Chris,
Another well written article. I appreciate your honesty, even if I disagree with some of your position. So I offer some of my views as one that I hope will be involved in Uni long after you are gone.
The current building was not built to house 300 students. We are bursting at the seams, whether the students realize it or not. Take as an example my classes. I teach in the North Attic, a space I find attractive for my Subbie classes. Several times a year, however, that space becomes a theater, and my classes have to relocate. This year, there were no available classrooms for my fifth period class to meet in. We were given the kitchen -- fifth period, right after lunch. Have any of you ever looked at that place after you all were in there eating? Not the most pleasant place to try to talk about Romeo and Juliet, I assure you. That is just one example of a space need.
Many want to maintain the status quo. We all love Uni -- even those of us who think a new building might help. Personally, I do not want to abandon the wonderful current building nor the spirit the student body has. But maintaining the status quo eventually leads to deterioration. Atrophy sets in. It is true of the curriculum. It is true of the building. If we maintain the same space forever, the space becomes increasingly inadequate for what we need to do. Example? The Mac lab. We have no space for a real computer lab, so we stick it into a space that is, I think most agree, inadequate.
Finally, money is always an issue at Uni. The cost is daunting, to be sure. If, as you suggest, we nickle and dime the Uni community, we will never get things done. I dare say, though, that none of the buildings you name that had substantial donors just happened by chance. Plans were made and potential donors were contacted. A building like the one proposed -- whatever shape it eventually takes -- does not necessarily have to have a single mega donor, and we might all be surprised at what the Uni alum may come up with.
The bottom line may be who you trust. Many seem to assume this whole issue was the whim of a few crazy faculty who apparently don't understand nor appreciate Uni, who only lust after bigger, newer, better. But if you and your parents trust the faculty to teach you, shouldn't you also believe we have Uni's best interest at heart, that those making the plans are doing so with careful consideration and concern for not only what Uni has been and is, but also what Uni could be? I have tremendous respect for the students at Uni and their intelligence and concern, as I think my colleagues do. Do you trust us?
Again, Chris, I appreciate the well-written and open-minded article. Thanks for engaging us.
Who do you trust?
Chris,
Another well written article. I appreciate your honesty, even if I disagree with some of your position. So I offer some of my views as one that I hope will be involved in Uni long after you are gone.
The current building was not built to house 300 students. We are bursting at the seams, whether the students realize it or not. Take as an example my classes. I teach in the North Attic, a space I find attractive for my Subbie classes. Several times a year, however, that space becomes a theater, and my classes have to relocate. This year, there were no available classrooms for my fifth period class to meet in. We were given the kitchen -- fifth period, right after lunch. Have any of you ever looked at that place after you all were in there eating? Not the most pleasant place to try to talk about Romeo and Juliet, I assure you. That is just one example of a space need.
Many want to maintain the status quo. We all love Uni -- even those of us who think a new building might help. Personally, I do not want to abandon the wonderful current building nor the spirit the student body has. But maintaining the status quo eventually leads to deterioration. Atrophy sets in. It is true of the curriculum. It is true of the building. If we maintain the same space forever, the space becomes increasingly inadequate for what we need to do. Example? The Mac lab. We have no space for a real computer lab, so we stick it into a space that is, I think most agree, inadequate.
Finally, money is always an issue at Uni. The cost is daunting, to be sure. If, as you suggest, we nickle and dime the Uni community, we will never get things done. I dare say, though, that none of the buildings you name that had substantial donors just happened by chance. Plans were made and potential donors were contacted. A building like the one proposed -- whatever shape it eventually takes -- does not necessarily have to have a single mega donor, and we might all be surprised at what the Uni alum may come up with.
The bottom line may be who you trust. Many seem to assume this whole issue was the whim of a few crazy faculty who apparently don't understand nor appreciate Uni, who only lust after bigger, newer, better. But if you and your parents trust the faculty to teach you, shouldn't you also believe we have Uni's best interest at heart, that those making the plans are doing so with careful consideration and concern for not only what Uni has been and is, but also what Uni could be? I have tremendous respect for the students at Uni and their intelligence and concern, as I think my colleagues do. Do you trust us?
Again, Chris, I appreciate the well-written and open-minded article. Thanks for engaging us.