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Show • Monday, April 25, 2011 Page II S VieWS&OPI Oil Utah State University • Logan, Utah • www.utahstatesman.com AboutUS OurView Editor in Chief Giving credit where credit is due Benjamin C. Wood Copy Editor Chelsey Gensel News Editor 0 ne of the drawbacks to elected office is the inevitable subjection to the wrath of public opinion. Included among that public, and probably with the loudest voice of opinion, is the media, which will oftentimes also be the most influential voice of support or dissent toward public officers and their decisions made on behalf of entire student bodies. Another drawback is that often, the issues that upset the most people will receive the most attention from the media in response to any and all public outcry, while tremendous successes, great administrative decisions and well-executed programming events will usually receive one mention and rarely be talked of again. Despite the criticisms, controversies, differing opinions or whatever other critiques the past year's ASUSU officers may have heard or dealt with, the year was an incredible step toward much bigger things for Utah State University. In sports terminology, USU has been swinging for the fences this past year, with a handful of home runs, despite an occasional strikeout. USU has felt much more like a big-time college campus this past year rather than the small-town agricultural school we actually are. Major credit is due to those responsible, while plenty of pressure is now on the officers succeeding those people. If the staggering increase in voter turnout for this year's ASUSU elections is any indication, a lot more students were willing to have their voice heard this year compared to prior elections, and it would also appear that a lot more students believe strongly in what appears to be a promising group of elected officers. Sure, it's only just more than a week into the new regime, but so far so good. If the transparency that members of ASUSU and their advisers demonstrated in sharing their new budget structure - see story on page 1 - is any indication of how they plan to operate all year, then the 2011-12 ASUSU officers will likely do wonders in involving and representing the USU student body in a very good way. The voter turnout is one indication that people are caring more and more about being involved in decisions, whether it be their own decisions or electing others to make decisions. If ASUSU is going to welcome outside input with open arms while making information of their own dealings readily available to whomever desires, then the follow-up to what has been a monumentally eventful year looks to be in good hands. Really guys really? , Bright Blue This past week we ran into not one, but two opportunities for people to become True Aggies. I have to say Dot I find this tradition kind of charming despite the huge crowd of cheering onlookers and shenanigans on the A. The problem I ran into this particular time occurred when two of my good friends, who have been dating for a few months and who are genuinely one of the cutest couples I've seen in some time, decided to hop up for a peck on the lips like so many couples before them have. These two eagerly got into line and were among some of the earlier people to join in the festivities that evening. Only problem is that when they got up to kiss, they were booed and jeered at, the crowd began shouting unpleasant things at these two ... now why was this? Oh yeah, because they're boys. All of their other behavior was the same as anyone else's and they kept it short and sweet as opposed to some of the get-a-room-inspiring activities of others, but simply because they happened not to fit some people's idea of a good match people felt it was their right to be cruel and unkind. Now, I've heard some say "That's fine, they just don't need to parade it in my face." Why on earth not? Everyone else out there was parading their behavior. I know many in this area don't feel they can personally embrace people who do have a heterosexual orientation, but the thing is you could have been quiet. You didn't have to actively be rude. I just have a quick series of questions. First, who do you think you are? It's not your place to decide what's right for other people. It's not affecting you, it's a personal matter that doesn't impact you in any way, shape or form. I See TRUE, page 12 Catherine Meidell Assistant News Editor Megan Bainum Features Editor Kellyn Neumann Assistant Features Editor Kasey Van Dyke Sports Editor Matt Sonnenberg Assistant Sports Editor Tyler Huskinson Photo Editor Carl R. Wilson ForumLetters Buying the grade To the editor: Today I became aware that a yoga class is allowing students to excuse their absences by donating to charity - USU has become lesser for this. Now, I know yoga barely counts as a class anyway and I won't go into the argument of whether classes like yoga should even count toward a college degree, but let's face it, plenty of classes offer extra credit for "charitable donations" - same problem, different name. The fact is, certain professors in the Huntsman School of Business routinely offer credit to students willing to buy it in the form of donations to the SEED charity. In one class, students who successfully raised $1,000 for SEED during a class project were excused from the final. In other classes, students have been awarded extra credit, specifically for the mere act of donating money to SEED. I want to pause and ask the members of the USU society, where is your pride? You seniors, in a few short weeks will don your robes and receive the degree awarded to you by Utah State University. When you do, look to your left, look to your right, realize that the person you are standing next to could be receiving that degree because they bought their grade. The fact that the money goes to charity is no excuse. Your achievement is being subverted, fight for it! USU is a college, not a glorified charity. Faculty! Shame on you! You are taking blatant advantage of your students and exploiting your ability to determine their grades! It is my most sincere hope that on Wednesday, there is a letter in this paper telling me that this degradation of USU as a place of higher education is not a practice, but instead the occasional folly of a misguided professor. I hope that letter will tell me professors do not consistently offer spurious extra credit for money and unrelated academic exercises. But if that letter tries to claim that the amount of extra credit bought by money is trivial, too trivial to warrant outrage, then I will tell you right now, it is NOT trivial. Any time the honest achievement of a single student is subverted, it is NOT trivial. If USU has any pride, it will prohibit any act that allows students to cheat "the system," whether justified by faculty or not. Patrick Macala Letters to the editor • A public forum Student loan misconception To the editor: I am writing about an article on the front page of the Utah Statesman of Friday April 22, titled "School loans become number-one debt source." One of the reasons why student loans have outpaced credit card debt is that most students have just left the nest of home; they do not have the experience of paying off debt to know why not to take on debt. Another reason why students take on more debt through student loans is because they do not have the knowledge to know that bankruptcy court will not remove the debt. I think that the article should have at least mentioned the fact about bankruptcy court will not eliminate student loan debt. Paul Rew Wednesday April 27 will be the last Views and Opinion section of the 2010-11 academic year. Any letters intended for publication must be received no later than Tuesday April 26. Experience the religions of others Faith and Reason ing of why this act was so significant. In this I want to try something moment, God came down to show humanity a little differthat he suffered with them. ent this week. Judaism gave me an understanding of the Rather than Sabbath that amounted to more than the day on which I wasn't allowed to play with friends talk at you for 700 words I or go to the store as a child. I learned of the CAM DAVIS would like to meaning and purpose behind the day from invite you to the religion which created it. I understood experience why disconnect from the things of the world something. The semester will soon be coming was so important to truly transcend the mateto a close, and with it may come a welcome rial world. The following are two brief introductions chunk of free time you did not previously have. You will no doubt want to find worth- to two local religions which I had the pleasure of exploring, along with their while and interesting things to do with this time, and I have just websites. the thing: The exploration of "My suggestion Thefirst local religion I looked other religions. into was St. Thomas Aquinas dull may seem Roman Catholic Church, which For some of you my sugges- at surface level. tion may seem dull at a surface I found to be surprisingly close Your thoughts to the Mormonism with which level. Your thoughts may have turned to restless and agoniz- may have turned I am familiar, whether they will ingly dull sermons your mother to restless and admit it or not. They no doubt made you sit through as a child. have their differences, but there Perhaps you are perfectly happy agonizingly dull is at least one similarity for every with your current religion and sermons your difference. There is a central see no value in looking into mother made you figure of authority in both relianother, but bear with me for gions. Mormons are led by the sit through as a a few more paragraphs. I did President of the Church of Jesus this last summer and it was one child." Christ of Latter Day Saints, and of the most interesting experiRoman Catholics by the Pope. ences I have had to date. Both practice sacramental rituals When I began my exploration of other reli- of great importance to their respective memgions, I too was perfectly comfortable with my bers, they share a reverence for the institutions religion of choice, and my journey only made of family and marriage, and they both claim to me more appreciative of my personal beliefs be the true church of Jesus Christ. This is a and the beliefs of others. For example, I had good place to start for those who don't want never been deeply exposed to a traditional to stray too far from home, although even Christian understanding of the atoning sacri- here one is likely to feel they are in a foreign environment at times. For more information fice of Jesus Christ. I discovered for Christians it wasn't just the Son of God who died to save the souls of fallen humanity, but God himself in the form of the Son. I gained an understand- I See VISIT, page 12 Assistant Photo Editor Alison Ostler Web Editor Rob Jepson Editorial Board Benjamin C. Wood Catherine Meidell Kellyn Neumann Matt Sonnenberg Chelsey Gensel Rob Jepson About letters • Letters should be limited to 400 words. • All letters may be shortened, edited or rejected for reasons of good taste, redundancy or volume of similar letters. • Letters must be topic oriented. They may not be directed toward individuals. Any letter directed to a specific individual may be edited or not printed. • No anonymous letters will be published. Writers must sign all letters and include a phone number or email address as well as a student identification number (none of which is published). Letters will not be printed without this verification. • Letters representing groups — or more than one individual —must have a singular representative clearly stated, with all necessary identification information. • Writers must wait 21 days before submitting successive letters — no exceptions. • Letters can be hand delivered or mailed to The Statesman in the TSC, Room 105, or can be e-mailed to statesman@aggiemail. usu.edu , or click on www.utahstatesman. com for more letter guidelines and a box to submit letters. Online poll Should professors allow extra credit for charitable donations? • • • Yes, as long as the opportunity is open to every student. No, it doesn't support the class curriculum. I don't really care. Visit us on the Web at www.utahstatesman. com to cast your vote and see results from this straw poll. |