| OCR Text |
Show Monday, September 18, 2000 Editorial- -VIEWPOINT We want a piece of your mind I 'wlilie discourse is crucial in a diverse society, especially on a university campus where knowledge and idea sharing are expected. This idea of idea sharing is not lost on the student-run newspaper. That's why 77ie Sigiposl is happy to serve as a forum for people on both sides of important issues like student evaluations, the nontradi-tional student lounge and tuition hikes to express differing and varied viewpoints. With issues like these already, this year is shaping up to be a doozy for public discourse on campus. All of these issues are hot topics on Weber State University's campus right now and all of these issues are being covered heavily by The Signpost in an effort to inform the WSU community. People agree or disagree with positions taken by The Signpost and there has been a welcome response to articles and opinions printed in the newspaper so far this year. Access to student evaluations of faculty has been responded to both positively and negatively. Many believe it Would benefit students if those records were open and others do not believe they should be public. The Student Senate has taken the question and presented it to students in different forums like random polls and area councils. People are talking about it and discussing it in depth. Both sides of this argument have very valid points. The most important thing that has come out of this debate so far, however, is the debate itself. People are talking about issues, expressing their individual views and getting involved in public discourse. One form of public discourse is letters to the editor. In this issue of The Sigiyxist alone, there are six letters to the editor. Three are about the "Viewpoint" from Wednesday. The position taken by TlieSignjxist about the nontraditional student lounge is not supported by the people involved with the lounge, but the article incited talk about the lounge all over campus, both good and bad. The lounge has many supporters as well as critics, but many are only talking about it because of the article. This expression is important to have on campus among students, faculty, staff and community members. It is through this expression people can be informed about things, such as tuition, that will affect them. Proposed tuition increases have the attention of many this year. WSU students can't afford school now, much less with a 10. percent tuition hike. With the threat of numbers as high as 25 percent increases, students have spoken out against such an increase. Interest has been shown from WSU in particular as the only school regularly represented at the Tuition Task Force. Other schools have had reporters or an occasional student body president, but WSU has had at least three to six students attending these meetings and getting involved. In turn, these students come back to campus and raise awareness and energy about the issues. This awareness raising and public discourse is as important on a university campus as textbooks and professors. People come to WSU to learn and grow. While hitting the books and studying are important, so is simple communication with others. Public discourse encourages people to learn more than any textbook ever could, and will be used in day-to-day life, unlike some textbook information. The Signpost's purpose on campus and in the WSU community is to inform and incite public discourse, so imperative to an informed society. So whether one agrees with positions in the newspaper or not they shouldn't let the issues fall on blind eyes. Read the paper, discuss the issues, form opinions, and write a letter to the editor telling others what vou've decided. The Signpost N I V Editor in chief Lisa Roskelley 626-7121 Managing editor Tanna Barry 626-7614 News editor Mark Gray 626-7655 Campus affairs editor Wes Hanna 626-7659 Editorial page editor Preston McConkie 626-7105 Special assignments Leo Tyson Dirr 626-7621 Features editor Melissa Mikesell 626-6358 Sports editor Jose Carvajal 626-7983 Copy editor Leslie Sutton 626-7507 A&E co-editor Wyatt Brockbank 626-7624 A&E co-editor Sari Dewsnup 626-7624 Graphics editor Ryan Rogers 626-6358 Photo editor Tim Eisenbrandt 626-7661 Advertising manager Brody Purser 626-6359 Online editor James Berghout 626-7105 Secretary Georgia Edwards 626-7974 Adviser Dr. Sheree Josephson 626-6164 Publisher Ty Sanders 626-6558 Signpost fax 626-7401 Tne Signpost Is published every Tuesday during the summer semester. Subscription is S9 a semester. Tne Sgrosi is a student publication, written, edited and drafted by Weber State L'n!ers:ty students. Student fees partially fund the pnntmg of this publication. 0p-rons or positions voiced are not necessanly endorsed by the university. Sgnpost welcomes letters to the editor. Letters must include name, address, te :c'",one number and the writer's signature. Anonymous letters will not be pnr.ted. r-e J'"pesr reserves the nght to edit letters for reasons of space and libel and a0' reserves the nght to refuse to pnnt any letter. Letters should not exceed 350 -.j;::s. B;ing letter to the editorial office in SUB 267. mail to: The Sgnpost. Vveber Suite University, Ogden. Utah 844GS-Z1 1 0. Attn: Lisa Roskeiiey, or e-mail lrvSe;le cweber.edu. tMmmrt S ( A colon care, is mfsZA VjrJS V G ON THE. GCEKNOS i. ML "i 1 " ,au 5 . v -o -? SPIN LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Nontraditional center for special needs In response to the Viewpoint in the 913 Signpost concerning the Nontraditional Student Center, let me clarify some issues. I have had questions in the past few days about our mission, our services and programs, and our funding. In spring semester, 2000, 1 held focus groups with nontraditional students, student affairs professionals, and faculty. I asked students what special challenges and needs they have as nontraditional students. Some responses were that they struggle trying to balance the demands of school, work and family. Other responses were feelings of inadequacy in returning to school after many years. I also asked students what they would like to see included in a Non-traditional Student Center. Students answered primarily that they would like a quiet place to study. Other responses were a place to refrigerate a lunch, a location in which to meet other nontrad students, more family activities, a desire for peer mentors, and information about campus resources. From these responses, the Nontraditional Student Center was planned. Here is our Mission Statement: 'The mission of NonLraditional Student Programs and Services is to provide educational and social pro-, grams and resources and referral sendees to help students balance college, work, and family. The goal is to enrich nontraditional students' educational experience by connecting students to academic and student services and providing a common place for students to meet and build support networks." We are addressing students' needs with family activities. In our brochure, we have a list of family activities planned for the semester. Some activities are sponsored by the Nontrad Center, and for other activities we collaborate with the family programming chair in Student Activities and the Junior Wildcat Club in Alumni Relations. Concerning funding, we are partially funded by private donations. We have received furniture, appliances, dishes and toys. The computers and printer we have for student and employee use were all procured through surplus from computing support and property control. The Student Fee Allocation committee funded $22,213 toward the Drop-in Child Care Center. No other student fees were allocated for the Nontrad Center. Programs for nontraditional students are not uncommon across the nation. Several universities have centers and programs of this kind. In addition, there are organizations for nontrad students, such as ANTSHE-Assoc. for Nontraditional Students in Higher Education. There are honor societies and scholarships specifically for nontrad students. I believe it is time that WSU nontrad students have programs and services geared toward them. And no, we don't check I.D.s, but we will have a Wildcard swipe like in the computer labs to track student use of the center. Come check us out for yourself at our open house today from 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. in Shepherd Union Building Room 220. Jennifer Grandi Vote conscience? As I walked to class early Wednesday morning. I noticed a table outside of the Social Science Building surrounded by students making a last ditch effort to register to vote. We are facing a crisis of faith when it comes to politics in today's world. When we look at the two major candidates running for what could possibly be the most powerful position in the world, we see two people who do not appeal to most young people registered to vote. After a brief conversation with a friend over who we would most likely align ourselves with in November, I've come to the conclusion that our poitical system is outdated and doesn't work for the people that it should be working for. My close friend stated that "essentially any vote not for Gore, is a vote for Bush." This after I suggested my possible vote for a candidate who was not as well known. This dis turbed me to the point where I became rather anxious over who I should cast my vote for this fall. Do I align with my consceince and vote on principle, or do I sacrifice a vote in order to keep someone I truly fear out of office? Then I began to wonder if this was something that other people are thinking about. Who is voting for Gore just in order to keep Bush out of office? Who is voting for Bush just to keep Gore out of office? The election this year is nothing more than a contest of who can outdo the other candidate in terms of advertisement. And that disgusts me. Both candidates talk about improving the environment, banning soft money, social security reform, gaining prosperity from free trade among other things, this isjust what we want to hear, we are being fed what we tiling we want. Here's what I want from my candidate. Honesty. Honesy and politics are an oxymoron. The two ideas don't go together espeicalfy in today's society. Politics today is all about who can talk louder and raise more money for their campaign. But I have yet to hear anything from the tow major candidates that compel me to vote. Why? Because, in all reality my vote is insignificant to them. Its estimated that over 100 million people will not vote this November, just for a lack of choice on the ballot, this lack of choice will not keep me from voting. This lack has only opened my eyes to the kind ofreform that needs to occur in today's political environment. I'm going to vote on principle. I feel that if I didn't I would be selling out to exactly what democrats and republicans want. Politicians be warned, this election year could very well mark a revolution in your world. People, like me, are beginning to see things for what they are. Things are going to change. SciraJx Rose Padilla j |
