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Show PACE 4 20, 1987 TUESDAY OCTOBER THE THUNDER8IRD mm STUDENT ACTIVITIES SHOULD SERVE ALL More tli tin $33,000 is pent ouch quarter on student activities. According to the breakdown of student fees paid eac h quarter, each student pays $8.25 for ac tivities sponsored by the ASSUSC Exec utive Counc il and $5 to the Student Center which also goes toward activities. With so mu' h attention toe used on activities, why are so few students taking advantage ot them? ASSUSC members devote many hours of their own time planning and setting up activities they leel will interest the majority of the student body. Committees are formed to plan, promote, and carry out activities which usually run smoothly. However, only a small percentage of the student body participates in the majority of campus events. A common student argument is the quality of the activities. Some feel that many campus events are geared only toward an elite group. An example is the homecoming opening day activities which took place on the upper quad. Of a student body of about 3,000, only a hunched or so participated. The EHunt, which was held last week, proved to be very discouraging to students not familiar with Cedar City. Those who complained said the Hunt was geared mote toward local students and new freshmen didn't have much of a chance to compete with them. One student said It wasn't even fun, they just mack1 us feel stupid because we couldn't figure it out." Such activities give students the idea that all activities are targeted to an elite few. When swjiiuch money is set aside specifically for student activities, students should be concerned about how it is spent and what kinds of activities are planned. Some students say that the majority of activities are juvenile and have already been done several times; that funds should be used for one or two activities instead of weekly repeats. The Thunderbird suggests that students who are unhappy with activitites and how fees are being used should take action and consult with student leaders. An input from the student body could help them plan now activities and place more emphasis on events that would be popular with the majority. Student leaders should look to serve a larger percentage of the student body, concentrating student tees on activities that can be enjoyed by the majority of the campus community'. events held in the past should give ideas for the types of events that would be successful in the future. If involvement continues to be a problem, less student money should be allotted to activities, and perhaps in areas that would affect a wider spectrum of the student body. low-turno- top-quali- ty ut Well-attend- low-stude- THfc srUDi-- nt T Nl s AND V tl Ot S )U U KN 1 A A VOLUME 82, NUMBER b O! 1( .L I bPR UM U 4 J i r iccess Students urged to get world viewpoint 'Access' is a recurring column through which members of the campus community may address themsehes to topics of concern andor interest. This weeks column is by RAJEEV BHASI, a business administration major and an international student trom Singapore. Well, it's another new school year, and we're all bar k for another three terms of football, basketball, and parties. In the midst of all this revelry, we must not torget what we really (at least for most of us) tame here for... a degree. We have the opportunity of putting those magic letters B.A. or B.S. after our names, showing the world just how wonderfully clever we are. Unlortunately, (at least for most of the people have talked to) we also have to do something that most teel they could do without general education. General education, that irritating but compulsory if we group of subjects that we have to complete of want tnat jnete paper." Now, don t get me wrong, am not against general education. In fact, personally think that it is a great idea (I can just hear the groans). However, it does need a bit of updating The main purpose of general education should not only be to give students a education but should help them become better aware of what is happening in the world around them The world ot today is changing so fast that many people are bewildered. We are leaving the industrial age of our parents and entering, what many people call, tne information age. Now you may ask yourself, just what this has to do with general education. Well II tell you. To survive in this brave new world," we need to know more than just our individual specialities. We must learn more about the people with whom ve share this world. With the advent of jet travel and large scale well-round- Editor Dann Mew art Associate Editor lisa lane Laird Copy Editor Mitch Connell Photo Editor Richard Engleman Sports Editor Tiltanie Florence Entertainment Editor Pawn DeBusk Senior Statf Writer AniuMU Pronins Production Manager Caun 'etc Neil Pennett Advertising Manager Unn Baker Faculty Adviser Larr .n and lor the student The Ihurik'rhird is published each Monda ot the academic s department body ol Southern Utah state College and is not attiliated with the CnMogo The views and opinions expressed m be buncerxrcare the opinions ot communication ot the publication's individual writers and do not necessanK reflect the views oi tin 1 he unsigned editorial di recti above institution, tac ulty, statt or student bodv in general a single entrtv Letters to the editor must be t ped IS the opinion ot The Ihjndvrbtrd and include the name and phone number Pnl the name will be printed Numes will circumstances and the editor reserves editing pmileues Letters under not must he submitted b noon Fridas tor inclusion in the following weeks edition ie fliiinit rhird editorial and advertising ottices m M si Lihrarv U I edar I its I'l H420 Phone hi n IH4 h UH Mail at si sc Box i satellite communications, the world has become a a very small place. Today, we are no longer group nations rather, interdependent but, of independent nations in which what happens to one nation has a serious if not traumatic effect on others. We can no longer afford to be insular in college. The general education program can prepare us with the world view which we need. What kind of subjects should the general education program emphasize? Computer literacy is definitely one. Courses on various world cultures Middle-Eas- t and Asia are emphasizing Russia, the also needed. General education requirements can help students gain an international perspective and tolerance. ask, what good learning all this is going for the average college student? Well let's face to do it. We are not living in a world where everything One might rosy. Many people are wondering where we are In a democratic society like the one in which we are living, the people can, on occasion, exercise a great deal of influence. Thus, the better informed we are, the better we can understand the issues! Not only from our viewpoint, but a bo tiom the viewpoint of another culture .This, it is hoped, will prevent misunderstandings from getting out of hand and foster a climate that will lead to a world at peace with itself. Idealistic? Perhaps, but we won't know until we try. To sum it all up, let's remember the words of the Jackson hit, "We are the Lionel Richie-MichaWorld," which tells us a fundamental truth about the world we live in. is headed. el |