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Show DAILY THE UTAH C HRONICLE OPINION GDG00&tt Q&QGCI) STUDENTS THE CHRONICLE'S VIEW AROUNP 89u THE 0000 U CONTEMPLATE A NOT TOO DISTANT GRADUATIO- N- ENGLISH ore 'Advisers' Can .Only Hinder Goals familiar story a administration claiming want to improve the "educational experience" of student journalists steps in, flexes a bit of It's For this reason, students graduating from the Provo school often find it difficult to prove to prospective employers they have the necessary skills to be independent and innovative and good journalists. With further tinkering and BYU administrators will not increase the educa- a muscle and takes away some or all of the student media's editorial control. It's happened at many schools around the country and it even almost occurred here at the University of Utah. One phce where .this bold experiment of increased administrative and faculty control did tion of BYU journalism students but will actually make it harder for them to learn to be reporters, producers and editors. BYU's administration certainly has the prerogative to do what it wants with student media because it is a private institution. But the administration also has a responsibility to ensure stu dents receive the best possible education and preparation for the job market. With further censorthe admining and istration will not fulfill its main happen is Brigham Young University.' And now, BYU is threatening to take an even more roie in the daily operations of the "pro-acti- ve private school's student newspaper, The Daily Universe, and the student-ru- n television news outlet, NewsNeL hand-holdin- g, Using the guise of improving the students', education, BYU administrators led by Laurie Wilson, the ' communications department head are considering changes that would give more supervisory and editorial control of The Universe and NewsNet to objective. Several Universe reporters and editors have signed a petition to" meet with Wilson and the administration to discuss their con-- , . We applaud and support them in their decision not to lay down to the administration and to fight for what they know is right. . faculty. As it is, BYU's student media is heavily controlled by faculty "advisers" and administraso-call- ed ' COAAPOTER SCIENCE MEPlCM STUPEUT . power-grabbin- g, : tors, diminishing the education that comes when a student is solely responsible for that day's newspaper or that evening's ' ' It's worth it not only for the reporters and editors of The Universe and NewsNet, but for the entire university and for student journalists everywhere. Good luck. LETTER TO THE EDITOR Particulars Make It Clearer Editor: This letter is not in response to any particular article, but to a number of articles and letters which I have read in The Daily Utah Chronicle over the last year, as well as some personal observations. It seems tQ me thatearly ail of the debates and controversies that are presented in this paper come from a ' ' single source. The problem that creates all of the argument is that we insist' in judging people on the basis of groups rather than as individuals. These groups may be based on race, gender, religion, -- - politics, etc. it doesn't matter. So long as wc view people as groups wc will never understand each other, and wc will always be divided. This university is always emphasizing diversity, but wc don't seem to realize that every student is different from every other student, and that each adds to the diversity of oursclOol. I hope that we dan learn to accept each other as individuals, and get fo know each other by name before wc decide to criticize each other. KRESTON LEE Sophomore, Pharmacy Unsigned editorials reflect the majority opinion of The Daily Utah Chronicle Editorial Board. Editorial columns and letters to the editor are strictly the opinions of the author. The forum created on the Opinion Page is one based on vigorous debate, while at the same time demanding tolerance and respect. Material defamatory to an individual or group because of race, ethnic background, gender, appearance or sexual orientation will be edited or will not be published Gifts Steal Childhood Creativity From Kids explains, "Birthday parties for children are getting more elaborate and original everyday. Sometimes a birthday party with a simple theme just isn't enough." Isn't enough for whom? Just for whom are these parties and expenditures anyway? For some reason I have a difficult time accepting the image of a stressing over whether to serve Camembert or Swiss at his birthday party. The trend isn't exclusively an American frenzy. In Australia, caterers tell of being asked to hire waiters to walk around in bow ties to serve and parents orderand animal farms. People ing ponies complete can spend up to $5,000 on balloons alone. Perhaps anyone would agree that it may be a bit far fetched to spend $300 on a lovely cake for a but what about the growing industry of children's designer KRISTIEN HIXSON Chronicle Opinion Columnist on't you remember the splendor of your first birthday party? The cousins and toddler friends gathered around the bright pink frosted cake and all the wonderful new chew toys and Osh Kosh B'Gosh wardrobe? Certainly, you can't forget how overwhelmed with joy you were to have the most expensive magician at the first anniversary of your birth. Weren't the balloons and inflated red poodles fabulous, and can't you remember how excited the clown on the unicycle made you D I sea-sce- one-year-ol- d, feel? apparel? 'Of course you can't you couldn't even talk yet. that parents invest so much time and energy in an attempt to "provide memories" for their children with such So why is it extravagance? Take for example the Medvec family in Illinois that Newsweek reported having spent for hundreds of dollars throwing a dino-bas- h son and his friends. With the their garage full of dog bones to "excavate" and a dinosaur planted in the driveway, even 60-fo- 1 ne ot the parents of the 27 children guests were impressed with full servings of steak sandwiches as they watched their toddlers eat the dirt and play with their toes. As the Web site' birthdaypartyidcas.com " N Thank goodness one can buy a pair of "sandblasted" jeans from the Baby Gap for only $26.00, processed in a "light wash that's perfect for spring." Or try their "sporty" pants on sale for only $19.50 so that "baby plays comfortably." Your child can get a good four months out of them before he moves on to his next pair. Let's forget about the fact that costs of children's health insurance are on the rise or that those student loans aren't quite paid for yet, because that little trendy sweater is just too cute to pass up. Who wouldn't want their child to be the most chic at the playground? But of what benefit is it to a baby to be dressed in the most fashionable decor? Our culture seems to accept the idea that the nicer the house, the more purebred the dog, and the more expensively dressed the baby, the better, more successful the person. Obviously, having a prizewinning Fox Terrier and a swimming pool doesn't equate to an obsession for attention, but $30 snow pants for a newborn is still a bit extreme. It's an easy thing to buy Woody the Warthog from fctdtoys.com for $17.99 when any child could be just as happy with a teddy bear picked up from a garage sale for a quarter. Just take a quick walk over to the Family and Consumer Studies Building and be reminded of the happy, simple nature of children. It's becoming an easier thing to buy for a child entertainment. The toy industry is spreading its realm into more extravagant means, creating such items as an "Electronic Victorian Kitchen" costing over $100 and mini Harley-Davidson- s. There is an extent to which a parent can buy away a child's youth. Buying such elaborate toys comes at a greater price than mere dollars. Every child remembers creating a "Victorian" home out of sheets and chairs or playing "House" in the backyard on the patio making mud pies for breakfast and dishwarc out of the clay from the bottom of the sandbox. Any creative child can design a simple tree house without the help of a professional manufacturer. Even the pastime of dressing up in Mom's and Dad's clothes has become industrialized as one can now buy costumes for children in which to do so. Where has the fun in dressing as Tinkcrbell or Hook using kitchen utensils gone? Especially in a society where an emphasis on technology is increasing, such creativity is invaluable. It's no wonder that more children find video games and television more entertaining. Too often it's easier to pop in a Disney film than get out the homemade play dough or finge- r-paint. Certainly, watching cartoons isn't a sign of lacking creativity within a child, but one can't mistake the value of cheap, good creativity. Just take a quick walk over to the Family and Consumer Studies Building and be reminded of the happy, simple nature of children. Every once in a while the day care renders campus a treat with their occasional bake sale of cookies for 20 cents a piece, a far better deal than Chartwclls could ever offer. Sometimes all it takes is a night with a to realize that it doesn't require too much more than some plastic Legos or a peanut butter sandwich to bring out a smile. dinosaur is a nice Perhaps that touch, but I'll be just fine with my bottle of bubbles, thank-yowelcomes Kristien feedback at: khixson(2)chroniclc.utah.cdu or send a letter to the editor to: lcttcrschronicle.utah.edu. ed 60-fo- u. 41 w CHRONICLE OPINION EDITOR SCOTT LEWIS LETTERSCHRONICLE.UTAH.EDU 581-704- 1 ot |