Georgia State University News & Events

University Relations Tip Sheet - March 5, 2009

Paying for college tuition in an economic downturn
At Georgia State University, as at colleges and universities across the nation, a greater number of prospective students are applying for federal financial aid during this economic downturn. More applications mean more competition between students for the limited federal dollars. Louis Scott, director of financial aid at GSU, suggests students turn in their FASFA (Free Application for Student Federal Aid) as soon as possible. GSU’s priority deadline is April 1. He also recommends searching for scholarships to bridge the gap. “Check online and check with your high school, local civic groups, your church, your parents’ employer or your current employer. Apply for as many as you can and hopefully you’ll receive one,” Scott said. GSU’s Office of Financial Aid is available to help students and families fill out the FASFA, which with over 100 questions can be daunting. To speak with Scott, contact Liz Babiarz at lbabiarz@gsu.edu or 404-413-1356.

State, university to promote problem gambling awareness
Georgia State University’s Pathological Gambling Intervention Project is collaborating with the Georgia Department of Human Resources and the office of Gov. Sonny Perdue to reach out to those impacted by problem gambling during National Problem Gambling Awareness Week March 1-7. Problem gambling occurs when someone’s gambling adversely affects a person’s well-being, including relationships, family, financial standing and career. This may lead to compulsive gambling - a psychological disorder where a gambler has become preoccupied with gambling to the point that he or she has lost control over it. Youth and college students represent two of the fastest growing populations of problem gamblers, said James Emshoff, director of the Georgia State Pathological Gambling Intervention Project. “With youth, problem gambling has increased due to the prolific nature of gambling in our society, which has not only increased in terms of tolerance and acceptance, but also glorification,” Emshoff explained, noting the popularity of televised poker tournaments and its impact on American culture. To speak with Emshoff, contact Jeremy Craig at 404-413-1357 or jcraig@gsu.edu.

Same-sex marriage debate raises issue of government intrusion
With a vote on same-sex civil unions tied up in the Hawaii Legislature and gay marriage still a hot topic in California, the debate is unlikely to fade away anytime soon. It’s an issue that indicates a high level of government intrusion into individuals’ personal lives, says Georgia State associate professor of political science and philosophy Peter Lindsay. “When we think of what governments should legitimately do — provide police and fire protection, build roads and lighthouses, defend borders — the idea of sanctioning marriage immediately sticks out as an anomaly, all the more so for those who wish to keep government’s activities to a minimum,” says Lindsay. To speak with Lindsay, contact Lisa Spires at 404-413-1353 or lspires@gsu.edu.

Happenings at Georgia State University

Georgia State hosts symposium on grandparents raising grandchildren
Georgia State University’s National Center on Grandparents Raising Grandchildren will host a symposium focusing on information and resources addressing the needs of grandparent caregivers and grandchildren March 10-11. The Second Symposium of Grandparents Raising Grandchildren, to be held at the Hyatt Regency in downtown Atlanta, will assist advocates for grandparents and other relatives who raise children - sometimes in difficult family situations - and will help set the course for future directions in the field. The symposium comes at a critical time for service agencies, advocates, as they work to make sure resources like health care and financial assistance for caregivers are kept intact during the current economic downturn. To register, visit http://chhs.gsu.edu/nationalcenter/. For more information, contact Jeremy Craig at 404-413-1357 or jcraig@gsu.edu.

School of Music presents Jazz Guitar Summit
The Georgia State School of Music presents its Jazz Guitar Summit with performances by 13 Atlanta-area guitarists at 3 p.m. March 15 at Kopleff Recital Hall, 10 Peachtree Center Ave., Atlanta. Tickets are $5 to $15, and proceeds go toward jazz scholarships at Georgia State. For more information, call 404-413-5901 or visit www.music.gsu.edu.

Usery lecture will reflect on the measurement of economic activity
Katharine Abraham, former commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics and a leading researcher on the measurement and analysis of economic activity, will be the keynote speaker at the 2009 Fifth Annual W.J. Usery Distinguished Lecture at 2 p.m. March 12. Abraham, a professor of economics at University of Maryland, will discuss her paper "What We Don't Know Could Hurt Us: Some Reflections on the Measurement of Economic Activity" at the lecture, which will be held in the 7th floor seminar room in the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, 14 Marietta St. For more information, contact Leah Seupersad at lvh@gsu.edu or 404-413-1354.

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