By BRITTANY WALL

Staff Writer

Though James Govan tackles many tough subjects daily in his classes, the main question he asks people every day is "How may I help you?"

Govan, a junior architecture major, works part-time at a local Subway eatery and is a full-time student. He is also a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.

"I have to work to pay my bills because I stay off campus," Govan said. "Even with the refund check I get, I still have to work to make sure I pay for all of my utilities and am able to buy groceries."

This trend has extended past upperclassmen and moved its way to the younger students entering college as well.

Elizabeth Ales, a freshman architecture major, said she works three jobs, one as an on-campus student worker in the graduate school office.

"I work three jobs so that I can pay my bills and still be able to enjoy myself," Ales said. "I could probably just work one to get my bills paid, but then I wouldn't have any money left over to do anything else."

Even though these jobs have nothing to do with their plans for their future careers, both students agreed that having these part-time jobs have extreme benefits.

"The money is good," Ales said. "The money I make working is the reason that I am able to be in school here in the first place."

But some students believe that having a job and going to school full time is often more harmful than helpful.

"It's nice to have money in your pocket, but it can take away from your studies," Corey Crooks, a freshman electrical engineering major, said. "I know a lot of people who worked and studied so much that they just got tired and quit their job and school."

Govan said being able to work and study is only possible with proper time management, but he said he agrees going to school and working a job can take its toll on a student's academic and social life.

"It's really stressful," Govan said.

"You manage your time the best way you can, but sometimes you wish you could just study instead of having to go to work. I don't get to see a lot of the end results of the programs I coordinate for my fraternity because they take place in the evening and that's when I work."

Although Ales works a multitude of jobs, she said she does not let anything get in the way of her studying or her social life.

"My manager lets me study at work because I would be up to all hours of the night if I didn't," Ales said. "I get off work at 9 at night, so when I leave work I just go out then. I mean, you have to have fun."

With all of these students working to stay in school, one has to wonder why it has become such a necessity for students to work just as hard for their paycheck as they do for their grades.

Is tuition at Tech too expensive?

"It would help if it was cheaper," Ales said. "But college tuition is too high period, no matter where you go."

Yet, Govan said he believes the tuition is a small price to pay for the education he is getting in return.

"I really don't think it's too high," Govan said. "It would help if it was lower, but I understand why it is the price that it is. If you look at all the things we get on campus it seems like they use the money we pay them to benefit us.

"They could probably be a little more efficient with some things, but I think it's worth it."