Friday, February 9, 2018 - Vol. 118 Issue 54
‘All stick, no carrot’ UPI and supporters picket Western contract offerings
By Nicholas Ebelhack editor-in-chief
They want a fair contract. And they want it now. This is what the University Professionals of Illinois and their supporters picketed for at Chandler Park Thursday afternoon. Over 170 people gathered with signs in hand demonstrating their concerns over prolonged contract negotiations with Western Illinois University. “It looks a lot like what a strike looks like, we have people with signs voicing our concerns and what it accomplishes is two things,” said UPI President Bill Thompson. “First it educates the public about what our concerns are and it also demonstrates the intensity of our concerns by the fact that we are out there demonstrating.”
While not a strike, Thompson said that the demonstration was essential to showing that UPI members are prepared to continue negotiating for what he called a “mutually beneficial contract.” “We wouldn’t be doing informational picketing if things were going swimmingly.” On Feb. 2, Western released their latest on the record proposal to the public. UPI leadership’s response was that they do not see a mutual benefit. “So far they have not given us a mutually beneficial proposal,” Thompson said. “It’s all stick, no carrot. I want a carrot. At the end of the stick there is no carrot, its just more stick.
Picket page 2
NICHOLAS EBELHACK/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
University Professionals of Illinois members and supporters picket outside of Chandler Park Thursday afternoon in response to prolonged ongoing negotiations. Participants stand dissatisfied with the current proposal from Western Illinois University.
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Friday, February 9, 2018
NEWS
Picket
from front page
Associate Professor of Psychology and UPI Member Dana Lindemann further explained UPI’s dissatisfaction with the current proposal along with Thompson. “Everything in this current on the record proposal is a loss to the UPI members,” Lindemann said. The one exception to that is that the on the record proposal in regards to promotion, where the increased dollar amounts would benefit any UPI member whose salaries are well above the minima lane. About 20 to 30 percent of our members would receive a little bit more money at promotion.” “But that would be paid for by the rest of us having our
salaries cut,” Thompson said. “That’s not mutually pleasing or beneficial, it’s an attempt to divide the union by rewarding one group but then punishing the other group, and one group is going to pay for the raises of the other.” Specifics of the contract proposal that Lindemann and Thompson mentioned were problematic were the restructuring of minima and the promotion system, which they said would result in significant decreases in earning potential for UPI members. “Right now the minima structure is a system in which the appropriate salary for a specific job and the number of years in that job are established,” Lindemann said. When an individual moves up through their career path, there is a minimum standard
for that person’s salary. With the altered minima structure and with salary reductions still in place in the proposal, Lindemann said that buying power continuously decreases year after year when employed at Western. “Inflation will be two or three percent for this year, so not only did faculty and advisers take a three percent cut this year, but also inflation is going to be an additional percent off, so you essentially lose six percent of your buying power.” This, according to Thompson, does not put faculty members in a position to want to stay at Western, and results in people leaving the university. “Most people who are resigning are resigning because they get jobs else-
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gest time they didn’t budge and hoped we would meet their demands.” With two mediated sessions still planned this month, UPI and Western will continue negotiations through February. After that, mediation could continue, or a number of other options, including a strike, could occur. While Thompson said that a strike isn’t desired, their picket demonstrates they can and will if necessary. “The more believable that it is that we will strike, the more believable it is that we will come to a resolution in the bargaining process, because a strike is something that nobody wants,” Thompson said. “But if one side does not believe the other side will strike, they don’t have a lot of incentive to move.”
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where, they are the new faculty that have the new ideas and techniques and create the new classes,” Thompson said. “When all of those people keep resigning your curriculum ages quickly and you have a disruptive workplace where you constantly have to search for new faculty.” UPI did find one positive in the newest on the record proposal, as Western has taken furloughs, mandatory unpaid time off, out of their proposal. Thompson said this shows that progress has been made even though the results are not satisfactory. “I think that pressure has increased and as a result of that we have seen some movement from the other side. We have been coming up with ideas to meet their requests and for the lon-
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Friday, February 9, 2018
2018 Winter Olympics Preview
WesternCourier.com
Beginners Guide to Winter Olympics If you’re like me, you’ve never watched the Winter Olympics. The Winter Olympics have never had any sports that I was ever emotionally invested in like the Summer Olympics do. But I decided this year that I was going to give them a shot. One of the main events that I am going to be looking forward to watching is curling. Curling is one of the most unique sports I have ever seen in my whole life. Curling originated in the 16th century in Scotland. They started off by playing on frozen ponds with some rocks they found. This is a pretty basic story and I honestly have no idea who in their right minds decided it should be an Olympic sport, but I am so glad they snuck their way in there. Curling is actually one of the sports that were involved in the inaugural Olympics, but the International Olympic Committee did not recognize the results of the event until 2006. There was a video a few weeks ago I found on Twitter of P. Diddy curling and it was the greatest thing that has ever graced my timeline. Luge is another event that I am excited for. Before I started writing this I thought that luge was the same as what they did in “Cool Runnings.” I was very excited to see some Jamaican
guys dominate the Winter Olympics in the luge, but apparently they are different events. Luge is when only one person is on the sled and lays on his or her back and then pulls him or herself towards the track. In bobsledding, it is a two or four-man team and they have to push the sled for up to 50 meters before getting in the sled. Either one can’t disappoint me because I just like to see humans on small sleds flying 90 miles per hour on some snow. Figure Skating is always a fan favorite in the Olympics and I never really understood it. I would watch more figure skating if it was like one of the greatest movies ever made, “Blades of Glory.” Will Ferrell and Jon Heder portray two rival figure skaters that have completely different personalities that get into a fight on the awards platform and are banned for life. They go their separate ways, but they couldn’t stay away from the sport, so they found a loophole in the system and started performing as a duo. They go on to be the most perfect duo in the competition. After re-watching the movie I feel like it is necessary to ask, is it still possible for Ferrell and Heder to register for the event? Skiing probably has the biggest star of the Olympics and one of the only two
people I have ever heard of, Lindsay Vonn. Skiing seems like an exclusively white-collar sport. I’ve never once wanted to ski in my life, and maybe that’s because I don’t feel like falling and becoming a giant snowball, that would destroy the ski resort that people are staying at. Speed skiing is terrifying to watch. I don’t know if you could ever pay me enough to stick some twigs under my feet and tell me to fly down a mountain while propelling myself with some other sticks. I think the sign of a great sport is when you’re terrified to do whatever you are watching on your television screen, and skiing passes that test. The last sport I’m looking forward is snowboarding, because of Shaun White. It seems like White has been around forever because I feel like I’ve heard about him when I was eight years old, and he was dominating the Olympics. My fellow sports editor, Hayley Richards and I were talking about White the other day and I looked up to see how old he was and I was flabbergasted to find out he was only 31- years-old. If you‘d told me that White was 45-years-old, I wouldn’t have batted an eye. Granted, I never really look at pictures of him or follow up on his life but he’s just been around way too long to only be 31- years- old. Give the Winter Olympics a chance this year, I plan to watch all the events very closely and take notes so that I can recreate the events on campus because we are apparently going to have several more months of winter.
Team USA bobsled team prepares to take the course.
WIKIPEDIA.ORG
Fun Facts about the Olympics Oldest and youngest
Brian Gionta 39 years old
most decorated
Vicent zhou 17 years old
Shani Davis 4 medals
kelly clark 3 medals
tallest and shortest
bryce bennet 6’ - 7”
jessica kooreman 5’ - 0”
Top 10 stars you should look out for When it comes to the Olympics, many people anticipate the summer games, and tend to forget about the winter events, while others just don’t care as much for whatever reason. Either way, whenever the Olympics finally return every two years, alternating between summer and winter, I’m absolutely glued to the tv and cheering on the U.S.A. the entire time. So, with that, here are my top ten U.S. athletes to look out for in the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics. Quick Honorable Mention: U.S. Women’s Hockey Team 10. Gus Kenworthy – Kenworthy might not be the most decorated Olympic athlete, but he still did manage to pick up a silver medal at the 2014 Sochi games in the skiing slopestyle event, but can also compete in the super pipe. He’s an allaround versatile skier, but it’s what he did outside of skiing that stands out. In 2015, he came out as gay during an interview with ESPN. Since then, a huge weight has been lifted
off his shoulders, and he is ready to get back into competition for his country. 9. Ashley Wagner – Going into these games as an alternate for the figure skating team, she definitely has something to prove. She competed in Sochi and picked up a bronze medal there, as well as competed with her team. She is listed as an alternate because figure skating is more forgiving to younger athletes, but this 26-year-old won’t let anything get in her way. This year, it’s not certain if she’ll compete, but if she does, you won’t want to miss it. 8. Adam Rippon – For a while, this 28-year-old has strived to compete with the national team, and this year he’ll finally appear in his first Olympic games. But what makes him such an interesting story is that he is the first openly gay American athlete to qualify for the Winter Olympics, which is an honor all on its own. He was also born deaf and underwent many surgeries before his first birthday. He can hear perfectly now, and
he’s coming into these games with a chip on his shoulder as he seeks a medal in figure skating. 7. Alex and Maia Shibutani – This brother-sister figure skating duo has been lighting it up in competition recently, as they’ve won medals at the U.S. Championships for 13 straight years. This is only their second Olympic games together, as they competed in Sochi just four years ago but finished ninth. They’ve gotten better since then and look to come out and put on a show to hopefully capture Olympic gold. 6. Nathan Chen – This 18-yearold will be competing in his first Olympic Games, but he’s been doing terrific things as of last year. He captured gold in both the ISU Grand Prix Final as well as the Four Continents Championships, being the youngest person to do so. It’s no question that he knows how to win so let’s see if he can keep things rolling when he competes this year. 5. Mikaela Shiffrin – At just 22 years old, this will already be her second Olympic games appearance. Last time around in 2014 she took over for injured superstar Lindsey Vonn, as she finished with a gold medal in the skiing slalom event. Keep an eye on her and Vonn as they look to go back-to-back gold and silver.
4. Chloe Kim – Chloe is probably one of the main athletes I’ll be watching. This is her first Olympic games, as she’s only 17, but don’t let those things fool you. She’s got five X – Games medals, three gold, silver, and bronze; all in the snowboarding super pipe event. Last year she competed in the FIS World Cup and came in first place in the half pipe event and 6 th overall. She might not have any Olympic medals under her belt, but it’s only a matter of time before she’s the next Shaun White. 3. Jamie Anderson – This snowboarding all-star has 11 X – Games medals to her name. She’s a twotime Olympian, winning gold in the inaugural women’s snowboarding slopestyle event in Sochi. Since then, she has won the 2017 FIS World Cup and looks to pick up another medal for her country this year. 2. Shaun White – At 31 years old, many thought this guy wasn’t going to make it to the 2018 Winter Olympics. Most people thought he was going to hang it up in Sochi and call it a career, but here he is four years later, continuing to get better. White is by far my favorite snowboarder of all time. I watched him score a perfect score in the men’s snowboard super pipe, pulling off his signature double “McTwist” 1260. If you’ve
never seen this trick, I encourage you to go find it, because it is truly worth watching over and over. White was the first to get a perfect score, and first to win medals in both the summer and winter X – Games. He’s got 12 X – Games gold medals and two Olympic one’s to go along. Watch out for him in the men’s super-pipe events. 1. Lindsey Vonn – I brought her up earlier because she was born a skiing prodigy. Now Vonn is known for her remarkable comeback stories throughout the years. In 2013 she was competing in the FIS Alpine Skiing World Championships in Austria. She was on track for a record-breaking run, when she lost all control, flew off a jump, completely misstimed, and tore her ACL and MCL on impact. The video is gruesome if you ever stumble upon it, but that’s not the point. The point is she came back stronger because of that injury and continues to compete at the age of 33. She’s a four-time Olympian, competing in 2002, 2006, 2010, and 2018, missing out on 2014 because of the injury. She last struck the podium in 2010 in Vancouver with a gold medal in downhill skiing, but can also compete in slalom events as well as the Super-G. She wants to cap off a tremendous career with gold in 2018.
Friday, February 9, 2018
@WesternCourier
2018 Winter Olympics Preview 3
The Return of Lindsey Vonn
Lindsey Vonn catches speed on the Downhill event.
WIKIMEDIA.ORG
It’s been eight years since Lindsey Vonn competed in the Olympic Games for the United States of America. The talented alpine ski racer was well on her way to her fourth Olympics in 2014 at the Sochi, Russia Games. Those dreams ended on a heart shattering injury just a year before in February of 2013. She was in the middle of her race when she lost her balance, and ended up losing one of her ski’s. She skidded helplessly about 40 feet in the snow. Vonn was airlifted to the hospital, when she found out she tore both her ACL and MCL. She miraculously came back from that horrible injury, proving why she’s the greatest women’s speed skier of all time. Now in 2018, the 33- year-old isn’t slowing down, and getting ready to compete in her fourth Olympic games. In her first year becoming professional at the age of 17 in 2002, she made the U.S. Olympic team.
Vonn’s been a part of three Olympic teams (2002, 2006, and 2010). In those three appearances, she has won two medals, both coming in the Vancouver Games in 2010. One gold in the Downhill, and a bronze in the Super-G. The Downhill event was the first time a U.S. women’s team ever participated in that particular event. Outside of her Olympic career, she has been nothing short of spectacular. Vonn won an impressive four World Cup overall championships. Three of those coming in a row, from 2008-2010. The other in 2012. The four championships are tied for first. The records don’t stop there. Vonn’s eight World Cups in Downhill (2008-13,15, and 16), five in the Super G (2009-12, and 15), and combined (2010-12). Making that 16 Discipline titles. In all the World Cup races she’s been in, she’s finished in first 81 times, second 35 times, and third 19 times. All together an unbelievable 135 top three finishes.
She has 20 World Cup crystal globe titles, making that the all-time record in both men’s and women’s skiing. Only one gold medal and one bronze medal isn’t enough for Vonn. If it wasn’t for the injury that came in 2013, she would’ve easily won more medals. But she hasn’t slowed down a bit, only working harder than she ever has. This time it will be her fourth Olympic appearance and nothing is holding her back. She will have a shot to add onto her two Olympic medals, and continue to prove why she’s the best in her sport, even at 33 years old. If you were watching the Super Bowl last Sunday, you may have noticed Vonn in a couple of commercials. In one of them she was doing an ad for Bounty paper towels. The other one was emotional, showing her when she was a little girl first learning to ski, her accomplishments, and her injury in 2013. In the background, the song “Girl on Fire” by Alicia Keys was playing. It looks like Vonn will win yet another gold, which may have looked impossible just five years ago after the brutal injury. Watch out for her because she may very well win more medals in South Korea.
The Flying Tomato looks to reclaim crown Everyone has their own personal favorites to watch when it comes to the Olympics. For me, that’s snowboarder Shaun White, also known as “the Flying Tomato.” Growing up around mountains, I was able to hit the slopes when there was enough snowfall. I remember my first ski trip was in the fifth grade as a field trip for my school. I got the choice to either ski or snowboard and I chose to snowboard because of Shaun White. White is one of the most well- known names when it comes to the Winter Olympics and that’s for a good reason too. He began snowboarding at the age of six and by the age of seven, he had received his first sponsorship. We saw the first of White in the Winter X-Games in 2002, when he was just 18 years old. He holds the title of most decorated X-Games gold medalist in history. Part of the reason for his collection of hardware is the fact that he has competed in two sports throughout the X-Games. Aside from shredding on the snow, White also skateboards. His 13 gold medals come from events like the halfpipe, superpipe, slopestyle, and of course the skateboarding section in the Summer X-Games. As far as his Olympic career, White has competed in three Winter Olympics. His first appearance was in the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy. White went on to win his first gold medal in the half-pipe. This first gold was only a start to a more than ordinary snowboarding career. At the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, White captured his second gold medal in the half-pipe. His Double
McTwist 1260, which he named the “Tomahawk,” gave him a score of 48.4 out of a total 50 points. He is the first person to perform the trick and gave it worldwide recognition. However, as he set out to make history in the 2014 Olympics, he was faced with some heartbreak. White was aiming to become the first U.S. man to win gold in the same event at three consecutive Winter Olympics but was unable to do so. After falling during his runs in the half-pipe event, White would finish off the podium in fourth place. In an interview done by NBC Olympics just over a year ago, White had some words for all of us. “People ask, ‘When are you going to get over it?’ You know, the loss of whatever. You don’t really ever get over it. It’s kind of like you have a scar from falling off a bike, it’s just with you forever. But you learn from it. So, it’s a part of me now, which is great. As hard as it was, I’m thankful that it happened because it taught me a lot.” White said. Thankfully, for us Flying Tomato fans, his setback in Sochi didn’t stop him from wanting to compete. White will once again be competing in the half-pipe event, which let’s admit, is the most entertaining snowboarding event there is. Nothing against slopestyle, but watching someone fly up the side of a half-pipe and start spinning in the air is exhilarating; even if you are just at home sitting on the couch watching. “I think Pyeongchang will be great, to be honest,” White said. “I think that with what happened at Sochi, they’re
going to be very precise on their methods of building that halfpipe. It was just a strange one to be honest, everything that happened at Sochi had never really happened before. And now coming into this one I have faith that it’s going to be great. What else can you do? Wishful thinking.” White qualified for the Olympics after his run in the U.S. Grand Prix just about two weeks ago. He landed a cab double cork 1440 with a perfect 100 score. I’m glad to see that he is competing in another Winter Olympics. Not to mention, who doesn’t like a good comeback. “I’m just hoping to show up and ride like I know I can, put down the runs,” White said. “If I do that, I’m totally content.” The fact that Shaun White chose to compete this year speaks a lot about him. I can only imagine how discouraged he was after his last Olympics, but he has improved himself and his career. Out of all the events, I got to say, this is the one I am most eager for. The 31-year-old has once again found his love for the sport and is even talking about competing in the Beijing Games in 2022. It’s sort of crazy to think that the same person who inspired me to want to snowboard when I was young, is still around to catch the attention of younger generations. I’m not fanatical when it comes to the Olympics, but I still managed to purchase Hulu Live TV so that I can watch it. I’m anxious to see White and how he is able to perform. Regardless of the outcome, I will always be a fan of the Flying Tomato. I think sometimes when an athlete ends on a bad note, that is all that people tend to remember. In my case, I will always remember watching White as a 10-year -old little girl and being awed by his abilities. Shaun White hits a tail grab while flying through the air.
F L I C K E R .CO M
@WesternCourier
Friday, February 9, 2018
Is anyone else sick and tired of all of this snow? I know there are some people who absolutely love it, but I am not that person. The reason behind my strong dislike for all of this snow is because I feel like the roads and sidewalks are barely even plowed. I am a freshman who lives all the way on the other side of Q-lot, and let me say that when there is snow, there is almost no sign of a plow. Thankfully there are some people who have early classes and make paths for others to walk through, but that should not be other students’ job. As someone who already struggles to get out of bed I don’t need any more excuses as to why I should not go to class. Let me tell you, snow might make it or break it for me one of these days. The problem is not only in
ery day. And of course, there are always students walking across campus. I cannot tell you how many times I have seen people slip and almost fall, or I have almost done it myself. Students need to be able to feel like they will not be in harm’s way when walking to class. I think that if this problem is not taken care of it could cause issues for the school. I completely understand that our campus is a decent size, but it is not huge like other college campuses. There are not that many places that need to be plowed by the morning when students are out and about. It is only February, and it is going to snow some more just within the next few days! I hope all students stay safe when they walk, or drive to class. Be aware of the outside conditions and be cautious at all times. Soon enough it will be warm and beautiful outside and we will not have to worry about this problem, but for future situations students’ safety should always come first.
OPINIONS 7
Clean the snow Valentine’s Day? What’s the off our sidewalks point? Q-lot, but also all around campus. There are several other places where the roads and sidewalks need to be plowed. If I would have to guess the reason why this is an issue it would be because there is not enough people to get the job done, or the school does not have enough money to pay several people to ensure that the snow is taken care of. I feel so strongly about this because when the roads aren’t plowed, students and even the community of Macomb are at a risk of wrecking their vehicles. The other night as I made a trip to get dinner, I could not even see the lines on the road and I could only drive 30 miles per hour, because if I drove any faster my car would slide all over the road. Now, think of all the students that live off campus and have to drive to class ev-
I’ve never given much thought to what this holiday we call Valentine’s Day truly is. Why does it cause such an uproar within my age group? I’ve always wondered this. Is it just a reason to go spend money on your significant other, if that person even exists? Maybe because I have yet to receive chocolates from someone other than my mom, I don’t understand all the hype about Valentines Day. I can only think of the cheesy pre-made valentines with cartoons and quotes that I had to buy for every Valentine’s day party in elementary school. I’ll be honest, I looked forward to those parties mainly because we had snacks and almost everyone brought candy. But those were the days where we did not put much thought into the holiday. It was just a time of drawing hearts, sharing candy, and coloring everything pink and red. But as we’ve grown older, we stopped giving each other candy and cartooncovered valentines, and now we just either exchange gifts between friends, or with our boyfriend or girlfriend. Early February seem to be the hardest time of the year to get through for most people that do not have a significant other. Why is that? I’ll never understand it. Just scroll through your Twitter feed during February, you’ll see girls post something
about wanting a date on Valentine’s Day, and guys will post something about how there are no girls worthy of taking on a date. I won’t lie to myself as I wondered if the holidays would be more enjoyable if it was spent with a significant other, but this time of year is considered “cuffingseason.” It is the time of year where people who are single find themselves wanting to be “tied down,” or in a serious relationship with someone else. Now I don’t know if this concept is legitimate but it is prominent within my generation. Like I’ve said before, all you have to do is scroll through your twitter feed and you will most likely find someone making complaints. Valentine’s Day is just another day, there’s no need to make desperate calls for a secret admirer to send you some candy or flowers at your door. Most girls who ask for that would probably call you creepy for doing that if it was on any other day of the year, let’s be serious. There’s nothing wrong with sending your friends some candy, or receiving some from your family if you don’t have that special someone in your life. Treat yourself to a nice dinner or have a group of friends take you out. It’s just another day of the year, and you will survive-yet another Valentine’s Day without a special someone.
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Mobile videogames aren’t real games I play video games. I built a computer that is powerful enough to run any kind of game. I don’t own an Xbox One or PS4, but I appreciate those consoles. There is one kind of video game I despise. Mobile games are the worst kind of video game, because they provide the illusion of fun while wanting more of your money. You may be addicted to Candy Crush or Super Mario Run. Let me tell you, on my iPhone, I don’t have any games in-
stalled. I use my phone for communicating with other people and other essential phone tasks. I don’t use my phone as a crutch, I use it as a tool. What I mean by this is, I’m not the kind of person that spends hours glued to my screen. Mobile games are the most money hungry, simplest games. They don’t require a controller and are usually not action-packed. They are usually games that you play to pass the time.
I don’t use my phone to pass the time. I have more fun and important things to do. A lot of games have this coin system, which is a ripoff pay-to-play feature. Most popular mobile games follow a freemium format, which is short for ‘free premium.’ Its sad that people get addicted to these games that aren’t even challenging to play. One of my friends installed Pathfinder Adventures, a deck building game based on the popular tabletop roleplaying game. You get the tutorial for free as well as the first chapter. You have to buy other chapters and characters, which empties your bank account. My friend uninstalled it because he didn’t want to pay
to play it. Pokémon Go is a rare breed of mobile game that puts a good idea to use. You walk around and catch Pokémon. Die-hard players will do anything to catch their favorites. This might also lead to people trespassing and getting lost. Clash of Clans is a game where you build defenses against attacking goblins. The first thing they teach you in the tutorial is ‘spend coins on this’ and ‘spend emeralds on that.’ This isn’t a game, this is just something that rewards you for spending money. There are also those games that are heavily advertised. “Mobile Strike” is an example. They even got Arnold Schwarzenegger to appear in the com-
mercials. Once you download “Mobile Strike”and play it, it teaches you how to play. The first thing it tells you to do is to build stuff, and there is a green button that says “buy more for $4.99.” It also has a part of the tutorial that says “tap ‘missions’ to get rewards.” A lot of mobile games pleasure the brain’s reward center, which increases the chance that the player will continue to play it. If the player plays more, they are persuaded to pay more money for more coins. These aren’t video games, they’re money grabbing clickfests. They are time passers that draw players in. To me, they’re not fun because they are boring to me. Thats what I think of mobile games.
studying accounting? If we must take these required courses at least provide us with classes that will benefit us as adults. Provide courses that will show us how to file taxes, how to build a resume, or what to look for when signing a lease. Provide us with materials that we can use not only now, but in the future as well. Maybe if I took classes that taught me the basics of adulthood, and how to manage my time or my budget, I
wouldn’t mind waking up at 9 a.m. knowing that that information will benefit me in the long-run. We’ve already taken history, English, science, math, and electives in high school, so why do we have to take them again? Having to undergo 12 years of schooling only to get to college to take the same classes with similar curriculums is repetitive. There is already a financial strain with loans and outof-pocket costs, so why pay for classes that are clearly unnecessary? I understand the concept of reinforcing material to retain information efficiently, but deciding on what classes that we want to
take as though we’re shopping in a catalog seems a bit unorthodox semester after semester. It is appreciated though when professors do ask their students what they want to learn during the semester because then, I get the satisfaction of knowing that I’m going to learn about subjects that I’m interested in. College is supposed to be about exploration and the adrenalin that comes with it when we discover something new for the first time. When I first arrived at college I was amazed at all of the different majors there were to choose from until I discovered that I wouldn’t be able to partake any of my major courses until my
junior year. College students accept the challenges that come with each new course we take each semester, although, the idea of learning subjects that challenge us both mentally and intellectually would be helpful for our growing minds. It’s said that the human brain fully develops in our mid20s, so I would like to gain as much knowledge as I can before then. A curriculum that stimulates my mind as well as prepares me for future challenges that I will face after college are the focus. Classes that not only prepare us in our career fields, but develop are creative thought process would be enlightening.
Let us take major classes sooner
When we enroll in college, we are told that there are courses that must be taken in order for us to fulfill our general education requirements, such as theatre and speech. Now, I can understand why speech is required considering that it actually does prepare us for public speaking, a skill that’s needed in almost every profession. However, theatre may be an interest that many of us might have, but does that mean that it’s going to help someone who’s