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12-15-2005

Page history last edited by PBworks 17 years, 5 months ago


 

December 15, 2005

ROMNEY AWARDS FREE TUITION TO 14,000 MASSACHUSETTS STUDENTS

Adams Scholarship helps make college more affordable for thousands of students

 

LOWELL – Governor Mitt Romney today congratulated over 14,000 Massachusetts high school students who qualify for four years of free tuition at any of the state’s public colleges and universities. These students were among the top scorers on the MCAS exam, and will receive letters early next year notifying them that they are eligible for the John and Abigail Adams Scholarship Program.

 

Romney made the announcement in a visit to Lowell High School, where 127 seniors got the good news.

 

“Paying for college is one of the largest financial challenges facing Massachusetts families,” said Romney. “For the second year in a row, I’m pleased to reward some of our most promising and hardworking students. When it comes to figuring out how much it will cost to send a son or daughter to college, the Adams scholarship will help ease some of that burden.”

 

Romney established the merit-based Adams Scholarship Program last year to reward the best and the brightest students, encourage them to go on to higher education in Massachusetts and help families with the rising cost of college.

 

“These scholarships not only provide an incentive for students to do well in school, but also help ensure more of our kids are prepared to compete in the global economy,” Romney added.

 

The Adams Scholarship Program is open to all public school students who score in the Advanced category in either the English or math section of the MCAS test and at least in the Proficient category on the other section by the end of their junior year. The students’ MCAS scores must also rank in the top 25 percent of their school district to qualify.

 

Last year, 13,251 Massachusetts public high school seniors were notified of their eligibility for Adams Scholarships. The preliminary data this fall indicate 3,360 of these students used their scholarships by attending Massachusetts institutions of public higher education. This is approximately a 25% participation rate.

 

The data on the communities of these students should allay concerns that the Adams scholarships would disproportionately benefit students from wealthy suburbs. The 10 communities with the most participating Adams Scholars are:

 

BOSTON

 

186

 

BROCKTON

 

75

 

WORCESTER

 

66

 

LYNN

 

44

 

QUINCY

 

41

 

WESTFIELD

 

41

 

LOWELL

 

39

 

PLYMOUTH

 

39

 

FALL RIVER

 

34

 

SPRINGFIELD

 

34

 

By contrast, the numbers of Adams scholars from the 10 wealthiest communities, as measured by median family income in the 2000 Census, are:

 

WESTON

 

0

 

DOVER

 

1

 

CARLISLE

 

0

 

SHERBORN

 

2

 

WELLESLEY

 

0

 

SUDBURY

 

3

 

BOXFORD

 

3

 

SOUTHBOROUGH

 

3

 

HARVARD

 

0

 

CONCORD

 

0

 

“The cost of a higher education should not prevent anyone from pursuing a college degree, but too often it does,” said Education Commissioner David P. Driscoll. “This scholarship opportunity takes away some of that concern for some of our best and most talented students. I congratulate each and every one of this year’s recipients on their hard work, and urge them to consider attending one of the state’s public institutions.”

 

“Lowell High School is an urban school and we have a number of students who don't have the economic means to go on to a four-year degree,” said Lowell High School Headmaster William Samaras. “Many have had to make the difficult decision of going to work first to save for college and the Adams Scholarship gives students the opportunity to advance their education right after graduation.”

 

Students who receive the Adams scholarship must complete their college program in four years or less and maintain a 3.0 grade point average. The average tuition is $734 at community colleges, $954 at state colleges and $1,618 at the University of Massachusetts. The scholarship does not cover fees or room and board.


 

December 15, 2005

HEALEY PUSHES TO GIVE PROSECUTORS TOOLS TO PROTECT CRUCIAL WITNESSES IN GANG CRIMES

 

 

HOLYOKE – Lieutenant Governor Kerry Healey today met with law enforcement, education and civic leaders to discuss issues of gang violence in the Springfield and Holyoke area. Back in February, Healey filed legislation to protect witnesses of gang crimes from dangerous or life-threatening situations.

 

Healey introduced two initiatives that will crack down on gang crime by giving prosecutors the tools they need to protect key witnesses and enabling them to bring charges against those who attempt to silence witnesses.

 

“Justice hangs in the balance unless critical witnesses can testify without the fear of retaliation,” said Healey. “We are sending a clear message to those who attempt to violate the law, justice will prevail.”

 

Under the proposed legislation, prosecutors will be able to seek punishment for those who attempt to influence and tamper with cases by intimidating potential witnesses. Anyone who threatens or injures a witness will face up to 10 years in state prison and up to a $5,000 fine. If serious bodily injury occurs, the sentence could be hiked up to 20 years and up to a $5,000 fine.

 

To encourage individuals to come forward and testify, the courts will be authorized to issue restraining orders to protect witnesses from defendants. Violating the restraining order will be a criminal offense, punishable by up to a $5,000 fine or up to 2½ years in the house of correction.

 

In addition, if the restraining order is compromised, the courts will have the power to order the defendant to wear a GPS tracking device as a condition of pretrial release. If the offender enters an exclusion zone, he will no longer be eligible for bail or pre-trial release. Any breach of the restraining order will carry a fine of up to $5,000 and imprisonment of up to 2½ years in a house of correction.

 

The proposal also cracks down on gang members who try to impede criminal proceedings by circulating grand jury testimony with the intent to intimidate witnesses from testifying at trial. The proposed bill will make the use of grand jury transcripts or minutes of testimony to carry out that purpose a crime punishable by up to five years in prison, 2½ years in the house of correction or up to a $5,000 fine.

 

The plan also calls for witness protection services for those who face serious threat or harm for testifying in gang-related cases. Prosecutors will have the authority to transfer witnesses and, if necessary, their families, to public housing facilities and provide public school relocations for children.

 

Suffolk County District Attorney Dan Conley, who testified in support of Healey’s legislation in August, said, “Make no mistake: intimidation has consequences that go far beyond the original victim or witness. This is a fight for the integrity of the entire criminal justice system, it’s a fight for civil rights and it’s a fight over who controls our neighborhoods – law-abiding residents or those who spread fear and violence. What Lieutenant Governor Healey has proposed should give heart to victims, to residents of neighborhoods most impacted by witness intimidation and to law enforcement. The state’s district attorneys are urging the Legislature to pass these measures quickly.”

 

The bill also creates a witness protection commission within the Attorney General’s office, comprised of the Secretary of Public Safety, the Attorney General and a District Attorney, which will oversee the witness protection program.

 

As a criminologist and former consultant to the U.S. Department of Justice in the 1990s, Healey extensively researched domestic and gang-related violence as well as victim and witness intimidation, identifying measures to improve practices throughout the criminal justice system.

 


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