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Show OpiniOIlS February 8, 1994 The Little Things On Campus That Really Annoy Me Forum cart people? Why cant they walk? The chiming ofthe clock.DocsA-.Ylsn- haveasignificantmeaning? How about 6:47 p.m.? For the longest time the Converse bell tower was ringing at the weirdest times. I. Brian Pilling Forum Staff Writer always hoped that the beautiful array of dings caning from the highest part of Westminster was symbolic of sane great time in our past. Something that commemorated a profound achievement Nope. It merely seemed to be that the timerwasjustalittleoff. At least this semester youcantellwhenitis noon and when There were several reasons I chose to attend Westminster. The small classes, the friendly yet professional teachers, the barrage of phone calls and letters I received prior to high school graduation. Because of all the itis7:00pjn. positive thingsabouttheschool,ittookawhile for the negative to hit me. When I walked through the campus the first day of school, I was really pleased with my choice. The campus was small and accessible. I lived close enough toWestminster that I could walk to school, thus eliminating the daily task of finding a parking spot, which I understand takes a little detective work, timing, faith, and a whole lot of creative driving. The clocks inConverse. WaDdngthough Converse is like interruptingsome space-tim- e continuum. Hey Bob, wasnt it just five after? Well Jim, Im not too sure. This clock says that its ten to. Whats the deal? Was ita hard concept to realize that, as the clocks were being set, time kept going as you walked from room to room? Itwasfuntoplay time travelers in grade sclool, but this is just After attending Westminster a few semesters, I am still happy to be here. However, there are just a few minor things about the school that really bother me. I have compiled a small list of things that I need to get off my chest. The golf cart people. I understand that the campus is so HUGE that it might take all of FIVE MINUTES to get from Gore to Carleson, but are the golf carts really necessary? The scariest thing in the world is to be walking down the sidewalk only to hear the soft purr of a motor as what lodes like a giant inflatable egg pulls up along side of you. These people are on a mission, and heaven forbid you get in their way. This makes me wonder how many innocent pedestrians are killed each semester. Just who are these golf weekly treat to watch Professor Woolf as she balances cm a chair, clock in hand, asking for the exact time, why cant the clocks at least be relatively close? ts were walking through the parking lot, trying to find a way around them with no avail. Where are these peoples heads? Im in a car. I coulddoabtmore damage then the golf cart people. Watch where you are going and . a little too much. And although it is a stay on the sidewalk! The return ofthe Parking Lot people. Suddenly the tables are turned. Aslwalkfrom class to class, staying as close to the parked cars as possible, thus leaving room for moving vehicles, I always feel like I am being followed. Usually, I am being followed. Not only am I being followed, my every move is under intense scrutiny. Are you leaving? No. They keep slowly following me. Do they think Im lying? Do they think that the minute they drive past my car I am going to suddenly jump in it and pull out so they cant The price cf bagels. I admit it Bagels used to scare me. The whole idea of baled tread seemed strange. Butnow.afterasemes-te- r of chowing a variety of flavored bagels, I like them. But I have noticed something that disturbs me. UponmyfirstvisittoBrackman Bros, I found out that the bagels were only 40 cents. What? Hello? Can Northwest Food Service say almost lOOpercentprofit? This, my friends, is just a little ridiculous. I think a boycott should be in order. Or perhaps someone could sell them independently for around 50 cents. This person would still be making a Either Jonathan Doesn't Know - stu- dents choose professional majors (e.g., Nursing, Aviation, Business, Communication, Education) because they want them, not because we told them to. In making these choices they are like students of all ages all across the country. Small, moderately selective colleges like Westminster once offered only liberal arts and sciences majors. As societys values, the nature of work, the economy and the nature of education have changed, these small colleges have changed as well. We and they are still considered liberal arts colleges because we are small, we care about our students and teaching, we require the same set of core requirements of all students, and we continue to offer liberal arts and sciences majors and mi sional education. The liberal arts colleges you may be where there are more Hisreferring to tory majors than Nursing majors and more Biology majors than Business majors are few in number, high and cost ($13,000 per year up) colleges with deep and continuing elitist or religious traditions. Although Westminster has historical religious connections, it was never and is not now one of those liberal arts colleges. What we are is a small, quality, independent alternative to local and regional large public and private colleges and universities. Furthermore, we try to measure the quality of education here in the achievements of our students, be they philosophy majors or business majors, not in terms of how much of one thing or another we have. Finally, though I can understand how the word customer can grate on stuwell-endowe- , d, dents', facultys, and even some administrators ears, terms like god-damm- Dear Editor, attitudelhear from some Arts and Sciences professors and their students sucks. Its grim hearing fellow faculty talking about the nerds in the school of business. Its worse when I hear from my students that they are berated ts by intolerant faculty because those determined to get a business degree and not some politically correct degree. The ed and go to hell in a letter to the campus newspaper grate on mine. I think such usage either reflects a paucity of language or connotes emotions that have not yet found clear written expression. In either case, your hostility becomes both the medium and the only message. That is a loss especially when you may have something valuable to say. Stephen R. Baar Academic Vice President Dean of the Faculty anti-busine- ss stu-den- Responses Of Peers nors while integrating liberal and profes- Jonathan raised in his letter printed in the Feb. 1, 1994 Forum. The bookstore is owned by Folletts who operate bookstores on over 400 college campuses in the United States. In the past, we did own and operate the bookstore with significant losses. Our relatively small volume allowed jobbers not to take our operation seriously and resulted in poor service. If you can purchase books at lower prices elsewhere, you should be a smart shopper and do so. As to whether or not we are a liberal arts college based on trends youve divined in the colleges budget and marketing efforts, I think you either dont know where you are or you dont like where you are. Stop Intolerance, Stereotyping Of Business School ; Jemming Responds To Or Just Doesn't Like Where He Is I want to respond to the issues in digital havemysacredparidngspace?P5ease,pecple! I hate die feeling that I am in some poorly great return. Dear Editor, written spy movie and that any minute a man in a daik coat and sun glasses will be pushing me into the car. The Story" people. Youallknow who they are. No matter what yourclass schedule is you cannot avoid them. No matter whatthe topic of discussion is, they will not shut up. You have endure them each week as they think of new and creative ways to retell the same stay they have told since the first day of dtess. Ttese people haveacomntenton every- thing. They can relate the smallest amount of recent teninsignificance to their great-aunnis championship or their sons braces. And although their stories are nice and sweet and all that, blah, blah, blah. Who cares? Get past it Getonwithit. We are elated that your life is so critical that that it can be compared with the fall of Communism inRussia. Stampabig FYI on your forehead and let the rest of us listen to the instructor. Well, that is enough for now. I feel much better having gotten these matters out in die opea I will never regret my choice to attend Westminster. My only hope is that someday the golf cart people will accidentally run over the parking lot and story people, and that Conversewin realize that real technology lies Bathroomgaie. Why is it that every time I have to go bad, REAliY bad, the bathroom of my choice is closed for cleaning? That is OK, I understand. As I hurry across campus to another bathroom (maybe this is what the golf carts are used fa) I am usually dismayed to discover that that restroom is alsoclosed for cleaning. What gives? Do the custodians just set aside a block of time to close all the restrooms? Do they sit on top of Converse with binoculars watching students doing the dance as they run around campus pee-pc- e for looking someplace to relieve their frustrations? Im not too sure exactly what we are dealing with here. The Parking Lot" people. On the occasion that I do drive, I find the most annoying thing not to be the lack of parking spaces, but the lack of courtesy of students walking right down the middle of the drive way . So many times I have slowly followed people who . Imfairlythickskinned.butlastweek in the Forum some ignorant student was Dear Editor, parroting some stereotypical garbage arts attitude en- about the Business Westminster demic of College, and I went ballistic. We are the butt-en-d of too many smug jokes from too many narrow, unenlightened minds who spew ; anti-liber- al It has been just one day since the release of the Forum, and my editorial ; "Student Says Hes Not a Customer has had many positive and negative responses. , In receiving the views of other students, staff and faculty, I am delighted to report that I finally see that Our college docs g mean more to everyone than simply just j check source a a a or as of degree. How, I must take time to emphasize that I meant no harsh feelings to any of the business J and nursing students. I only intended to reach into the heart of each and every one ; of us at Our institution, and to open all of Our minds to the fact that we need to care more about what is really going on here, because if we dont, then someone such as the Board of Trustees will do our caring : for us. We are what really matters. I dont , g mean to single out the students. Everyone that works and attends here needs to initiate communication such as that which has been created through my radical note of disgust This is a superb method at making us aware of what needs to be done to promote our stay here at this wonderful school. Furthermore, I hope that someone '; took the time to criticize me in this issue of the Forum, because, my fellow friends ofWestminster College, that is what communication is all about. forth this trash with a hypocritical disregard for the facts. Case in point: last year the Gore School of Business created several ma-- r jors that require business students to take 12 hours in liberal arts over and above their LE requirements. These hours come out of our program requirements. These majors hurt our programs by reducing school of business enrolled hours. Fewer hours mean fewer professors, less power, less dollars. We did it knowing we were hurting ourselves because we care about our students. We recognized a need to provide business students with a broader education. , It would be nice if some of the other areas on campus could be less parochial and suggest to their students in philosophy, history, etc., that maybe it would be good for them if they took some classes at the business school. I think a class in - personalfinance.taxpreparation.orsmall business management would help round out a person and prepare them for life in the real world. Even if it didnt it might help dispel some of the negative stereo- s types some so called liberal thinkers have. Sincerely, Jonathan Jemming, political science, philosophy sophomore Jean Beaulieu, Ph.D., CPA Gore School of Business - v - i i' i A s r I 1 4 V V M is t r a . t , 1 m 14 t. fc, .4 a n r a t i fe s t 4A r.i m M A v a 4 w 9 .4 & X s f t js m s4. |