The Ranger Online

Issue date: 4/4/08 Section: Opinion

Committee's plaque campaign flunks

The Shared Responsibility and Shared Success Committee is headed in the wrong direction.

Right now, members are working on posting plaques with inspirational quotes around campus. It is not a bad idea, but it is doubtful that signs will do anything to inspire students.

Students do not pay attention to what is on the walls now; and if they do notice signs and fliers, most ignore the messages they encounter.

Intramurals and extramurals sponsored by student life have suffered from low turnout for years despite advertising the events on every bulletin board around campus.

These inspirational plaques could be a nice addition to the college, but the committee needs to be realistic. Chances are the plaques will go unnoticed and serve only as expensive decorations.

The second project that the committee is working on is a new Web site that will provide students with strategies on how to succeed, how to take responsibility for their education and what services the college offers students who need assistance.

Having all this valuable information in one location would be a great benefit, but isn't that what Strategies for Success already does?

The committee's ideas on making the new Web site edgy by using the proposed address www.flunkmeplease.com is beyond distasteful.

It is surprising that a committee whose purpose is to promote greater student success would even consider such a name.

The name is ironic, but irony is a tricky literary technique that can backfire if used poorly.

The name certainty would garner student attention. It's insulting to students, especially the student who needs help.

It would repulse students from what could be useful.

Instead of playing with negative names that include flunking, the committee should stress the positives that such a Web site could produce.

If the committee wants to know what will attract positive student interest, they only need ask students.

Professionals in advertising, marketing and promotions know that a 50-year-old can't successfully masquerade as a teen or young adult. The professionals turn to teens and young adults for advice.

Bringing students into the planning and development of such a project is the best way to share responsibility and share success.

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Bureaucracy? More like bureaucrazy

During the week of spring break, the district approved a $7 tuition increase for each credit hour.

In addition, the district decided to consolidate all fees into one fee on the billing statement.

One of the fees consolidated was the library upgrade fee, which every student paid and was dedicated to this college's library to maintain a top-of-the-line facility and research archives.

In a story published in The Ranger March 14, James McLaughlin, vice chancellor for administration, said the district decided to eliminate all fees except for the general fee and student activity fee.

McLaughlin also said the district decided to do so because it was difficult to keep track of the 1,500 fees the district charged at five colleges.

Consolidating all fees into one to prevent confusion sounds great if the district intends to eliminate bureaucracy.

Unfortunately, it also sounds as if it will produce a lack of accountability.

A dedicated library fee went to the library.

Putting all funds in one big pool makes it more difficult to track the district's spending and budgeting behavior and equity among the colleges.

District officials have established a pattern of making decisions that affect departments without consulting or even informing those departments of their decisions.

When Palo Alto College and Northwest Vista College were opened, revenues from this college helped to fill the shelves of their libraries.

The district always claims to advocate transparency.

Ironically, its recent actions are exactly that, and we see right through them.

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Volunteer for fun, experience, service

Imagine the New Year's ball not dropping on Times Square or a Martin Luther King Day march not taking place in San Antonio.

Sometimes, we take for granted fun events that happen each year.

The college's Book Fair has been encouraging students to read, write and expand their minds every spring since 1996.

This year, however, the fair was canceled because of a lack of volunteers.

The fair can be salvaged, but events like the Book Fair take time, energy and planning.

Sometimes, students need to take part in events they enjoy to make sure they come to fruition.

Taking part in event planning and implementation can be even more fun than being a spectator.

Don't treat your college experience like an inconvenience you have to trudge through.

College life can be fun, involving more than going from class to class and never taking a moment to look around and see what else is available to you.

Students don't have to just take part in already-established events to have fun.

Many clubs come up with activities of their own they feel will attract student interest, such as the Chemistry Club's Mole Day to celebrate the mole, also known as Avogadro's number (6.02 x 10^23), and its contribution to chemistry.

Volunteer to bring back the Book Fair, help with Women's History Week - we still want a month! - or any of the other annual observations we have on campus.

Be creative and make the most of your time here.

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College needs to address traffic, safety

Many students have experienced waking up late in the morning and rushing to school to find a parking space. In the haste of things, you may forget to zip up your pants, tie your shoelaces, or even come to a complete stop at a stop sign.

Sure, a lot of people say, "I look both ways," or "I kind of stop" but that is not enough.

It seems many drivers are not taking the stop sign at Dewey and Belknap places seriously.

The Ranger reported that from 11 a.m. to noon March 6, 58 of 109 vehicles ignored the stop sign.

Not only should drivers be wary of this for their own safety but for the safety of others, especially when driving in an area with many pedestrians.

Many students cross Dewey Place to find an off-campus place to smoke, wait for someone to pick them up or walk to parking lots or off-campus parking.

In fact, one student was struck by a vehicle that did not make a complete stop at that intersection during the fall semester.

During the last round of renovations, the college should have added safe pick-up/drop-off areas at the edges of campus.

As we go through the sometimes painful process of expansion and hear the board begin talking about a new bond issue for a north central college, we hope administrators will address pedestrian safety.

The scofflaws at Belknap and Dewey need to be curbed. The district bought the block between Belknap and San Pedro Avenue years ago, but the signage has never been adequate.

The college is responsible for quality of life issues, and safety should be the No. 1 priority.

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