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October 29, 1999
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Volume 7, Number 5 |
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GENERAL |
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LETTERS TO THE EDITORGrad defends ‘expanding horizons’ during class time
To the editor: I feel that I have to comment on the letter that appeared in the Oct. 15 issue of On Campus News titled "Prof. objects to timing of President’s Installation". I first-off have to say it was a well-written letter that got Dr. Miller’s point across quite succinctly. It is the point that he made about the University having "misplaced priorities" that I disagree with. I am going to make a statement that will probably make most tenured faculty shudder: A university environment is not sustained wholly on academics. That is to say that university isn’t a place that students come to for classes and go home, University is an experience, not a place. With that said, I am not directly defending the decision to have the President’s installation during "class time" but I am defending the promotion of a holistic university experience, not based solely on academics. There are many endeavours on campus that have the potential to conflict with class time – each one with the potential to add to the student’s experience on campus. These endeavours can be something as ‘immature’ as the Engineering E-Plant, as useful as a Leadership Development Workshops, or simply be to learn about the University’s new President. Our own University Council takes place at 2:30pm once a month, one of our highest governing bodies, and I am sure Dr. Miller is not saying that it is a "waste of time" to have student representation on Council. I agree with Dr. Miller when he stated that we could all find time to fit "important events" into our "off campus" hours, but we shouldn’t have to. It is all about balance and perspective. I am sure that if you asked any employer these days they would tell you that they don’t hire the graduates with the 100-per-cent average, they hire the graduates who have proven they can make it through classes and interact in society – and you don’t learn a lot of social skills in ME 251: Thermodynamic Systems. I am not saying that class is not important, but when an occasional event comes up I think that it is a professor’s duty to look out for the best interests of the students. I again agree with Dr. Miller’s statement that the "decision-makers are out of touch with students", but I believe that it is Dr. Miller that is out of touch. As a recent graduate I can say with all assurance that students want to get more involved, they want to learn more about themselves and their campus environment. It is true that University is traditionally the ‘Centre of Academia,’ but I for one would and did make the effort to skip a class or two to expand my horizons in non-academic campus pursuits, and I for one am a better person for it. Julian Demkiw
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Next issue of On Campus News: Friday, November 12
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