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Thursday, 26 October 2006 |
SGA in constant fight for longer library hours
Dear Editor,
When we ran for Student Body President and Vice President, we asked that every student hold us accountable. Among our central platform goals was the extension of library hours.
That
extension is as important to us now as it ever was, which is why we
began working on the extension in early June of this year.
We appreciate The Appalachian holding us accountable in your Oct. 12
issue, but we also want the student body to know that we have not been
sitting on our rears waiting for changes to happen on their own.
Mang Chang, our Director of Academic Affairs, has worked tirelessly
since May on this issue. We never expected having the library open
later would be an easy task, which is why we started early. We never
thought that we could walk in to the library and ask that they stay
open and the response would be an immediate yes. Budgets, employee
schedules and security are just a few of the issues that must be worked
out before hours are extended.
The Appalachian is correct in its observation that hours will not be
extended this semester, but this is not because this administration has
been idle.
We will not apologize for seeking a quality solution, rather than one that is reached in haste to meet an arbitrary deadline.
Please go to sga.appstate.edu for more information on what Mang and others have been doing to extend library hours.
Sincerely,
Forrest Gilliam, Student Body President and
Whitney Baker, Student Body Vice President
Appalachian’s priorities all wrong
Tonight there were lots of people in the library studying their butts
off. It was really cool and inspiring and even helps you study with all
that brainpower going around and all.
Anyway, we were all coming along great when all of a sudden, the
library closed! That’s right, we were told that we had 10 minutes to
pack up and get out. What the H.E.-double hockey-sticks?
So let me get this straight, Appalachian has money for night stars in
every dorm, a new sky walk, new baseball field and new cafeteria, but
they are shorting the library out?
It’s really a shame that Appalachian’s priorities are on eating and playing rather than studying!
Even now, during exam time, still, they continue to kick us out. I just don’t get it…what a disgrace.
Marissa Kish,
senior biology and ecology major
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Mountaineers’ reputation at stake
As an athlete, there is nothing more important than your fans.
They are there to offer support and encouragement. The same support
fans exhibit toward their team should be exhibited toward supporting
the overall atmosphere of the game for themselves and the visiting
team’s fans.
Appalachian has worked hard to become one of the top universities in
the country and was even considered as one of Time magazine’s Colleges
of the Year.
The core values and character of ASU that have been elevated to such a
high level must be reflected through ASU athletics. It is up to the
fans to behave in such a way that the class of the university is not
only preserved, but also promoted.
It is up to all of us to protect the game day atmosphere at Kidd
Brewer. We must join together to uphold the great reputation we have
here at ASU. We must remain the first class host that we have become.
We have built up a reputation nationally, and to destroy that reputation because of unwanted behavior would be futile.
Respect the game by respecting all fans, both our own Mountaineers and whomever our opponents may be.
GO APPS!
Matt Corbin
ASU Football #17
SGA Senator
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Listen to all sides first
I take exception to comments printed in the newspaper editorial section
that were made by Dr. Matthew Robinson. I question whether it is the
“job” of any professor to support any “truth” that is based upon
personal interpretation of presented information. It might be a better
approach to present the information without a slant or a bend and to
simply allow students to determine their own “truth.”
Presenting all sides to a debated topic is a more effective way to promote critical thinking and personal deliberation.
We all know that information can be presented in a manner supporting
either side of an argument if the one doing the presentation is skilled
at spin or omission of all related information.
A case in point would be the outcome resulting from the same piece of
information being presented by both FOX news and CBS news stations.
Same facts, different spin equal different interpretation and different
outcome.
We see this same practice in our courts of law. A prosecuting attorney
will present and interpret facts in his or her possession very
differently than a defense attorney. Each attorney will focus on those
issues of the case that offer greatest support to their stance and seek
to diminish or avoid those facts, which weaken or cast doubt upon their
stance.
As my grandmother once told me, “There are actually three sides to every story: his side, her side, and the truth.”
The final piece in helping our students to develop a civic mind and to
furthering public action is found in upholding the idea that students
will share differing points of view on a topic.
Deliberation is at the heart of our nation’s values. It was the model
at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia over 200 years ago. In
1787, each of those 55 delegates came together with different
priorities and many differing ideas on how to lead this nation and on
what our government should look like.
If active citizenship is going to be taught and encouraged, then we
must model tolerance for all views and value the process of
deliberation within our classrooms without insulting, belittling, or
bullying one set of opinions while upholding, praising, and “promoting”
another.
And as just as a point of correction, it is not the “conservatives” who
have control of the White House, Congress, and Supreme Court- it is the
Republicans. One may be conservative without having a particular party
affiliation.
Cinthia W. Pratt
Professor in the Department of
Sociology and Social Work
Students must unify and vote
I am disgusted by the blunt arrogance displayed by the Watauga County
Republican Party as reported in your column “Students: get involved
locally.”
The reason local republicans don’t want students to vote is an easy
one: A large body of progressive thinking, politically active students
could easily turn the balance of power in a small town like Boone.
It’s a fact that younger people tend to vote for more left-leaning
causes and candidates. Local republicans can’t handle this sort of
grave threat to their firmly entrenched “good-ol-boy” system.
Unfortunately, they seem to have let their wacky dystopian visions of
an apathetic, ignorant, and silent student populous seep out into the
press.
Instead of working harder to present their case and make the political
process relevant to a transient student population, they just sit back
and gripe about how us young whippersnappers have the audacity to
exercise our rights as Americans.
Now we as students have a job to do. The gauntlet has been thrown down,
and now the question is, are we going to tolerate this kind of
disrespect from those who are supposed to represent us?
Students of Appalachian State, get out and vote Nov. 7! Let’s show them exactly what our unified voice can do.
Chris Engler
senior graphic design major
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Further, why do you insult the residents (non-students) of Boone and Watauga County by implying they are too ignorant to know what's good for themselves by voting for Republicans if they so choose - and have? And what about all of those college students who, yes vote Democrat while in college turn into conservative Republicans after college? Have they somehow lost their guidance? Are they traitors to the cause de'jour? More likely than not, they realize that reality involves spouses, children, and responsibilities of which the liberal mindset simply cannot coexist with. So as sad as you may find it to be, you too may wake up one day in the years ahead and think to yourself - what was I thinking? We do dumb things when we are young and foolish because we were young and foolish. As an adult and a senior at ASU - you should know better.