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Show A6 Opinions Monday * July 14. 2008 Open enrollment Editorial into UVU. When I informed my classmates that I would *be A college has become soliciting the favor of vari- attending UVU and they a university. It is leaving ous institutions of higher reported to me that they its faults behind and never learning. The efforts of my were attending some othlooking back. The standards peers concentrated primar- er institution, often times are being raised and the ily on BYU, Utah State and they would react in a conquality of education is rising Snow College, and a few of descending manner. "You to an outstanding level. The my buddies even applied to didn't get into. Utah State?" facilities and departments such prestigious universi- and "Oh. I'm sorry," were are upgrading. Tuition has ties as Harvard and Yale. just a couple of the reactions increased, but the admis- I, on the other hand, only I received. Butt I knew that sions requirements stay the applied to UVU and Utah I was going to be participatsame. UVU keeps its open State. I sailed right through ing in an exceptional digital admissions policy. Anyone the admission requirements media program, better than for USU, and of course, as any around, so I was not can go to college. does everyone else, I got ashamed. But it's a fact that As seniors in high school, Ethan Dodge ( | my friends and I, in keeping with fashion, became acaOpinions writer demically promiscuous - CON Parker Donat | Opinions writer Having an open-door enrollment policy for UVU means so much to this school, its students and me. For over 37 years, UVU has continued to open the door for all students who want a higher education. Many of those students would likely express opinions in line with one UVU student who said, "Open enrollment is the main reason I go to this school." That's because that student is entirely right about open enrollment. Over 24,000 students attend UVU. That's over 24,000 students who choose to attend UVU over the competitive, closed-enrollment universities in this state, universities such as USU, the U of U, and BYU. As for me, I go to UVU because I didn't have to worry about being accepted. UVU is one of only three universities in Utah that have open admissions policies, the others being Weber State University and the University of Phoenix. Considering geographical concerns, I feel we need UVU to be open enrollment for students in Utah County because over 65% of collegebound Utah County students attend UVU. As UVU has become more prestigious, it has given the campus a new feel. This point is one that merits emphasis, since so many people believe UVU is a sign-your-name-and-youget-a-degree school. This sort of attitude is not only unnecessarily negative, but it is also immensely ignorant: According to the 2005 Utah Foundation Report, on average, UVU graduates earn more money than graduates from any other college or university in Utah. Although it goes without saying that there are students who come to UVU by choice, it's nothing to be ashamed of that this school also serves sometimes as a last resort. Just because a student is denied entrance to other universities due to a less than stellar academic history does not mean that student is not capable of performing in a university classroom. As for myself, 1 was a party fanatic in high school. I preferred parties over mathematics, friends over English, and sleeping over homework. I never gave my relentless teachers or textbooks a chance to create value for myself. our school is often looked down upon because of our open admissions policy. Even if lax admission requirements were implemented, they would legitimize our university status. UVU is an excellent institution with a great number of exceptional programs. No one should be ashamed to attend this university. A student should feel a sense of accomplishment for.attending UVU - not looked down upon for going to an open admissions school. Ultimately, I finished high school with bad grades and an SAT score that was, at best, average. I never fully appreciated my educational opportunities. Nonetheless, UVU has given me a chance to prove myself and see my full potential. Yes, tuition continues to rise, but the school continues to improve. And, even considering the school's tuition hikes, UVU is the University with the lowest tuition in the state. I go to UVU because it gives me the opportunity to better myself - because at this fine university, I am given the opportunity to attain a higher level of learning, one that 1 would otherwise be denied. I want UVU to retain its open admissions policy so that it can help others like me enjoy a higher education. Do you have an opinion? Voice if at uvcollegetimes.com, or send a letter to the editor to uvu.review.opinions@gmoil.com identity theft purchases and their tellers liken using your debit card to writing a check because your account number In regards to Spencer is also on your check. Shell's opinions article: I The next item Spencer think Spencer should have was ill informed about was done his homework before what he called a "sweet deal writing his article. The; On- for UCCU." Well, yes, it is a eCard and PlusCard are two good deal for them, but from different types of student IDs. what I hear, they fought tooth First, Spencer, the PlusCard and nail to be considered a is not a credit card, it is a debit candidate. UVU looked at only card. So students do see about seven financial instituthe "cold hard cash" in their, tions thoroughly before comaccount before they spend it. mitting to UCCU. Lastly, stuSecondly, in response to iden- dents do not have to choose tify theft, according to UCCU, the PlusCard option for their Visa will cover 100 percent of student ID. Maybe you should Iiette* to the Weekly Crossword 1 Across 14 1- Exchange; 5- Modify; 10Preservative; 14- Duo; 15Nattve American tent; 16- To _ 17 (perfectly); 17- Reserved; 20Rejoinder; 21* Eye inflammation; 20 22- Bind; 23- 16th letter of the Hebrew alphabet; 24- Asexual; 28- Great quantity; 29- Tin; 32- 24 Walk-on role; 33- Short stocking; 34- Type of song, to be sung 32 soto; 35- Kind principles; 38Okf-fashioned exclamation of IS surprise; 39- Soft lambskin leather; 40- Cotton thread used 3* for hosiery; 41- DC bigwig; 42- . Friends; 43- Swallowed; 44- Fire; 41 45- Pirate liquor, 46- Barren place; 49- Contradicts; 54Empiricisrn; 56- Mimicked; 57Longestriverin Europe; 5346 Nabisco cookie; 59- Staffs; 6054 Duck down; 61-Floe; I 56 2 4 3 read your own newspaper before • writing such shoddy work. According to your own newspaper, students can still get a "regular" student ID, called the OneCard, which does not have the Visa-debit option. In closing, Spencer Shell should also do his research about credit unions in this valley versus banks. Credit unions generally offer lower interest rates, and do not have the same fees that banks do. Also, UCCU has the most branches of any credit union in Utah County. Considering UCCU pays for a UTA bus pas for every PlusCard that they sell, it is a good deal. I am just a regular UVU student, not a UCCU employee, and the only drawback I see is the high replacement fee if you lose the card. But, then again, Campus Connection has always charged a fee for a lost card. Spencer, all you have done is make your newspaper look bad by writing such a horrible article. Next time, do your research! Sincerely yours, A Non-UCCU Employee who has UVU pride Solution can be found at uvcoUegetimes.com j • S 6 7 S m • 9 HIS 18 I 10 11 12 27 26 1 -• -• 28 ^H 3 3 [36 •139 ••MM 47 • • ensued. According to the Board of Regents Web site utahsbr.edu the names of the finalists were to be posted online. According to the press release, there were seven. Their names were never posted. What was posted was an announcement on July 8, stating, 'The State Board of Regents will go into open session to potentially appoint a new Commissioner of Higher Education this afternoon at approximately 3:15 p.m." By 3:30, that announcement was made. One rumor that came through the UVU Review newsroom was that Sederburg interviewed for the position months ago, and the Board of Regents was stalling until Sederburg would be available. However, none of this could ever be confirmed or denied because, according to the Board of Regents' public affairs spokesperson, Spencer Jenkins, the process was so secretive that Jenkins did not even know who was on the selection committee. Although politicians who confuse their service roles with those of "leadership" are nothing new, we at UVU Review find it disturbing nonetheless. Elected officials such as the Slate Board of Regents are servants of the public - not leaders. It therefore behooves them to conduct their dealings in an environment of openness and transparency. This is not to assert that Sederburg's dodging of our question two weeks ago was meant to further entrench these trends of secrecy. To the contrary, we found him to be surprisingly candid. And when framed in the context of that week, he was probably right to do so, in order to, as he said, "just celebrate the moment." In fact his dodging was so admirably clumsy that it was almost an implied confession. No doubt he realized that. In the press release, State Board of Regents Chair Jed Pitcher is quoted as saying, "We have asked President Sederburg to develop strategies for strengthening the leadership role played by the Board of Regents." We at UVU Review only hope that these strategies Sederburg has been asked to develop will include steering the board toward conducting its business in the light of day. But just to prove what good sports we can be, we will do our hoping in secret. SUDOKU HARD 21 25 So now it's official. A mere seven days after the official ascension to university status and 12 days after he elected to "dotfge the question" posed by UVU Review staffers, our illustrious president, Bill Sederburg, the man whose tenure^ at the UVSC helm steered our school to its complete self-realization, has announced that he is going to1 make like a tree and leave. Just like we called it in the June 30 edition of UVU Review, Sederburg was named "by unanimous vote," ac-< cording to a State Board of Regents press release, as the new commissioner of higher education. Although it may be a bit crass, a "we told you so" is in order here. For months the writing has been on the wall in the form of rumors floating around campus and also a few ambiguous tips that managed to drift through our newsroom. So the announcement came as no surprise to anyone -- except maybe to the major local newspapers. Though naysayers may voice complaints about Sederburg using UVU to pad his resume, we at UVU Review offer no denigration of his decision to go out on a high note, and neither should anyone else. It seems patently absurd to wish for a stop to this man's rather long track record of moving on to the next biggest thing. It just isn't tenable for him to now languish into a state of complacent occupational slumming by sticking around. After all, nobody expects Jacob Alspector, the architect of the new Digital Learning Center, to become the chief custodian now that the building project is complete. No, the official stance of UVU Review is to offer our congratulations to Sederburg on his new appointment, more congratulations to UVU for our newly anointed university status, and to wish good luck and Godspeed to whoever is chosen to fill Sederburg's very large shoes. If there is anything that bears criticizing, it is the shroud of extreme secrecy surrounding the Utah State Board of Regent's process of selection for the commissioner of higher education. The search for a new commissioner began in Aug. 2007, when the incumbent, Richard Kendell, announced his resignation. According to the Board of Regents press release, a nationwide search, which entailed the consideration of nearly 100 candidates, 13 19 23 .•"••? So now it's official The transition to university status makes UVU the only university in Utah with an open enrollment policy. Should this change to better suit the new title? PRO k , • -J 29 30 I 1 KhH.5VDQKU-PVZZLE5.N£T 2 6 2 31 6 37 4 3 43 • I1 1 1 I55 _• [so SI 52 I 53 4 * ^•57 5 1 SOLUTIONS CAN BE FOUND AT UVC0LLE6ETIHES.COM 1 _ . 1- Goad; 2- Decline; 3- Helps; 460 61 Get ready; 5- Not accented; 6- < Compact; 7- Churchrecess;8* Domestic animal; 9- Japanese dish; 10- Glossyfabric;11- Fighting; 12- Son of Jacob and Leah; 13- Gotf pegs, northern Englishriver;18- Movement; 19- Dry and waterl&s; 23- Capital of Ghana; 24- Pains; 25- Appraise; 26Capita! of Jordan; 27- Alcoholic drink offermentedhoney; 6 28- Lathers; 29- Brittle; 30- Lovers lane?; 31- Titled; 33- Stem; 34- Indigo; 36- Indolent; 37i Female graduate; 42- Young salmon; 43- Stringed musical instrument; 44- Sows; 45- Extent; 46- Letter opener; 47- Public exhibition; 48- Rushed, drove toofast;49- Neuter; 50- Slovenly person; 51-Yorkshire river; 52- Belgianriver;53- Problem with L A ; 55- Miss Piggy's query; '•• Letters to the editor requirements uvu.review.opinions@gmail.cqm • tctten must be turned in on Wednesday by noon in order to be primed in the nest edition. • We nuke no guarantee that letter? will be primed. • Letters 300 words or leu have a greater chance of being published • anything longer will be edited for content. • Please provide an electronic copy rcginlless of whether or noi you with to submit a hard copy. • AH letters become ihe property of The UVU Review, a soon as they are submitted. Crossword puzzles provided by BestCrosswords.com (http://www.bestcrosswords.com). Used with permission. 'gpgfreqt^'gm^ i |