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Show UNIVERSITY JOURNAL OPINION !PAGE 10 THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER l , 1999 DIXIE MUST FIRST CONSIDER STUDENT xie College has plans , big plans-one might even say delusions of grandeur. It wants to have four-year status and the pursuit of this status, in the form of high school pep rally-like boosterism and legislative muscling, may have caused the institution to lose sight of its intrinsic mission and foremost, the student. Four-year programs are offered at Dixie College through the University Center. Dixie's thrust toward four-year status came after allegations. that Southern Utah University was not appropriately managing center funds. Dixie administrators asserted that funding utilized for the center should be used toward Dixie's expansion. . This decision came without regard to the opinion of the students enrolled in the center. According to a recent study conducted by the Utah System of Higher Education USHE, students enrolled in the center are basically happy with the upper-level classes they take. One of the main rally-rousers in Dixie's quest, Rep. John W. "Bill" Hickman, R-St. George, said that he doubts the opinions of current University Center students will have much impact on the debate; an interesting assertion in light of the fact that students are very much the consumers of higher education. In the business world, what the consumers like, they get. To quote a common max im,"The customer is always right." Is this case the exception? Another unfounded assertion made by Dixie College supporters is that the University Center costs more to operate than it would to offer four-year programs as a state college. Hickman claims that university centers place financial burdens on the system and when that occurs "you've got to look at something else." However, the survey conducted by USHE stated that staff members are doubtful there could be such a significant savings without compromising quality. "Without compromising quality," is an interesting statement in light of Dixie College's vision to be "recognized as the finest community college in the nation.· Can quality be sacrificed and Dixie's vision be realized? We think not. Dixie' s pursuit of four-year status is running opposite of its proclaimed mission and vision. We do not begrudge Dixie's desire to offer four-year programs on its campus. We do, however question the means by which Dixie is attempting to. achieve that goal. It is SUU's mission to be the "comprehensive regional university" and to "provide baccalaureate, applied technology, and selected graduate education .. .and address the unique needs of rural students and communities.· This is a mission which is fullfilled, in part, through the programs offered at the Universtiy Center. Community colleges are good and necessary. Jim Adams, the chairman of Texas Instruments, said , "The community college system is an absolutely imperative part of the fabric of education in this country. It's the thing that will help us be competitive leaders in the world." In considering Dixie's request and considering the study planned to ascertain Dixie's readiness to assume four-year status, it is our hope that the needs of the community and most importantly, the needs of the students will not be sacrificed. Instead, we hope that the Board of Regents will consider Dixie and SUU in their respective roles and purposes, when making its final decision. D SOUTHERN UTAH UNIVERSITY · CEDAR CITY UTAH DIRECTING STAFF AND DESK PHONE NUMBERS: Editor Kamltynn Egan 586-7750 Associate Editor Anna Turpin 586-7759 Opinion Director Cami Peoons 586-7759 Photo Editor Jeny Curtis 586-7750 Copy Editor Deborah Perry 586-1992 Focus Editor Lisa Dawn Peny 586-1992 Arts Editor Kevin Haring 865-8443 Sports Editor Jasen Asay 86!Hl443 A lmanac Editor Lizzy Rugg 865-8226 Ad Ma nager Miranda Mabbott 586-7758 Ad Designer Jansen Gunderson 586-7758 Faculty Advisers Larry Baker 586-7751 Morris Brown 865-8556 SENIOR STAFF WRITERS AND REPORTERS' DESK 58a-7757, 586-5488 The U ~ Journ#II is pul,4ished """"I M<>nd9y and Thlnday of lhe 8C8dernic yur by and kw lhe . - i t body al Souchom Utah University. 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Punon. 586-7971 Unfverllly .lo<lmal: Officel in SUU Technology Building 011 Mail II SIJU. c«llr"City, Utah &4720 FAX (435) 586-5487 E-mail JQUmlllCsuu.odu -s. C ' rlNTED ON Rl:CYCL£0 PAPER P\.EASE Rl:CYC~E THIS COPY CAMI PERKINS COMMENTARY It's tin1e to set ·the clocks right Is it just me or is anybody else been thrown off Science building and needs to get down to the track by the bell chimes and the clocks in the Centrum for his or her next class? What if that classrooms? someone just happens to be me a!')d I'm Jate every Case in point: I leave.my house at 8:45 a.m. for day and the teacher thinks I'm just a lazy latemy 9 a.m . class . I park in the closest spot comer and gives me a bad grade for something available, which is another story in itself. Serves that wasn't even my fault? Oh great! Now this me right for being too cheap to problem is really cutting into my buy a parking sticker. From sleep t ime . I' m stress ing out what I hear. it wouldn't make a IJ about this! difference anyway. • I know I' m not the only one S who's frustrated by this big bell It's now 8:50 and I begin my trek to class. Suddenly, I hear 1-f versus SUU Standard Time the bell sounding and look at versus Mountain Standard Time my watch in disbelief. Wait a mess. Last time I checked , we are all on Mountain Day light minute . I'm on time. It's only 8 :55. Why is the bell ringing Savings Time, right? Don't we set already? So I get to class right our clocks back sometime i n October? on time, according to my watch, Is there some kind of yet I'm late according to the bell. Not to my surprise, so is conspiracy going on to underm ine our concept of time the rest of the class. I guess we 're all going by Mo untain and give us just one more thing Daylight Time. to worry about? Not only are most of the clocks . Naturally I conclude to set my watch five minutes fast. That .___ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ __ ~ wrong, but they're all different 1 way, I'll be on time with the bell from each other . Even if we and five minutes early according to REAL time. weren't going by the chimes of the bells, the times That cuts into my sleep time a lilt.le but I'll manage. on the clocks still make it impossible to get to I sit through math class, fascinating of course. I class on time: start to get a little dozy and look up at the clock. I'm glad I invested in a watch this summer or I Five more minutes to go. I look down at my watch would have ~bsolutely no idea what time it really and it says 9:50. Wait a minute! It's time to go, but is. I only wish ,the person or persons who set the not by the classroom clock, the one the teacher clocks could have done the same instead of just goes by. taking some random guess based on the position So my watch is five minutes slower than the bell, of the sun. For now, I will continue to inform all my and the classroom clock is five minutes slower teachers that we are on twilight zone time and than my watch. Something is not right here. Aren't hope that someday we will be normal again. we supposed to have 10 minutes in between classes so we can run from one end of campus to Cami Perkins is a sophomore communication the other? What if someone has a class in the major from Mesquite, Nev. My watch ,·s l',·ve t I mJnLJ eS OWe( fh an th e b e,, , an d the claSS(OOm CIOCk iS five minutes Slower than my yvatCh. Something is not right here. |