New financial educator to help CU-Boulder students navigate money matters
Aug 22nd
In an effort to help University of Colorado Boulder students make smart financial decisions about their budgets, credit, school loans and other money matters, a new campus financial educator will be available to students beginning Aug. 26, the first day of fall semester classes.
The CU Money Sense program was created by the Bursar’s Office in 2009 to provide student financial workshops and other educational opportunities including “Money Smart Week,” according to Susie Jacobs, the program’s director.
“This year our program added a new financial educator position to provide our students with one-on-one education sessions,” Jacobs said.
Niomi Williams, the new financial educator, will offer the free one-on-one sessions in order to give CU-Boulder students — and alumni — a financial leg up in what can be a challenging chapter in many young adults’ lives.
“When I was a recent college graduate, I found myself with student loan and credit card debt and not enough income,” Williams said. “I didn’t know how to manage my finances, I was a mess. My goal in this new position is to help students steer clear of money mistakes and lay the foundation for a stable financial future.”
While all individuals’ needs will be different, Williams said students can request a one-on-one session with her to cover basic financial questions such as how to organize and budget money, a challenging task for many people. Or they can just come in to talk about other financial issues or questions they may have.
“For many students, college is the first time they have to really manage their money, everything from paying rent to understanding how much their student loan payments will be when they graduate,” she said.
Williams said she won’t be offering investment or tax advice, but she hopes she can help students excel in money management.
“Once I learned how to organize and control my finances, all the pressure and financial stress I had been feeling went away,” she said.
Students who don’t want to sit down with Williams can visit the CU Money Sense website at http://bursar.colorado.edu/cumoneysense. Students also can check out the Facebook and Twitter pages, or follow the CU Money Sense blog, all of which can be accessed on the main website. CU Money Sense also puts on several workshops throughout the school year on financial topics of interest to students, free of charge.
Upcoming CU Money Sense workshops include:
- “Money Matters Information Sessions,” Aug. 21-23, 3-4 p.m. in University Memorial Center room 247.
- “Best Money Apps and Websites for Students,” Aug. 27-28, at 3 p.m. in University Memorial Center room 353.
- “Intro to Money, Banking and Budgeting in Boulder for International Students,” Sept. 18, at noon in University Memorial Center room 425.
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Boulder expands grant assistance available for low- and middle-income home buyers
Aug 22nd
The City of Boulder has joined other jurisdictions in the Metro Mayor’s Caucus in making homeownership more affordable through a non-repaid grant available to low- and middle-income buyers.
The program provides a competitive 30-year fixed-rate mortgage with a grant for down-payment assistance equal to 4 percent of the mortgage amount. Income requirements are less than $91,100 for households of two or fewer persons, and less than $103,000 for three or more.
“This is a great opportunity for qualified individuals,” said Jeff Yegian, acting manager of the Division of Housing. “City of Boulder participation in this program adds another resource to make homeownership in Boulder more accessible to low- as well as moderate- and middle-income households.”
Other conditions for participation include:
- Standard loan guidelines must be met.
- Buyers must have a minimum FICO score of 640 (660 for manufactured homes), and a maximum debt-to-income ratio of 45 percent.
- Buyers must complete a HUD-approved homebuyer education class. The class currently required of buyers for the City of Boulder Permanently Affordable Homes program satisfies this condition.
- Purchasers must occupy the home as their primary residence, but they do not have to be a first-time homebuyer.
There is no limit on the property purchase price, although it should not exceed the lender’s loan approval amount. This program is intended for purchase of a primary home, and excludes refinance or purchase of a second property. Approved structures include single-family detached homes, condominiums, townhomes, duplexes and manufactured homes.
This program does not require repayment and funding is expected to continue through approximately December 2014.
A complete list of approved lenders and additional information for lenders who wish to become approved for the program is available at the City of Denver’s website,http://www.denvergov.org/oed/DenverOfficeofEconomicDevelopment/HousingAssistance/MetroMortgageAssistancePlus/tabid/444354/Default.aspx, or email Stacy Houston at stacy.houston@raymondjames.com.
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–CITY–
Sagan strikes again!
Aug 22nd
Cannondale Pro Cycling’s Peter Sagan Wins Stage 3 of the 2013 USA Pro Challenge
Lachlan David Morton of Team Garmin-Sharp Holds on to Leader Jersey
Steamboat Springs, CO (Aug. 21, 2013) – Stage 3 of the 2013 USA Pro Challenge took the riders on a 105.9-mile route from one iconic ski town to another – Breckenridge to Steamboat Springs. Highlighted by a solo breakaway from veteran rider Jens Voigt (GER) of RadioShack Leopard Trek, the stage came down to an all-out spring to the finish, where 2013 Tour de France Sprint Jersey Winner Peter Sagan took his second stage win of the race. Lachlan David Morton (AUS) of Team Garmin-Sharp crossed the line with the peloton, holding onto the leader jersey heading into day four of the race.
Sagan performs a wheelie for fans
“It’s always amazing to see what these guys are capable of,” said Shawn Hunter, CEO of the USA Pro Challenge. “Between the stellar riding and the enthusiastic fans, this has been an incredible race so far. The crowds at the 2013 USA Pro Challenge continue to be humbling – we don’t get the crowds that we do out of luck, it’s because of the leadership in these communities and the remarkable racing from these world-class athletes.”
Following an exciting and extremely competitive day of racing yesterday, the Pro Challenge began today in Breckenridge at 9,400 ft. After completing three neutral laps around town, the riders began the downhill ride, hitting impressive speeds, to the first Nissan King of the Mountains (KOM) competition at Swan Mountain. Under a blue sky filled with beautiful clouds, the race started with several attacks, but nothing stuck. With fans lining the tight switchbacks, the riders neared the top with attacks flying left and right. Edward King (USA) of Cannondale Pro Cycling pulled ahead and was followed over the top by Matt Cooke (USA) of Jamis-Hagens Berman p/b Sutter Home and Voigt.
Taking advantage of the climb, Joshua Edmonson (GBR) of Sky Procycling, Voigt, Villella, Tyler Wren (USA) of Jamis-Hagens Berman p/b Sutter Home and Serghei Tvetcov (MDA) of Jelly Belly p/b Kenda (USA) created a gap and pulled away from the peloton heading toward the first Clif Bar sprint of the day in Silverthorne.
With a downhill approach to the sprint line, the riders reached speeds of 50 mph as Tvetcov catapulted over the line to take maximum points, followed by Voigt and Wren.
Senior rider Jens Voight led a furious chafe to the finish line
At ages ranging from 21 to 41, the breakaway riders continued to work together through the Feed Zone heading toward the next Clif Bar sprint line of the day in Kremmling. Showing his power and speed, Villella crossed the line first, followed by Tvetcov and Voigt.
On a straight and long road to the finish, the break continued to increase the gap, which got up to five minutes at one point. At just more than three hours into the stage, Voigt pulled away from the other four in an attempt to set himself up for the stage win and after several hard days of racing, they just weren’t able to hang on.
Leading into the final Nissan KOM of the day at Rabbit Ears Pass, a category 2 climb, it was Voigt out front with the four chasers about two minutes behind and the peloton about two minutes behind them. Powering up the five-mile climb filled with fans who had been camping out all day, Voigt reached the top first, followed by his former breakaway companions Edmonson and Wren. Back in the peloton, the Jamis-Hagens Berman p/b Sutter Home riders ensured that current Nissan King of the Mountains Jersey wearer Cooke was set up to reach the top next to hang onto his lead.
On the descent, the chase was caught by the peloton, leaving only veteran rider Voigt out in front. But the final 10K would present a long, flat straight-away, where the peloton would have Voigt in their sight. With different teams taking turns at the front, they quickly brought the gap down and eventually caught Voigt.
“I was disappointed (about being caught), but it could have been worse,” said Voigt. “I gave it a go. I saw it coming a little bit, but I was still disappointed.”
The sprinters set up for the final dash to the line in Steamboat Springs and ultimately Sagan took the win, followed closely by Luka Mezgec (SLO) of Team Argos-Shimano and Ryan Anderson (CAN) of Optum Presented by Kelly Benefit Strategies.
“I’m very happy about my stage win today and I want to thank all my teammates because they did great work,” said Sagan. “For now I feel good and I think I can do well on these climbs.”
The jerseys remained almost unchanged with Morton retaining the Smashburger Leader Jersey and the Colorado State University Best Young Rider Jersey; Sagan holding onto the Clif Bar Sprint Jersey; and Cooke keeping the Nissan King of the Mountains Jersey. Voigt was awarded the FirstBank Most Courageous Rider Jersey for his amazing solo effort during the stage.
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