Photo by: Will Gentry
A new program called SALT is giving students at Oklahoma Christian University the opportunity to track their finances.
Clint LaRue, director of student financial services at Oklahoma Christian, will bring clarity to students’ financial situations through the launch of a service called SALT.
SALT is a product of a non-profit organization called American Student Assistance. ASA has been the most successful federal loan guarantee agency over the past 50 years at keeping students out of loan default.
SALT is a multichannel educational program that spans financing higher education and successful management of student loans, through the many financial decisions that students face after they leave school. SALT ultimately aims to educate and empower individuals to truly own their finances.
“About a year and a half ago, I first learned of their new product, SALT,” LaRue said. “I had been looking for several months for some type of product we could make available to our students to assist them with virtually all aspects of their financial lives.”
Once students activate their SALT accounts, the features will allow them to access a plethora of money saving strategies.
Students and recent alumni will have access to ASA’s student loan counselors via phone. To help promote the program, LaRue has come up with a couple incentives to generate interest.
“In order to encourage participation, students who activate their membership and complete at least one interactive lesson of their choice by Friday, March 15 will be entered into a drawing for a new iPad as well as various gift cards,” LaRue said.
In addition to the drawing, there will also be a competitive incentive that certain groups can benefit from as well.
“We will also sponsor a competition between residence halls and apartment phases to see which residence hall or apartment phase can have the highest percentage of students activate their account and complete at least one interactive lesson,” LaRue said. “The winning residence hall or apartment phase will receive a free pizza party.”
Junior Roxie Gonzalez said that SALT is intriguing and could help students.
“It seems like a good program,” Gonzalez said. “It will help students eventually get out of debt and manage their money responsibly.”
Senior Adam Doyle said the program could be a huge asset for the students and recent alumni to possess.
“It’s interesting,” Doyle said. “I especially could use something like SALT since I do attend a private school.”
Oklahoma Christian tries to keep students in mind.
“In short, as demonstrated in OC’s recent pricing announcement, OC’s administration is very concerned about affordability and our students’ financial well-being,” LaRue said. “We believe our partnership with ASA to bring SALT to our students will be a wonderful asset for those students who take advantage of it.”
Today, President deSteiguer announced Oklahoma Christian’s partnership with ASA to make SALT available to the whole student body and the school’s recent alumni free of charge.
To find more information about SALT e-mail Clint LaRue at clint.larue@oc.edu, visit www.asa.org, or follow SALT at Facebook.com/SALTMONEY and onTwitter at @SALT_MONEY.
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