TL..... hA:..L.:..r..... !'\..:I., T.......,.I.... A --;I 47 + 1nn'! CA LOCAL/STATETeMichigan Daiy-Tuesday Aprl17,201- 6tudents travel, study in sultry summer months By Shannon Pettypiece LSA sophomore Leslie Waddell is also travel arrangements. Corbin said the growing popularity of (Oakland University) cause the Universi Daily Staff Reporter planning on traveling abroad this summer "There's definitely been an increase of Europe as a summer destination for students doesn't offer physics here over the summe /A ty :r. Studying in a foreign country, doing com- mtjnity service, earning extra money or tak- ing classes in Ann Arbor are only a few of e plans University students have to make the most out of their four months without full-time classes. Crystal Rosser, an LSA sophomore, said she is spending her summer in Guatemala doing service work and learning Spanish. "Where is a Hispano-Mayan school over there and I'm going to be taking Spanish classes and doing community service," Rosser said. "I wanted to do something dif- ferent, something interesting." and hopes to gain a better understanding and appreciation for other cultures from her experience. "I hope to become fluent in Spanish and Spanish culture," Waddell said. Waddell said she chose Spain as her des- tination because she has experience in trav- eling there. "I've been there before and I really want- ed to go back," said Waddell. "I wanted to have some study abroad experiences there." Charlie Corbin, manager of STA Travel in the Michigan Union, said that in the past month there has been an increase in stu- dents who are looking to make summer students coming in as opposed to in March," Corbin said. "At this point Europe seems to be the most popular destination. ... Most people are flying into London, Paris, Madrid, and some into Prague." He said that for students, the type of vacation spent in hotels and in a single city has become less popular during the past 10 to 15 years. He added that students today traditionally spend their vacations in hostels and on trains traveling through many cities. "I think hostelling and Eurailing is get- ting more popular," Corbin said. "It gets handed down year after year." is a result of students wanting to have an adventurous experience while exploring a different culture. "I think people want to experience differ- ent cultures and broaden their horizons," said Corbin. Other students said they are planning on earning extra money or credits towards graduation either in Ann Arbor or their hometown. "I'm going to go home. I'm going to commute up here and am working in one of the labs up by North campus," said LSA freshman Nicole Larocca, who is from Waterford. "I'm going to take classes at Mike Rough, an LSA sophomore, said he is going back home to earn money while gaining work experience. "I'm just going back home to St. Louis and working. ... I've already got a job, it's at the hospital as an orderly in the O.R.," he said. Amy Hoag, the coordinator of internship services at the University, said the populari- ty of summer jobs has been growing consis- tently during the past years because of the unlimited benefits of the experience. "There really isn't a bad reason to have a summer internship. Even a bad experretce can tell you a lot about yourself and where you want to go in the future," Hoag said. IVlichigan college savings program has bumpy start as stock market drops steadily File it away LANSING (AP) - The first few months of U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers' new Michigan Education Savings Program account haven't gone exactly as he hoped. Rogers, who sponsored the college-savings plan as a state senator, selected the all-stock, all-the-time option when he set up accounts similar to 401(k)s for his two children. Then the stock market plunged. Andhis accounts sank too. The equity fund dropped 10.2 percent from its November start to April 1. gogers (R-Brighton), says he isn't worried that the first financial reports showed declining values. "This is a long-term investment for us," Rogers said. "I have every confidence in the world." The Michigan Education Savings Program is the state's version of college savings programs known as .2 plans. They offer families tax incentives to set ide money for higher education. More than 15,500 MESP accounts have been set up since the state launched the program in late November. Sandra and Bryan Wade of East Lansing set up an account through a payroll deduction plan offered by the state, where Sandra Wade works. They hope their 10- year-old son, Jeremiah, will make it through college without taking out loans. The Wades decided to go with an investment option that guarantees at least a 3 percent return. "I just felt more comfortable to have that steady come," Sandra Wade told the Lansing State Journal or a report yesterday. Programs similar to the Michigan Education Savings Program are offered in 38 states, and most of the other states will start them this year. Parents, grandparents or others can set up accounts with as little as $25. The funds, managed by the invest- ment firm TIAA-CREF, grow tax-deferred until the money is withdrawn for college costs. The goal is for the accounts to grow faster than the cost of tuition. But so far, the market hasn't been kind. Among MESP's investment options since the program began in late November: The managed-allocation fund, which shifts money into less-risky investments as a child approaches col- lege age, saw declines ranging from 0.20 percent for those born before 1984 to 12.8 percent for children born in 2000 or 2001. The all-equity fund has dropped by 10.2 percent. The guaranteed income accounts have grown by 1.5 percent. Financial experts say people with young children need to view the accounts as long-term investments. "I'm very high on 529s. There's sonic compelling tax benefits," said Pittsford, N.Y., accountant Joe Hurley, who tracks 529 programs on his website. "For a lot of families, this is the program of choice." Kathy Colby, an East Lansing financial adviser, said she recommends the MESP program to some of her clients and shows them how to request application kits through the program's Web site. "The parents keep control of the account. They get a little bit of a tax write-off," she said. "It's something easy to work with, something they can do at no cost." The MESP accounts offer an investment alternative to prepaid tuition programs, such as the Michigan Educa- tion Trust. The MET program allows parents, grandpar- ents and others to prepay for college tuition at public universities. Karen Wiborn and Darryl Rodgers sort tax returns yesterday at the state Treasury office in Lansing yesterday. The state had received 3 million of its expected 5.5 million returns. The deadline for filing tax returns was 11:59 p.m. yesterday. Jaye returs to Senate today afiterIm spending a night in jiai WANT.TO. WRITE FORTTHE DAILY ,DURING THE LONG, HOT SUMER. E-MAIL summer.news@umw.edu LANSING (AP) - State Sen. David Jaye plans to return to ses- sion today, four days after being charged in Florida with assaulting his fiancee, his attorney said yester- day. Robert Huth of Mount Clemens said the Washington Township Republican "hopes to continue his relationship with his fiancee," and said the couple plans to get counsel- ing. Jaye was booked and jailed overnight last Thursday on a misde- meanor charge of domestic violence battery after police responded to a 911 call on a reported dispute between Jaye and his fiancee, Sonia Koss. He was released Friday after she posted his $2,500 bond. Jaye, 43, told a Lee County (Fla.) sheriff's deputy that he didn't hit Kloss, 36. He plans to make a state- ment at 8:45 a.m. today in Lansing on the matter. While in the Lee County Jail in Florida, Jaye was attacked and needed 24 stitches to repair his injured ear, according to a report filed by sheriff's officials. He plans to get further surgery on his injured ear, Huth said. A jail inmate was charged with aggra- vated battery after witnesses said he struck Jaye because he thought the sena- tor was using the phone for too long. "He complains about a loss of hear- ing in that ear," Huth said. But he expressed optimism about the outcome of Jaye's problems. "David's faced adversity before," Huth said. "He's upbeat and is facing the situation." Jaye, who last year served 35 days in jail for drunken driving, was charged Friday in Florida with assaulting Kloss. She said then she would ask for the charges to be dropped. The Fort Myers, Fla., woman said she and Jaye plan to get married this year. Under Florida's domestic violence law, authorities could still try to prose- cute Jaye even if his fiancee doesn't want to pursue the case. p1 __________________________________________________________ Congratulations! The Handleman Company would like to welcome the following University Of Michigan graduates to the seventh class of the Management Associate Training Program in June 2001. Ryan Hicks Amber Muncey Go Blue! Handlerman m