What students want, what Appalachian doesnÕt

COMMENTARY - Brian Stevens

Over my years at Appalachian, I have encountered many incidents where it seemed as though Appalachian was holding me back from feeding my hunger for knowledge. Simply put, Appalachian is guilty of concentrating less on broadening studentÕs knowledge.

It seems like just yesterday I was walking down to D. D. Dougherty to meet with my academic advisor concerning my first semester at Appalachian. Scheduling my first semester was a breeze until it came down to putting in a math. Being a Psychology major, I am only required to take Math 1010. Even after looking over my test scores and SAT scores, which should have been adequate, my advisor wouldnÕt give his consent for me to take Calculus 1. Dismayed by the fact that I would have to take math that I had seen in high school, I went to the math department to talk to the chair. The whole issue was resolved and I was placed into calculus.

Although almost none of my major has to do with calculus, I personally feel more fulfilled after having taken calculus. I started to wonder why did my advisor want to put me in a class that would have surely been an easy A for me. Soon, I was able to put two and two together.

When students make good grades, it makes Appalachian look better. By taking a more challenging course, I was increasing the probability that I would receive a lower grade. By this rationale, Appalachian is clearly placing more emphasis on higher student grades than higher learning.

Although the importance of academic advisors is evident when a senior comes in with only half his requirements filled, conscientious students should have greater control over what classes they take.

I feel as though many of the introductory courses at Appalachian are unnecessary. Why would anyone want to spend 3 or 6 credit hours of their academic life taking a course that gets them nowhere in their major?

Amazingly, I was allowed to skip Statistics 2810 a year later and take 3820, with no significant prior exposure to statistics. It was tough, considering the first week of class I thought p was 3.14 and none of my problems worked out. However, things did pan out and I came away with a B+.

It seems like a waste of time to take a course that would prepare you for a course you can already handle. Many of my friends have been infuriated by the fact that they have to take a beginning level in a language before taking the intermediate level required for their major. While not every student who requests to skip introductory levels is capable of making good grades, some are and should be given the chance to do skip beginner courses. Appalachian should take into consideration students past performances when a request is made to skip a class. ShouldnÕt Appalachian trust students who have performed well in the past?

Maybe Appalachian doesnÕt fully take into account a studentÕs hunger for knowledge. For example, during the fall and spring semesters, the computer lab is open 24 hours a day. However, if youÕve ever been in the computer lab this summer at 9:55 p.m. you know the groans that come at closing time. ItÕs not uncommon to hear a student exclaim ÒCrap, IÕve got to turn in this paper tomorrowÓ.

During the school year, I have spent a few nights studying or working on a project in the lab; only one person was in charge of running the lab during this time. It may be hard to find someone to work those hours, but Appalachian should really look out for their students.

Although it may sound as though I am anti-Appalachian, I am not. These are merely some areas where I have been less than satisfied and have had to take the extra effort to remedy. There are opportunities to expand your knowledge, but one must be prepared to look for them. I encourage you to find them.

Brian Stevens is a staff writer. He can be reached at: theapp@appstate.edu.