence on a student loan is to consider taking a gap year to gain experience and earn money. This is a great opportunity to start saving for university and will give you funds to cover accommodation and bills without tapping into your student loan.

In terms of managing your personal finances, you could open up a notice savings account and invest your gap year earnings ? alongside a student loan, accruing interest on the total amount, but being disciplined so that you only ever tuck into your savings ? not the loan itself.

If you?re comfortable that you can timetable it ? you might consider a part-time job to help finance your studies, using your income to cover the majority of your expenses so that you can leave your bank savings alone. There will be times when you may have to make a withdrawal from your savings account, but if you leave the capital there as long as possible ? the more money you will make.

If you?re concerned about getting the maximum amount of interest on your loan, you could try doing a savings comparison search on the internet. Sites such as moneynet.co.uk ( http://www.moneynet.co.uk/banking-saving/index.shtml ) and reviewcentre.com ( http://www.reviewcentre.com/products2312.html ) allow you to compare different accounts alongside each other.

If you keep a tight grip on your finances, then it is likely that you will be in a strong position to pay off your loans when you graduate. Whilst studying, you might also be interested in conducting price comparison research for insurance and current accounts to ensure you?re getting the best deals. Don?t be seduced by high street offers of freshers? fair promotions ? collect as much information as you can, so you can make an informed financial decision. It?s also worth setting yourself up with online accounts which you manage through an account aggregation tool. Account aggregation allows you to manage your money online and can save you time, foot leather and bank charges. If you want to find out more about account aggregation, visit the Channel 4 website which offers a detailed guide. ( http://www.channel4.com/4money/banking/features/account_aggregation_161204.html )

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Additional student resources:

http://www.moneynet.co.uk/student-finance-guide/index.shtml

Stratford Douglas enrolled at the University of North Carolina in an economics graduate program in 1982. Five years later, he graduated with his Ph.D. in Econometrics. After taking three years to work for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, he joined the WVU College of Business and Economics as an Economics professor in 1990.

?For a country like this to function well, we all need to understand the basic institutions,? Douglas said. ?The market underlies much of what is changing in the world. Voting responsibly and participating in democracy the way we should is dependant on understanding economics.?

Dr. Douglas entered the world of economics after teaching at the high school level and taking a few years to see the world. Since joining the College of B&E, Douglas has brought his life experience together with his joy of teaching to make economics accessible to everyone.

?Many students don?t know why they need to know economics,? Douglas said. ?Most people can get through life without it, but it?s a point of view and a way of thinking that is helpful for a lot of people.?

In the 15 years Douglas has spent at WVU, he has won the B&E Outstanding Teacher Award three times, most recently in 2000. He has also been honored as Outstanding Researcher by the College of B&E twice.

'Somebody 19 or 20 needs to be motivated initially, but they show me how to teach once they are engaged,' Douglas said. 'Teachers make a difference in students? lives by example. I try to be accessible and relate what I?m teaching to what they see in the real world.?

Jonathan is a starving, struggling writer who aspires to work in public relations when he graduates from West Virginia University. He has worked in marketing with Advanced Internet and is currently a PR/Communications intern with WVU's College of Business and Economics. Bentz is also a stringer for the Associated Press.

Congratulations! Your child is in the last year of high school. It won?t be long now until you send him off to your alma mater or better yet, that prestigious private school. But wait! It is often tempting for a parent to select a college that is prestigious or one that is the least costly (neither one of these choices is bad in themselves). However, if the college does not meet the career goals or educational needs of the student, don?t fit a square peg in a round hole. You will just end up wasting money or making your child terribly unhappy.

If your child is looking to go directly into a skilled profession, a technical or community college may provide him the skills he wants. However, if he is looking to go into a profession that requires a four-year commitment, he needs to go to a four-year university. You need to talk with your child about what he is looking for in a college and what his goals are for his career. Talk about about the learning and living environments and arrangements. Don't be afraid to talk about money concerns and financial aid. Read the literature from the colleges and universities. This is a very important decision. If you have these honest conversations early in the junior or senior year of high school, you will be so much further ahead when you try to make a final decision.

Public vs. Private Schools

? Public colleges or universities receive their primary funding from the states they are located in ? the other portion comes from tuition, student fees and endowments from alumni, friends and businesses. Students are eligible to receive federal financial aid, scholarships and loans.

? Private schools generally cost more because they do not receive the same primary funding from the state and federal government. Most of their funding comes from tuition and fees paid by the student or through endowments and contributions from alumni. Students are eligible to receive federal financial aid, scholarships and loans.

Technical Schools

Technical Schools are schools that provide job training or occupational training:

Career Training certifications (less than two years) ? Associate of Arts (A.A.) or Associate of Science (A.S.) degree

? Less costly than a four-year school

? Can be public or private

Community/Junior Colleges

Community/Junior Colleges are schools that provide students with a two-year program:

? Associate of Arts (A.A.) or Associate of Science (A.S.) degree

? Programs that can be transferred after two years to four-year schools

? Worker training and retraining certification programs

? Occupational and technical programs

? Less costly than a four-year school ? and that?s a big plus for some people.

? Liberal arts courses (psychology, sociology, math, English, foreign language, etc.).

? Enough training and education to enter directly into their chosen field.

? Can be public or private Some programs strictly prepare students in their career choice similar to a technical school.

Universities/Colleges

Universities/Colleges are schools that can award a two-year associate or four-year bachelor's degree:

? The Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) or Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degrees are the two most frequently awarded, but a variety of bachelor's degrees by other names are also granted. (bachelor's degree programs in some fields of study or at some institutions can be longer than four years).

? Broad selection of academic programs

? Advanced studies such as the master?s or doctorate degree.

? Four-year institutions cost more than two-year colleges (costs are based on tuition, room and board and student fees)

? Can be public or private

Another consideration: If your child needs academic remediation in certain subjects, make sure the institution will provide support so that your child will have academic success.

Karen L. Williams is the author of Preparing You and Your Child for College: A Black Parent's Guide and the author of the weekly blog College Guide for Parents http://www.collegeguideforparents.blogspot.com

Today?s college textbooks are undoubtedly unaffordable for many categories of students who study in superior educational establishments throughout the United States. The overall prices of curriculum-required, extensively used college textbooks are rising continuously, determining increasingly larger numbers of students to stop attending to classes and even turn away from college and university for good. According to statistics, college textbook prices haven?t ceased to rise since 1986, the costs of such products tripling over the last two decades. Recent estimates also indicate that students at four-year schools spent around $900 for their required textbooks and other similar study materials over the period of the 2003-2004 school year. Due to the exaggerated costs of college textbooks, more than 60 percent of students in the United States can?t afford to buy all the course materials they need, and thus fail to pass their exams and even fail to graduate from school.

Although they haven?t paid the right attention to the phenomenon in the past, government representatives and faculty chairmen have recently initiated various projects that focus entirely on reducing the prices of college books. Hoping to put an end to the pronounced crisis behind college textbooks, state legislators are also currently developing new sets of specific laws that aim to bring down the prices of study materials. This year, more than 40 bills and resolutions will be gradually introduced in around 15 states. According to the National Association of College Stores, other states have also promised to take proper action in order to make textbooks affordable to all categories of students.

States are following various approaches in their effort to cut down the prices of college textbooks, developing different solutions according to their available resources. For instance, the states of New Jersey and Illinois have initiated multiple rental programs, while the states of New York and Maryland are focusing on exempting the prices of college textbooks from the local sales tax. In addition, the government has decreed that all state faculties respect a series of norms and regulations. Thus, the state of Virginia doesn?t allow college and university faculties to accept publisher interests, the state of Washington imposes school faculty chairmen to only use low-price study materials, and the state of Connecticut imposes that college textbooks publishers disclose the prices of such materials to faculties.

While these initiatives have been successfully embraced in some American states, certain faculty chairmen find the solutions provided by the government inefficient and offensive, stating that the laws should primarily target textbook publishers, not faculties. However, due to the existing set of interstate commerce laws, legislators can?t directly sanction publishers and try to solve the costs problem by requiring faculties to respect certain specific rules instead. Furthermore, government representatives have stated that the recently proposed programs and initiatives are only temporary, as it is very difficult to find a permanent solution for the problem of high college textbook prices in present. Perhaps the following months will bring better prospects in taking care of these issues once and for all.